Leaders of the Pack

Ingram’s Best of Business Kansas City awards, like business in general, have evolved over the past quarter-century. Since their inception in 1989 as the Golden Spoon Awards (and for several years after, Silver Ladle Awards), category winners have racked up a total of 1,051 Gold awards, and thousands more Silvers and Bronzes. That’s a lot of engraved brass and walnut plaques! The one constant: All honors were accorded by Ingram’s readers in formal balloting. 

Among the all-time leaders in the category that matters most, three dozen organizations have accounted for more than half of those Golds—546 to be exact. Not surprisingly, many are in the restaurant sector, which started this whole thing and offers numerous category winners each year. 

Some honors are fleeting; the Best Cigar Bar, for example, debuted and bowed out in the same year. But others, such as Best Barbecue, Best Steak, Best Overall Restaurant or Best Service in the Wining & Dining category, have endured. We added the Entertainment and Culture as well as Business Services and Products categories in 1999 for the 10th anniversary and Leadership in 2010. And among these categories, companies that excel year after year lead our list of combined Golds, often winning in several different categories. The combined totals for companies with at least eight Gold awards include:

 

Best of Business All-Time Gold Medal Count

The Capital Grille – 40

Plaza III-The Steakhouse – 38

Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue – 33

Bristol Seafood Grill Grill – 27

Stroud’s – 23

The American Restaurant – 21

First Watch – 20

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art – 19

Starlight Theatre – 18

The Classic Cup – 17

Halls Kansas City – 17

JJ’s – 15

Garrozzo’s Ristorante – 14

J.E. Dunn Construction – 14

Saint Luke’s Hospital – 13

McCormick & Schmick’s – 13

Jazzoo – 12

Weston, Mo. – 12

InterContinental Hotel of Kansas City (previously Fairmont) – 12

Nordstrom – 12

Tivol – 12

 

Best of Business All-Time Gold Medal Count

Peppercorn Duck Club – 11

Country Club Plaza – 11

Ida McBeth – 11

Bernstein-Rein – 11

Bijin – 11

Burns & McDonnell – 11

Ameristar Casino – 10

UMB Bank – 9

HNTB – 9

Hallmark Cards – 9

Grand Street Café – 8

Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City Chiefs) – 8

Aristocrat Motors – 8

Kansas City Zoo – 8

Overland Park Convention Center – 8

 

 

BEST OF BUSINESS KANSAS CITY 2013 WINNERS: 

WINING & DINING

Best BARBECUE

1. Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue

2. Oklahoma Joe’s Barbecue

3. Gates and Sons Bar-B-Q

Best BURGER

1. Five Guys Burgers and Fries

2. blanc burgers + bottles 

3. BRGR Kitchen + Bar 

Best Business BREAKFAST

1. First Watch

2. The Classic Cup Café 

3. eggtc. (tie) 

3. Le Peep (tie)

Best Business LUNCH

1. The Capital Grille 

2. Houlihan’s

3. The Café at Briarcliff Village

Best Business DINNER

1. The Capital Grille 

2. Plaza III–The Steakhouse

3. Lidia’s Kansas City

Best CATERER

1. Lon Lane’s Inspired Occasions

2. Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue (tie)

2. Hy-Vee (tie)

3. Brancato’s Catering (tie)

3. Grandma’s Catering (tie) 

Best CHEF

1. Colby Garrelts, bluestem; Rye

2. Michael Smith, Michael Smith Restaurant

3. Debbie Gold, Red Door Grill 

Best COFFEE HOUSE

1. Starbucks

2. The Roasterie

3. Lattéland Espresso & Tea 

Best DELI

1. Jason’s Deli

2. d’Bronx Authentic Deli & Pizzeria

3. Jersey Boyz Subs & Deli

Best FAMILY RESTAURANT

1. Stroud’s 

2. Applebee’s

3. Red Robin Gourmet Burgers (tie)

3. Houlihan’s (tie)

Best GROCERY STORE/CHAIN

1. Hy-Vee

2. Price Chopper

3. Hen House (tie)

3. Cosentino’s (tie)

Best HAPPY HOUR

1. Kona Grill

2.   Bonefish Grill

3. La Bodega

HEALTHIEST Restaurant Menu

1. Seasons 52

2. The Mixx (tie)

2. Panera Bread (tie)

3. Café Gratitude

Best OUTDOOR DINING

1. Gram & Dun

2. Trezo Mare

3. The Classic Cup Café (tie)

3. Lidia’s Kansas City (tie)

Best PIZZA

1. Minsky’s Pizza

2. Spin! Neopolitan Pizza

3. Waldo Pizza (tie)

3. Pizza 51 (tie)

Best PLACE TO EAT WITH A GROUP

1. Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue

2. The Cheesecake Factory

3. Hereford House

Best PLACE TO TAKE OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS

1. Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue

2. Oklahoma Joe’s Bar-B-Que 

3. Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque

MOST Romantic Restaurant

1. The American Restaurant

2. Chaz on the Plaza, Raphael Hotel

3. bluestem

Best SEAFOOD

1. Bristol Seafood Grill

2. McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood & Steaks

3. Bonefish Grill

Best SPORTS BAR/GRILL

1. Tanner’s Bar & Grill

2. 810 Zone (tie)

2. Johnny’s Tavern (tie)

3. Coach’s Bar & Grill (tie)

3. Buffalo Wild Wings (tie)

Best STEAK

1. The Capital Grille 

2. Plaza III–The Steakhouse

3. Ruth’s Chris Steak House (tie)

3. Hereford House (tie)

Best WINE LIST

1. JJ’s  

Best NEW RESTAURANT

1. Rye 

2. The Jacobson

Best SERVICE

1. The Capital Grille

2. Fogo de Chão

3. The American Restaurant

Best OVERALL RESTAURANT

1. The Capital Grille

Best ASIAN RESTAURANT

1. Bo Ling’s Chinese Restaurant

2. Fortune Wok

3. RA Sushi Bar Restaurant

Best FRENCH RESTAURANT

1. Le Fou Frog

2. Aixois

3. Café Provence

Best ITALIAN RESTAURANT

1. Garozzo’s Ristorante

2. Cascone’s Italian Restaurant

3. Lidia’s

Best MEXICAN RESTAURANT

1. Jose Pepper’s

2. Manny’s Restaurante Mexicano

3. El Patron (tie)

3. Ponak’s Mexican Kitchen & Bar (tie)

Best ETHNIC RESTAURANT (OTHER)

1. Blue Nile Cafe

2. La Bodega

3. Korma Sutra

 

ENTERTAINMENT & CULTURE

Best CHARITABLE EVENT
1. Jazzoo

2. Treads & Threads 

3. Big Brothers Big Sisters Legacy Invitational

Best CASINO

1. Ameristar Casino Kansas City 

2. Harrah’s North Kansas City Casino 

3. Hollywood Casino

Best THEATER

1. AMC Theatres

2. Starlight Theatre

3. Alamo Drafthouse Mainstreet

Best FAMILY OUTING/VENUE

1. Kansas City Zoo

2. Kansas City Royals (Kauffman Stadium)

3. Worlds of Fun

Best GOLF COURSE

1. Hallbrook Country Club

2. Shadow Glen Golf Club

3. The National Golf Club of Kansas City (tie)

3. Deer Creek Golf Club (tie)

Best JAZZ OR BLUES CLUB

1. The Blue Room

2.   The Phoenix Jazz Club

3. BB’S Lawnside BBQ

Best LOCAL ENTERTAINER

1. Ida McBeth

2. Tim Whitmer

3. David Basse (tie)

3. Bobby Watson (tie)

Best MUSEUM

1. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

2. National World War I Museum

3. National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame (tie)

3. Arabia Steamboat Museum (tie)

Best DAY TRIP

1. Weston, Mo.

2. Lawrence, Kan.

3. Lake of the Ozarks, Mo. (tie)

3. Hermann, Mo. (tie)

Best WEEKEND GETAWAY

1. Branson, Mo.

2. Lake of the Ozarks, Mo.

3. Omaha, Neb.

Best PERFORMING ARTS VENUE

1. Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

2. Starlight Theatre

3. The Midland by AMC (tie)

3. Quality Hill Playhouse (tie)

Best SPORTS EVENT to entertain clients

1. Sporting Park (Sporting Kansas City)

2. Kauffman Stadium (Kansas City Royals)

3. Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City Chiefs)

 

BUSINESS SERVICES

Best ACCOUNTING FIRM

1. BKD

2. KPMG

3. CBIZ

Best SMALL ADVERTISING AGENCY 

1. Trozzolo Communications Group

2. Meers Advertising

3. Muller Bressler Brown

Best LARGE ADVERTISING AGENCY

1. VML

2. Barkley

3. Gragg Advertising

Best ARCHITECTURAL/DESIGN FIRM

1. Gastinger Walker Harden + Bee Triplett Buck

2. Populous

2. Helix Architecture + Design

Best BANK

1. UMB Bank

2. Commerce Bank

3. Country Club Bank

Best ENGINEERING FIRM

1. Burns & McDonnell

2. Black & Veatch

3. Bob D. Campbell and Co.

Best SMALL COMMERCIAL CONTRACTOR

1. Kelly Construction Group

2. Centric Projects

3. Neighbors Construction 

Best COMMERCIAL CONTRACTOR

1. J.E. Dunn Construction Co.

2. A.L. Huber Construction Co.

3. McCownGordon Construction

Best COMMERCIAL REALTOR/ FIRM

1. Reece Commercial

2. Zimmer Real Estate Services

3. Kessinger/Hunter and Co. (tie) 

3. Copaken Brooks (tie)

Best COMPUTER/IT CONSULTING FIRM

1. NetStandard

2. Versent Group

3. Accenture

Best DRY CLEANERS

1. Hangers Cleaners

2. Tide Dry Cleaners

3. Arrow Fabricare

Best GROUND TRANSPORTATION

1. Overland Limousine

2. Agenda: USA

3. 10/10 Taxi

Best HEALTH CLUB

1. Life Time Fitness

2. Title Boxing Club (tie)

2. 24-Hour Fitness (tie)

3. Prairie Life Center

Best HEALTH INSURANCE PROVIDER

1. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City

2. UnitedHealthcare

3. Coventry Health Care

Best HOSPITAL/MEDICAL CENTER

1. Saint Luke’s Hospital 

2. University of Kansas Hospital

3. Shawnee Mission Medical Center

Best HOTEL

1. Marriott Hotel–Downtown Kansas City

2. Raphael Hotel 

3. InterContinental Hotel Kansas City (tie)

3. Aloft (tie)

Best LAW FIRM

1. Lathrop & Gage

2. Polsinelli, P.C.

3. Shook, Hardy & Bacon (tie)

3. Stinson Morrison Hecker (tie)

Best LAWN/LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE FIRM

1. Ryan Lawn & Tree 

2. Suburban Lawn & Garden

3. Hermes Landscaping (tie)

3. Aspen Lawn & Landscape (tie)

Best MEETING/CONFERENCE FACILITY

1. Overland Park Convention Center

2. Kansas City Convention Center (H. Roe Bartle Hall)

3. Ritz Charles Event and Conference Facility

Best PHOTOGRAPHER

1. Roy Inman, Roy Inman Photographs

2. Dan White, Dan White Photography 

3. David Morris, David Morris Photography

Best RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
1. John Knox Village

2. Bishop Spencer Place

3. Tallgrass Creek

Best WIRELESS PHONE SERVICE
1. Verizon Wireless

2. Sprint

3. AT&T

 

BUSINESS PRODUCTS

Best Auto Dealer (domestic)

1. Bob Allen Ford 

2. Dick Smith Ford

3. Gary Crossley Ford

Best AUTO DEALER (foreign)

1. Aristocrat Motors

2. Hendrick Lexus 

3. Baron BMW

Best CORPORATE GIFTS

1. Halls Kansas City

2. Mid-America Merchandising

3. Dean & DeLuca

Best ELECTRONICS STORE/ CHAIN

1. Best Buy

2. Micro Center 

3. Nebraska Furniture Mart

Best FLORIST

1. Trapp and Company

2. The Fiddly Fig 

3. Tobler’s Flowers

Best JEWELER

1. Tivol

2. Mazzareses 

3. Meierotto Midwest Jewelers

Best LIQOUR STORE/WINE SELLER

1. Lukas Liquors Superstore

2. Gomer’s

3. Rimann Liquors (tie) 

3. Missie’s Discount Liquors (tie)

Best MEN’S APPAREL

1. Halls Kansas City

2. Nordstrom

3. JoS. A. Bank Clothiers (tie) 

3. Baldwin Men’s Shop (tie)

Best WOMEN’S APPAREL

1. Nordstrom

2. Ann Taylor 

3. Standard Style

 

LEADERSHIP

Best BUSINESS FOR SUPPORTING CHARITIES

1. Hallmark Cards

2. J.E. Dunn Construction Co.

3. Burns & McDonnell

Best BUSINESS-FRIENDLY CITY/COUNTY GOVERNMENT

1. City of Overland Park, Kan.

2. City of Lenexa, Kan.

3. City of Leawood, Kan.

Best NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

1. Children’s Mercy Hospitals & Clinics

2. Girl Scouts

3. Operation Breakthrough (tie)

3. City Union Mission (tie)