Best of Cities South 2024

Readers voted for their favorite people, places and services in the area.

We’re celebrating the best that the south metro has to offer with our first annual Best of Cities South readers’ survey. In January we asked you for favorite picks in about 50 different categories, and here are your selections for everything from your favorite bakery to your favorite veterinarian. 

While our magazine collection readership includes Apple Valley, Eagan, Lakeville and Prior Lake, we noticed that the survey results seemed to favor a certain community. (We see you, Lakeville! Thank you for voting!) If you feel like a “best” from your city was overlooked, we hope it inspires you to vote in December! 

Right now, we’re thrilled to share the sweet success of these local businesses, the Best of the Cities South 2024 Winners!—Liz Potasek

Dining

Best Bakery

1. Sweet Kneads by Farmington Bakery
2. Sweet Treasures
3. Edelweiss Bakery

Best Bar, Brewery or Distillery

1. Lakeville Brewing Company
2. Omni Winery & Taproom
3. Bald Man Brewing

Best Breakfast or Brunch

1. The Better Half
2. Hope Breakfast Bar
3. Jensen’s Cafe

Best Burger

1. B-52 Burgers and Brew
2. Tie: Burgers and Bottles;  Northern Taphouse

Best Desserts or Ice Cream

1. Dairy Delite
2. Chill Ice Cream Studio
3. Cold Stone Creamery

Best International Cuisine

1. Taste of Thai Yai
2. Tie: Fong’s Restaurant & Bar; Joy’s Thai Cuisine; Mediterranean Cruise Cafe

Best Outdoor Dining Space

1. Lakeville Brewing Company
2. The Tavern Grill
3. Barley + Vine Kitchen/Bar

Best Pizza

1. Carbone’s Lakeville
2. Ole Piper Family Restaurant & Sports Bar
3. Red’s Savoy Pizza

Best Plant-Based or Vegan Menu

1. Tie: Mediterranean Cruise Cafe; Toppers Pizza

Best Restaurant

1. Porterhouse Steak & Seafood
2. Lakeville Brewing Company
3. Tie: Doolittles Woodfire Grill; The Better Half

Abode

Best Garden Center

1. Terra Garden Center
2. Pahl’s Market
3. Gertens

Best Home Décor or Furniture Store

1. HOM Furniture
2. Schneiderman’s Furniture
3. Ashley

Best Interior Design Firm

1. The Divine Living Space
2. Curate with Kate

Best Landscape Design Service

1. Southview Design
2. Tie: Custom One Landscaping; Pahl’s Market

Best Remodeler

1. Rise & Shine Garage Doors
2. Tie: Custom One Renovation; Platt Contracting

Best Senior Living Residence

1. The Moments
2. Tie: BeeHive Homes of Lakeville; Highview Hills

Self-Care

Best Barbershop

1. TR’s Lakeville Barber Shop
2. Tie: 210 Barber Shop; Red’s Chop Shop

Best Boutique Fitness or Yoga Studio

1. Puravida Fitness
2. Tie: Onx; The Warehouse

Best Hair Salon

1. Tie: Cole’s Salon; Regard Rayonnant
2. CBeauty Hair Studio

Best Manicure and Pedicure

1. Frenchies Modern Nail Care
2. Nail Bar & Spa
3. Heidi Nails

Best Massage

1. Amesbarry Chiropractic
2. Spavia
3. Tie: Clovr Life Spa; Keep In Touch

Best Spa

1. Spavia
2. Sage + Arch
3. Tie: Life Time LifeSpa; The Esthetician

Wellness

Best Chiropractic Practice

1. ABLE Chiropractic
2. HealthSource Chiropractic
3. Enlighten Chiropractic

Best Dental Practice

1. Lakeville Dental
2. Apelgren Dental
3. Park Dental

Best Dermatology Practice

1. Tie: Dermatology Consultants; Lakes Dermatology

Best Eye Care Practice

1. McDonald Eye Care Associates
2. Focused Eye Care
3. Tie: Advanced Family Eyecare; Yankee Eye Clinic

Best Family Medicine Practice

1. Park Nicollet
2. Tie: Allina; Dillman Clinic & Lab; New Kingdom

Best OB-GYN Practice

1. Minnesota Women’s Care
2. OBGYN Specialists

Best Orthodontic Practice

1. Lakeville Orthodontics
2. Tie: Anchored Orthodontics; Cosmopolitan Orthodontics

Best Pediatric Practice

1. Southdale Pediatrics
2. Tie: Eagan Valley Pediatrics; Park Nicollet

Learning

Best Dance Studio

1. DanceWorks Performing Arts Center
2. Next Step Dance Studio
3. Tie: Betty Jo’s Dance Center; South Metro Dance Arts Center

Best Preschool Program

1. The Goddard School Lakeville
2. Hypointe Childcare
3. Especially For Children

Best Swim School or Lessons

1. Wise Swim School
2. Tie: Bear Paddle Swim School; Foss Swim School

Pet Care

Best Dog-Friendly Business (Dining or Retail venue)

1. Three Dog Bakery
2. Wag N’ Wash
3. Dog Day Getaway

Best Dog Park

1. Ritter Farm Dog Park
2. Dakota Woods Dog Park
3. Cleary Lake Dog Off-leash Area

Best Pet Boarding or Daycare Service

1. Dog Day Getaway
2. Tie: Puppy Play and Stay; River Valley Groom & Board

Best Pet Grooming Service

1. Wag N’ Wash
2. Dog Day Getaway
3. Tie: Fancy Paws Pet Salon; Pet Attitudes; The Dirty Dog Spa

Best Veterinarian Practice

1. East Valley Animal Clinic
2. Tie: Southfork Animal Hospital; VCA Cedar View Animal Hospital

Shops

Best Apparel Boutique

1. Board and Batten
2. Tie: Mainstream Boutique; Thread and Clover Boutique

Best Florist

1. Flora Etc.
2. Rosemount Floral
3. Tie: Bachman’s; Flowerama

Best Gift Shop

1. Market On Oak Boutique
2. The Charming Lily Boutique
3. Ficus & Fig

Best Jewelry Store

1. Gerster Jewelers
2. Tie: Real Gem Jewelers; Shane Co.

Best Specialty Food or Kitchen Store

1. Desi Foods

Leisure

Best Beach, Open Space or Park

1. Antlers Park
2. Lebanon Hills Regional Park
3. Cleary Lake Regional Park

Best Date Night Spot

1. Board and Brush
2. Porterhouse Steak and Seafood
3. Gary’s Supper Club

Best Outdoor Spot for Graduation Photos

1. Ritter Farm Park

Best Place for Family Activities

1. Board and Brush
2. Bowlero

Best Venue to Watch Fourth of July Fireworks

1. Lakeville Pan-O-Prog Fireworks
2. Apple Valley Freedom Days Fireworks

Best of the Metro

Best Alpine Hill or Nordic Ski Trail

1. Buck Hill
2. Tie: Lebanon Hills Regional Park; Welch Village

Best Biking or Hiking Trail

1. Lebanon Hills Regional Park
2. Ritter Farm Park
3. Theodore Wirth Regional Park

Best Bridal or Formal Wear Store

1. Tie: Effie’s Bridal Trunk; The Wedding Shoppe
2. Bridal-N-More Boutique

Best Family Photographer

1. Anthologie
2. East Oaks Photography
3. Tie: BennyAni Photography; Kiley Marissa Photography; Tiffany Lynn Photography

Best Financial Services (financial planners, wealth management, estate planning, etc.)

1. Edward Jones
2. Tie: Haven Financial Group; Thrivent

Best Golf Course

1. Legends Club
2. The Wilds Golf Club
3. Tie: Bracketts Crossing Country Club; Crystal Lake Golf Club; Valleywood Golf Course

Best Law Practice

1. Elizabeth M. Porter

Best Outdoor Skating Rink

1. Tie: Arden Park; Goat Hill Park

Best Private School

1. First Baptist School
2. The Goddard School Lakeville
3. United Christian Academy

Best Professional Theatre

1. Orpheum Theatre
2. Tie: Children’s Theatre Company; Park Square Theatre

Best Staycation Hotel

1. Holiday Inn & Suites Lakeville
2. JW Marriott Mall of America

Best Summer Camp

1. YMCA Day Camp Streefland
2. Tie: Camp Sizzleberry; Catholic Youth Camp

Best Wedding Photographer or Videographer

1. Kiley Marissa Photography
2. Tie: East Oaks Photography; Studio Twelve:52

Best Wedding Venue

1. Bracketts Crossing Country Club

Best Winery

1. Omni Winery & Taproom
2. Next Chapter Winery
3. Schram Vineyards

Helping Hands

We extend our appreciation to those businesses and individuals who contributed to Local’s Best Of 2024 celebration photoshoot.

Bakery Items

• Brittni Dye
• Wuollet Bakery, wuollet.com

Florals and Arrangements

• Bachmans, bachmans.com

Jewelry

• General Store of Minnetonka, generalstoreofminnetonka.com

Serveware and Décor

• General Store of Minnetonka, generalstoreofminnetonka.com
• Owned by Local’s Art Department
• Patina, patinastores.com