One might think coming up with a fresh group of winners would be difficult after 17 years’ worth of annual Best of Westchester issues. Are there enough praiseworthy selections left? In a word, yes.
A percentage of the winners are relatively new businesses, while others have been around awhile and are being recognized again (often for something new). There are 134 editors’ picks this year, including a sophisticated, tri-level Mediterranean restaurant in downtown White Plains, a puppy-socialization program that brings cuteness to a new level, a modish men’s fashion boutique, and a kid-centric festival in Harrison.
We give the readers a chance to vote on Westchester’s best offerings because, as with any superlatives list, there’s virtually no consensus on what “the best” is. More than 18,000 ballots were cast on the online Readers’ Ballot, which ran from early December through the end of January. The results determined the winners in all major categories except Food & Drink (these were done via five elimination rounds in late January through February, for which approximately 15,000 votes were cast) to decide the 227 readers’-selections winners.
Happy Best of 2017 — and look for the winners at the July 26 Best Of Westchester Party, at Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle.