DeKALB – The Best of DeKalb winners, hosted by the Northern Star, have been announced.

The best specialty food places are as follows: Best Pizza place is Vinny’s Pizza, located at 221 W. Lincoln Highway. The best Burger place is Fatty’s Pub and Grill, 1312 W. Lincoln Highway. The best sandwich place is Jersey Mike’s Subs, 103 N. Annie Glidden Road.

The best drinks specials go to Fatty’s, specifically on Tuesday, according to some of the votes. The best liquor store is Huskie’s Discount Liquor, 1030 Arcadia Drive.

The best Mexican cuisine is Los Rancheros, 2350 Sycamore Road. The best Asian cuisine is Fushi Yami, 822 W. Lincoln Highway.

The winner of the best ice cream place is Ollie’s Frozen Custard, located at 2290 Oakland Dr. The winner of the best coffee place is Starbucks, 1015 W. Lincoln Highway.

The best breakfast place is The Junction Eating Place, 816 W. Lincoln Highway. For late night eating, the best place to go is McDonald’s, 805 W. Lincoln Highway. The best place to eat healthy is Wired Nutrition, 830 W. Lincoln Highway.

The best locations are as follows: Best date restaurant is Ellwood Steak and Fish House, located at 2219 Sycamore Rd. The best grocery store is Hy-Vee, 2700 Dekalb Ave. The best place to watch sports is Fatty’s Pub and Grill.

NIU had its own category of “bests.” The best NIU dining hall is New Hall Dining. The best NIU sports team is football. The best fraternity is Sigma Nu and the best sorority is Alpha Phi. The best student organization, however, is Order of Omega. The best place to study is the Holmes Student Center.

Two individuals were also spotlighted in this competition. The best NIU faculty member is Barb, NIU dining hall employee. The best bartender is Sam Guevarra at MVP Sports Bar.

Some of DeKalb city’s best are as follows: The best leasing company is Pittsley Realty, 1005 Regent Dr. The best local music group is Back Country Roads. The best haircut place is the University City Barber Shop, 817 W. Lincoln Highway. The best fitness center is Planet Fitness, 2560 Sycamore Road. The best nail salon is OQ Nails and Spa, 237 E. Lincoln Highway.

A couple of hidden gems of DeKalb have been announced through this competition as well. The best-kept secret is the Common Grounds, 123 E. Lincoln Highway. The best new spot is Cast Iron Coffee, 901 Lucinda Ave.