The Atlas Café in Courtenay has been voted the best café on Vancouver Island in the 2012 BC Living People’s Choice Awards.
In other Comox Valley highlights, MusicFest was first among local festivals, the Waverley Hotel was the third-best live music venue, Crown Isle was the second-best golf course and the Kingfisher was the first runner-up spa.
Various locations of Thrifty Foods, Quality Foods, Winners, Home Hardware, Home Depot, Canadian Tire and Sport Mart placed in the top three in their categories.
The Atlas was also picked as the second runner-up in the best breakfast/brunch category.
“It’s a beautiful warm feeling to know it’s come from peers … people’s experiences have driven their vote,” responds Atlas co-owner Sandra Viney. “It’s an accolade that means we are hitting our mark.
“It’s a significant effort from past and present employees. It’s a wonderful tip of the hat to say we’re on track and people are receiving it the way we want them to receive it.”
Viney says the award really touched her when she learned of it.
“I got a tear in my eye. I was a proud parent.
In other categories:
Best grocery store: Winner: Thrifty Foods (various locations). First runner-up: Quality Foods (various locations).
Best local festival: Winner: Vancouver Island MusicFest, Courtenay.
Best live music venue: Second runner-up (to Port Theatre, Nanaimo and Irish Times Pub, Victoria: The Waverley, Cumberland.
Best spa: First runner-up (to Tigh-Na-Mara): Kingfisher Oceanside Resort & Spa, Courtenay.
Best golf course: First runner-up (to Bear Mountain): Crown Isle, Courtenay.
Best clothing store: Winners (various locations).
Best hardware store: Home Hardware (various locations). First runner-up: Home Depot (various locations). Second runner-up: Canadian Tire (various locations).
Best sports store: First runner-up (to Frontrunners): Sport Mart (various locations).
For more about the awards, visit www.bcliving.ca/travel/2012-peoples-choice-awards-winners.