With summer now officially underway, Lakeland This Week & Lakelandtoday.ca are back with another edition of Lakeland’s Best where your vote really counts for something.
Hot on the heels of the 2024 Food & Drink edition, we’re bringing that category back by popular demand in 2025 and spicing things up with an additional class that showcases summer in the Lakeland.
These days on social media one of the most common questions is: “What’s the best (insert type of food here) around?”
And every time you see it asked, you see a lot of different answers, and often some spirited debate. So, we are continuing the debate this summer and serving up another round of the Food & Drink group of categories in Lakeland’s Best.
But we haven’t stopped there. With so much to celebrate in the region during the summer we have added a brand-new group of categories we are calling Lakeland Life.
Everybody’s got a favourite local lake or campground, local landmark or local event that makes summer awesome in the Lakeland – cast a vote and let everyone know which ones are Lakeland’s Best.
Like to swing a club? We are looking for Lakeland’s Best golf course. Got a favourite business that oozes friendliness when you step through their door? Nominate them. Is there a local liquor store that stocks your cooler more often than not? Cast a vote their way.
Do we expect a little friendly competition between Lakeland communities? You bet we do. In fact, we encourage it. Don’t see your favourites in the listed nominees then please nominate them. As the saying goes, the more the merrier.
We’re launching today so check out Lakeland's Best 2025 here.
We’ve created 20 different Food & Drink categories where you can cast your votes for your favourite local restaurants and drink purveyors, including:
- Best Beer Selection
- Best Breakfast
- Best Burger
- Best Café
- Best Customer Service
- Best Dessert
- Best Ethnic Cuisine
- Best Family Restaurant
- Best Fish & Chips
- Best Ice Cream
- Best Liquor Store
- Best Lunch
- Best Nachos
- Best Patio
- Best Pizza
- Best Poutine
- Best Pub / Lounge
- Best Salad
- Best Sandwich / Sub
- Best Soup
- Best Steak
- Best Value For Money
- Best Wine List
- Best Wings
Cast your votes in the Lakeland Life group of categories for:
- Best Campground
- Best Golf Course
- Best Lake
- Best Local Event
- Best Local Landmark
- Friendliest Business
Voting opens on Monday, June 30 until Aug. 4. We’ll tabulate the winners and list them all online and in print in Lakeland This Week in August.
Beyond their names in the special section and bragging rights, winners will get a certificate to hang in their place of business.
Of course, the Lakeland is a collection of communities – and that means there’s bragging rights at stake as well. Which of our communities will have the most winning businesses? Will it be Bonnyville? Cold Lake? Elk Point? Lac La Biche? Or St. Paul?
You will decide – and that’s how it should be.
A Readers' Choice Award is an honour that can’t be bought by a business. It can only be earned from you – our readers. And the voters, as they say, are never wrong.
The Lakeland region is fortunate to have so many community-minded, locally owned companies who are committed to quality and customer service. This contest will be your guide to who your neighbours know, love and trust with their business.
Vote today and enter to win a $150 gift certificate to a participating business.
