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This story originally appeared in the Jackson Free Press. It was added to the Mississippi Free Press website in 2025.
Note that any opinions expressed in legacy Jackson Free Press stories do not reflect a position of the Mississippi Free Press or necessarily of its staff and board members.

The nominations are in, the votes have been cast and the Winners selected. New in 2015, we’re offering the results “Academy Award” style—everyone is a Finalist (determined by write-in nominations) and there’s one Winner (voted on by readers via the final ballot) in each category.

Here then, for your enjoyment, are the Best of Jackson for 2015!

Best of Jackson 2015: Food & Drink

Best of Jackson 2015: Music & Nightlife

Best of Jackson 2015: Urban Living

Best of Jackson 2015: Community & Culture

Best of Jackson 2015: People

Congratulations to everyone!

Editor’s Note: Due to editorial error, we identified another store as the winner of the Best Men’s Clothing category in the print edition. The Rogue won, not Red Square Clothing. We apologize for the error, and will also print a correction in next week’s issue.

Editor’s Note: Due to editorial error, we left some Finalists off their respective listings for the following categories. (They’ve been corrected in electronic editions.)

Editor’s Note: The blurb about Fondren Public, which won Best Bar; Best College Hangout; and Best Local Beer Selection, in the music and nightlife section had some factual errors in the story. The business was founded in fall 2013, not fall 2014. Jackson Free Press apologizes for this error.

Best Hair Stylist: Griff Howard (Studio G Salon at Sola Salon Studios, 151 E. Metro Parkway, Suite 203, Flowood, solastudios.com)

Best Radio Personality: Scott Steele and Traci Lee (Miss 103, WMSI) / Rick Adams and Kim Allen (Miss 103, WMSI) / DJ Jonasty (99 Jams, WJMI) / Kim Wade (103.9 FM, WYAB)

Best Dance Studio: Salsa Mississippi (605 Duling Ave., 601-213-6355, salsamississippi.com)

Best Place to Buy Antiques: Interiors Market (659 Duling Ave., 601-981-6020)

Best Consignment/Thrift Store: N.U.T.S. (114 Millsaps Ave., 601-355-7458; 3011 N. State St.; goodsamaritancenter.org)

Best Dive Bar: One Block East (642 Tombigbee St., 601-944-0203, oneblockeast.com) / Sam’s Lounge (5035 Interstate 55 N., 601-983-2526)

Best Live Music Venue: Hal & Mal’s (200 S. Commerce St., 601-948-0888, halandmals.com)

Best Open Mic Night: McB’s Bar & Grill (815 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-956-8362) / Ole Tavern on George Street (416 George St., 601-960-2700) / Synergy Nights at Mediterranean Fish and Grill (6550 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland, 601-956-0082)

Jackson Free Press apologizes for these errors.

Mississippi native Donna Ladd and partner Todd Stauffer founded the Jackson Free Press in 2002 in the capital city. The heavily awarded local newspaper did many investigations heralded across the state and nation and served as a paper of record due to its diversity, inclusion, in-depth reporting and deep connection to readers and dedication to narrative change in and about Mississippi. In 2022, the nonprofit Mississippi Free Press, founded by Ladd and JFP Associate Publisher Kimberly Griffin in 2020, purchased the journalism assets and archives of the Jackson Free Press. A Google grant through AAN Publishers enabled Newspack's integration of the JFP archives into the Mississippi Free Press website to become part of a more searchable archive of recent Mississippi history and essential journalism.