Results from the sixth annual readers poll offer up a slew of new insider secrets, and highlight the must-visit spots that will maken 2009 a year to remember

Best place to buy a men’s suit
Peter Roberts for Men
74 York St., Fredericton
The staff members at Peter Roberts are more like trend consultants than retailers. Or as managing partner Erik Nielsen explains it, “We’re a catalyst for many men, helping them find their look.” He’s also the kind of guy who can help you find a rare car part in an emergency. Just as no problem is impossible to solve, no fashion detail goes overlooked, nor does customer service—it doesn’t take long before you’re on a first-name basis. Purveyors of such brands as Zegna, Etro, Boss, Ecco, D&G, Ted Baker, and Moncler, the focus is on quality for everything from the suits to great belts, cufflinks, and, most importantly, the right shoes. Nielsen, who does the buying on frequent trips to New York and Montreal, is a walking billboard for how to develop one’s own signature style. The 45-year-old may be a product of the excessive ’80s, but thankfully he limits his nostalgia for the decade to the tunes of his formative years. Don’t take him on in a music trivia contest because you’ll lose, but do check out the store the next time you’re in Fredericton. The fashionistas in your life will thank you for it.
Runners-up:
Duggers, Halifax
Colwell’s, Saint John, N.B.

Best place to buy a women’s suit
Mills
5486 Spring Garden Rd., Halifax
This store has always been the place in Halifax for women’s clothing. Back when it was known as Mills Brothers, it outfitted the upper crust of the city for close to 100 years. Now rebranded as Mills, it’s expanding its clientele by offering such labels as Stella McCartney, Michael Kors, Karl Lagerfeld, and Teenflo to ensure that there’s as much style in the boardrooms during the day as there is in the clubs at night.
Runners-up:
Foreign Affair, Halifax
The Towne Shoppe, Fredericton

Best place to buy for your stylishly adventurous side
Biscuit General Store
1661 Argyle St., Halifax
Seems the business crowd is starting to get a little daring in its wardrobe choices, to which we say, “It’s about time.” Biscuit has long been a must for the young and fashionable in Halifax. Sure, it offers the swankiest duds for guys and girls, but it’s about more than clothes. While you’re picking up some Ben Sherman jeans and a Penguin shirt, check out the kids’ gear, toys, books, and cosmetics. It truly is a general store, 21st-century style.
Runners-up:
Wildflower Clothing, Halifax
Model Citizens, St. John’s

Best place for your early morning caffeine fix
Java Moose
Various locations, Saint John, N.B.
With 140 different varieties of locally roasted coffees in three locations in the city, Java Moose has something for every serious coffee drinker, including its spectacular Haitian Blue roast and the ever-popular Foghorn dark roast. Sip your drink or enjoy classic café fare such as handmade sandwiches and fruit smoothies, while admiring the Canadiana-chic decor, complete with the aforementioned moose.
Runners-up:
Uncommon Grounds, Halifax
Beanz, Charlottetown

Best place to take your team for lunch
The Gahan House
126 Sydney St., Charlottetown
The hearty pub food—including curry and chips, brown-bag fish and chips, and the intriguing maple-glazed curry-beef penne—will sate your appetite, but the in-house brews and old-world atmosphere of the Victorian building will ensure that you keep coming back. We recommend the Charlie Steak Sandwich with a pint of Sydney Street Stout. But if you have to go back to work afterward, try the fresh Island mussels with a glass of Sir John A’s Honey Wheat Ale.
Runners-up:
Hamachi House, Halifax
Saint John Ale House

Best place to take your team for drinks
The Old Triangle
5136 Prince St., Halifax
A perennial “Best of” winner, The Old Triangle is everything you could ask for in a pub: great beer on tap, excellent food, talented staff, and an atmosphere that makes it hard to head back to the office after a midday outing. No wonder the place is always packed. So you might as well head down after the work is done, because once you sip that first taste of Guinness you may be there for a while.
Runners-up:
Martini Bar, St. John’s
St. James’ Gate, Moncton, N.B.

Best place to take your clients for drinks
Basho
283 Duckworth St., St. John’s
Arguably the hippest Asian restaurant on the Rock, the food and drinks are as impressive as the atmosphere. Chef and owner Tak Ishiwata, who studied with über chef Nabu, crosses borders with his menu, which ranges from seared caribou steak with bitter chocolate sauce to traditional Japanese sushi and seared tuna. You may walk in for a post-meeting martini or glass of wine, but you won’t get away without pairing them with some of chef’s masterpieces.
Runners-up:
Happinez Wine Bar, Saint John
The Carleton, Halifax

Best restaurant for impressing your clients
Atlantica
38 Beachy Cove Rd.,
Portugal Cove–St. Philip’s, N.L.
Named by EnRoute magazine as one of the country’s 10 best new restaurants in 2007, there’s little wonder why reservations are recommended two to three weeks in advance. With plates that are simple yet elegant, and rich in local ingredients reflective of Newfoundland's culinary heritage, the only thing that outdoes the food is the jaw-dropping view. Private dining rooms are available, and although it’s just a short drive outside St. John’s, a private shuttle service makes the evening that much easier to navigate.
Runners-up:
Cut Steakhouse, Halifax
Rossmount Inn, St. Andrews, N.B.

Best hotel for out-of-town clients
Inns on Great George
58 Great George St.,Charlottetown
When you’re entertaining clients from out of town, it’s nice to give them a true sense of your city. The Inns on Great George does exactly that by eschewing the feel of large chain hotels in favour of a more personal, boutique approach. By turning 13 heritage buildings in the centre of downtown into 55 rooms and suites that combine historic charm with mod cons, the hotel will provide your clients with a unique Island experience.
Runners-up:
Prince George Hotel, Halifax
Delta Fredericton

Best newsstand
Atlantic News
5560 Morris St., Halifax
Atlantic News wins this honour every year because it’s constantly working to meet its customers’ evolving needs and tastes. From the best Canadian titles to the most interesting and obscure ones from around the world, it’s all here. Looking for today’s copy of the Times of India, Mumbai edition? You can pick up it or one of the other 700-plus international newspapers here the same day, thanks to the store’s amazing Print On Demand service.
Runners-up:
Reid’s Newsstand & Café, Fredericton
The Bookmark, Charlottetown

Best place to buy client thank you gifts
NovaScotian Crystal
5080 George St., Halifax
A sagging economy shouldn’t keep you from showing your clients how much you appreciate their business. You have to spend money to make money, right? Unique to the region and beautifully handcrafted, NovaScotian Crystal products will put you in the good books. And you can be sure they won’t be tossed in the basement with all those ubiquitous convention shoulder bags and usual corporate swag.
Runners-up:
The Dunes, Brackley Beach, P.E.I.
Handworks Gallery, Saint John

Best place to buy staff thank you gifts
Handworks Gallery
12 King St., Saint John
Whether you’re looking for something functional, whimsical, or a bit of both, chances are you’ll find it at Handworks Gallery. A vast selection of fine crafts, fine arts, and jewelry by New Brunswick’s best craftspeople and artists makes it easy to find that one-of-a-kind gift for a dedicated employee. If it’s the thought that counts, this is the place to make sure it’s a brilliant one.
Runners-up:
P.E.I. Company Store, Charlottetown
Comfort & Joy, Bedford and Lunenburg, N.S.

Best spa for complete self-indulgence
Spa at the Monastery and Suites
63 Patrick St., St. John’s
Another perennial winner, thanks to the old-world atmosphere, the world-class facilities, and the long list of services that will rid you of any hint of office-politics stress. A therapeutic massage will get ease tension, a seaweed wrap will destroy toxins built up throughout the week, and a dip in the Iceberg Water Plunge Pool will purge whatever other residue you have left inside. If you’re feeling like a complete makeover, pop in for a new ’do, makeup session, and Botox treatment.
Runners-up:
Atlantis Health Spa, Summerside, P.E.I.
Cascades Day Spa, Bedford, N.S.

Best large event space
Cunard Centre
961 Marginal Rd., Halifax
Located in the old Pier 23 shed on the Halifax waterfront, the Cunard Centre has quickly become the “it” place to hold a big event. Forget the same-old, same-old of a typical convention centre; this space is in the heart of the city’s most exciting redevelopment project, the Seaport, in the midst of a creative cluster of artists, designers, and students. And the microbrewery across the road doesn’t hurt either.
Runners-up:
Johnson Geo Centre, St. John’s
Delta Beausejour, Moncton

Best cultural space
Imperial Theatre
24 King Square South, Saint John
Originally built in 1913, this former vaudeville venue is hailed as the jewel in the crown of Saint John’s arts and culture scene. With its splendid Victorian decor, the Imperial Theatre hosts more than 200 fabulous performances every year in music, drama, dance, comedy, Broadway hits, family programming, and more.
Runners-up:
Confederation Centre of the Arts, Charlottetown
Neptune Theatre, Halifax

Best quiet place to ponder your next big idea
Victoria Park, Charlottetown
The people in charge of the Island had some clear foresight when they turned over 40-plus acres of the governor’s land “for the sole purpose of a public park, promenade, and pleasure ground for the use of its citizens” back in 1873. Sure, there has been a bunch of development over the years (sports fields, tennis courts, swimming pool, skate park), but all in the name of public enjoyment. For quiet contemplation, though, try strolling beside the water on the 1.5-kilometre boardwalk.
Runners-up:
Point Pleasant Park, Halifax
Irving Nature Park, Saint John

Best fitness centre
YMCA
30 War Veterans Ave., Moncton
Insert your Wellness Key in the slot, and voilà! The state-of-the-art exercise machine sets itself to your individual measurements, number of repetitions, and weight requirements for a completely computerized training regime. Sign in to the group-fitness program with more than 70 classes to choose from and, after a hard workout, cool off in one of the facility’s three pools.
Runners-up:
Nubody’s Fitness Centre, various locations
Atlantic Fitness Centre, Charlottetown

Best golf course
Fox Creek, Dieppe, N.B.
Located in the heart of Dieppe’s uptown, this family-owned golf course challenges players at every hole and is renowned for its competitive cost/quality ratio. The water and the rocky hazards near the
par 3 fourth hole are particularly appreciated, while golfers of all levels rave about the finish on the 18th.
Runners-up:
Highland Links, Ingonish, N.S.
Crowbush Cove, Morell, P.E.I.

Best place to jog
Harbour Passage, Saint John
Follow the red-paved road. No wicked witch will be in sight while you run along Harbour Passage, just fantastic scenery along the 4.5-kilometre red-paved trail that meanders along Saint John’s historic waterfront. Start your run uptown around the city’s boardwalk cafés and restaurants, admire a few majestic cruise ships in the harbour, and take a breather on the old bridge abutments overlooking the world-famous Reversing Falls.
Runners-up:
Point Pleasant Park, Halifax
Victoria Park, Charlottetown