Seattle Weekly‘s annual “Best of” list is back with its awards for the very best of the best in all things Seattle. While Queen Anne didn’t take home the distinction of “Best Neighborhood to Live in” (that title went to our neighbors over in Ballard), QA was recognized for a bunch of other citywide bests that call the hill home. And so, without further ado and in no particular order, here are all of Queen Anne’s bests:

• Best Lounge: Oskar’s Kitchen
• Best Reason to Look Forward to Winter: Urban Downhill Skiing (shout out to the slipper slopes of the Counterbalance)
• Best View of Downtown: Rooftop of the Queensborough Apartments (in Lower QA)
• Best Stroll: QA Top Pot to the ferry terminal
• Best Theater Company: Teatro ZinZanni
• Best Kids’ Thrill: Seattle Center International Fountain
• Best New Building: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
• Best Children’s Theater Production: Go, Dog. Go! (At the Seattle Children’s Theater in Seattle Center)
• Best Lesbian Bar: KeyArena (See the Weekly’s reasoning if, like me, your response was like mine–something along the lines of “Huh…?”)
• Best Wine List in a Restaurant, Price be Damned: Canlis
• Best Service in a Restaurant: Canlis
• Best Underage Music Venue: VERA Project
• Best Place to Get Fatter: Red Mill Burgers (Technically in Interbay, but it still counts!)
• Best Record Store – Classical Department: Silver Platters
• Best Car Wash: Brown Bear (locations in QA and elsewhere)

Every year Queen Anne gets a number of shout outs in the ‘best of’ issue, because, well, there are just so many bests we Queen Anne-ers have to boast. Last year Queen Anne’s Easy Street Records, El Diablo Coffee, and our many secret stairways (the “Best Alternative to the Stairmaster”) were just a few of the winners. Check out last year’s wins here.

The Seattle Weekly “best of” list includes people, places, food & drink, sports & recreation and shopping & services. To see the entire list, click here.

QuallyQue.com, a website that works to helps connect businesses and neighbors within communities around Seattle, has asked Queen Anne residents to vote on our neighborhood’s business, organization and service gems—stores with staff that always have smiles on their faces, non-profits that consistently do great work to help the community, and restaurants with dishes so delicious you’d gladly break a diet for a bite.

The results are in in several categories, and every day QuallyQue is announcing a few more of the winners. Take a look at which businesses in Queen Anne have made the list so far:

• “Friendliest Staff”—El Diablo Coffee (Runner up—the Queen Anne Farmer’s Market)
• “Bring Your Kids”—Twirl Cafe
• “My Donation Goes to”—the Queen Anne Farmer’s Market (Runner up—the Queen Anne Helpline)
• “My Office Away from Home”—El Diablo Coffee (Runner up—Muse Coffee)

Want to put in your two cents about your favorite gems in Queen Anne? There’s still time to vote here.

There have been rumors spreading over what would take that place of The Play Space, which vacated the house at 1805 Queen Anne Ave N back in May (and moved into a home a few block away), after transitioning from a the Urban Kids Play store to drop-in childcare center/playspace for kids back in January.

We’re happy to announce, clues have finally surfaced revealing the new Queen Anne Ave tenant’s business. Welcome Le Reve Bakery!

Although there’s no word yet on when Le Reve—which advertises itself as an “upscale Parisian style bakery”—will be opening, they must be getting close, because they’ve already posted a Craigslist ad looking for staff to “join the Parisian Dream Team.”

The bakery, which will be located next door to El Diablo Coffee and Queen Anne Books, has also applied for a liquor license with the city. Would you like a little wine with that croissant? We’ll keep you posted as we learn more.

(Thanks to reader Aaron Averbuch for the tip!)

Last week’s Seattle Weekly was filled with the paper’s annual citywide “Best of” piece. And it may not be much of a surprise that more than a couple Queen Anne spots made the list. Check out the Weekly’s bests of Seattle that are located right here in the neighborhood:

• Easy Street Records—Best Selection of Vinyl
• Meadow—Best New Boutique in the ‘Hood
• Nielsen’s Pastries—Best Snitter
• Toulouse Petit—Best Breakfast Deal
• El Diablo Coffee—Best Liquid Trend
• Queen Anne’s Secret Stairways—Best Alternative to the Stairmaster

Congrats Queen Anne!

Notice some Queen Anne items on the list that we missed, or want to recommend your own favorite from the neighborhood? Comment below, or email us at tips@queenanneview.com to share!

Today, Wednesday, May 5 is Cinco de Mayo, and a few businesses around Queen Anne will be celebrating with in house parties and special deals. Interested in getting in on the fun? Here’s where to go:

Blue Water Taco Grill – 515 Queen Anne Ave N.

• $5 food and drink specials all day at all locations: Choose any burrito and chips and salsa or a fountain drink for $5, or any two tacos and chips and salsa or a fountain drink for $5 (seafood not included)
• All day “happy hour” special on beer and margaritas at Queen Anne and Union St. locations for all of their Facebook fans and Twitter followers

El Diablo Coffee – 1811 Queen Anne Ave N. #101

• Daily drawings for $5 gift cards all month long
• Dessert giveaways (we heard they’ll be key lime and coconut cream mini tarts!)
• Door prizes (El Diablo logo items we hear)
• Live music from 2 to 10 p.m.
• 2000 prices on the famous “Cubano” drink–$1.65
• Fun Fact: Cinco de Mayo also happens to be El Diablo’s 10th Anniversary, so there are double the reasons to party!
• It’s also barista Maggie’s last day (she’s moving back to Greece), so don’t forget to wish her well!

Queen Anne Books – 1811 Queen Anne Ave N.

• They’ll be celebrating El Diablo’s 10th Anniversary too with a big sale through Sunday, May 9!
• 15% off of everything in the store
• 50% off special items
• “Galley Giveaway” with every purchase

The Spectator Sports Bar & Grill – 529 Queen Anne Ave N

• They’ll be celebrating with giveaways and “swag” all night long (the bar’s open until 1:30 a.m.)
• $2 Tacos
• $2 Tecate Beer
• $3 Amigo Tequila

Know another Cinco de Mayo celebration on the hill today? Share the details in the comments below or email us at tips@queenanneview.com.

El Diablo Coffee, a Queen Anne Ave N staple for almost ten years on the dot, is celebrating its anniversary all month long, with daily drawings for $5 gift cards and a new limited edition drink called the “Diablito” (two shots of espresso sweetened with condensed milk).

But the party’s only getting started! On Wednesday, May 5 (aptly Cinco de Mayo), El Diablo will host the main celebrations, an all day party in honor of the actual 10th anniversary of the devilish coffee spot’s home on the hill.

The El Diablo crew is planning fun and games all day long, including dessert giveaways (yum!), door prizes (yay!) and live music from 2 to 10 p.m. Want to make sure you remember to swing by? Add the event on Facebook.

El Diablo Coffee will be celebrating ten years on the hill next month, and to commemorate, they’ve decided to party all through May!

Beginning May 1, El Diablo will be introducing daily, weekly and monthly specials, including the “Diablito,” a new, limited edition concoction made from espresso and sweetened condensed milk.

For the actual anniversary, fittingly May 5th, i.e. Cinco de Mayo, El Diablo will be hosting an all day party!

Queen Anne Books will also be joining in the May celebrations for a few days, having a sale from May 5th to 9th, and the 1st annual “Galley Giveaway” with purchase. (Galley’s are free copies of books put together before final publication and handed out to reviewers–for some famous authors, these can be considered rare).

All the more reason to follow their devilish advice and consume lots and lots of coffee and cake in May! Happy ten years El Diablo!

(Thanks to Bruce for the tip!)