Let’s Celebrate the Best of Lake Minnetonka 2024

Welcome to the party of the year.

Have you heard? Lake Minnetonka Magazine is hosting a party within its pages! The year’s Best of Lake Minnetonka Readers’ Choice Poll is the guest of honor, and we’re ready to get the party started.

The invitation to vote went out in January when the annual Readers’ Choice Poll went live for the month on lakeminnetonkamag.com. At the close of the month, votes were tabulated, and the preliminary guest list of finalists was posted online in March.

The big day has arrived, so let’s celebrate as a community and give appreciative nods to your finalists and winners that represent businesses and service providers that are based in the community and/or serve the Lake Minnetonka area. Who else is here? Welcome some local and broader areas of interest that voters provided seats for at the Best of Lake Minnetonka table.

The results are listed in order of placement: first, second and third and, in some cases, a tie. —Renée Stewart-Hester

Dining

Best Bakery

1. Wuollet Bakery (temporarily  closed at time of publication)
2. Red Bench Bakery
3. YoYo Donuts

Best Bar, Brewery or Distillery

1. Back Channel Brewery Co.
2. Excelsior Brewing Company
3. Unmapped Brewing Co.

Best Breakfast or Brunch

1. Benedict’s
2. The Original Pancake House
3. Hazelwood Food + Drink

Best Burger

1. Red Cow
2. Maynards
3. Snuffy’s Malt Shop

Best Desserts or Ice Cream

1. Adele’s Frozen Custard
2. Licks Unlimited
3. Lost Lake Creamery

Best International Cuisine

1. Yumi’s Sushi Bar
2. Kai’s Sushi & Grill
3. Macanda

Best Outdoor Dining Space

1. Gianni’s Steakhouse & Seafood
2. Maynards
3. CōV

Best Pizza

1. Olive’s Fresh Pizza Bar
2. Joey Nova’s Pizzeria Delicatessen
3. Punch

Best Plant-Based or Vegan Menu

1. Peoples Organic
2. Crisp & Green
3. The Grocer’s Table

Best Restaurant

1. 6Smith
2. CōV
3. Gianni’s Steakhouse & Seafood

Abode

Best Carpet and Flooring Store

1. Excelsior Paint & Design Carpet One
2. Innovative Flooring Design
3. Carpet Resources

Best Custom Home Builder

1. Boyer Building Corporation
2. Hendel Homes
3. John Kraemer & Sons Inc.

Best Garden Center

1. Tonkadale Greenhouse
2. Otten Bros.
3. Bachman’s

Best Home Décor or Furniture Store

1. Chazin Interiors
2. The Sitting Room
3. Tie: General Store of Minnetonka; Grace Hill

Best Interior Design Firm

1. Martha O’Hara Interiors
2. Marceau Interiors
3. Embellishments Design Studio

Best Landscape Design Service

1. Pleasant View Gardens
2. Outdoor Excapes
3. Southview Design

Best Remodeler

1. John Kraemer & Sons Inc.
2. MDS Remodeling
3. Boyer Building Corporation

Best Senior Living Residence

1. The Waters Senior Living
2. Deephaven Woods
3. Lake Minnetonka Shores

Self-Care

Best Barbershop

1. Barbers Inn
2. Skipper Barber Shop
3. Tie: 18|8 Wayzata; Flint the Barber; Tony’s Barber Shop

Best Boutique Fitness or Yoga Studio

1. Tigerfit
2. Gypset Midwest Yoga
3. Spirit of the Lake Yoga

Best Hair Salon

1. Twiggs Salon
2. Mérite House Beauty
3. Juut Salonspa

Best Manicure and Pedicure 

1. Twiggs Salon
2. Lakeside Nails & Spa
3. Tie: Excelsior Nails and Day Spa; Luna Nails

Best Massage 

1. Fusion LifeSpa
2. The Brost Clinic
3. Läka Spa

Best Med Spa (must have licensed physician on site)  

1. LivSkin Medspa Laser
2. InnerBeauty Med Spa & Laser
3. Skingevity Med Spa

Best Spa (for skin care and body and beauty treatments)

1. LivSkin Medspa Laser
2. Fusion LifeSpa
3. Haven Beauty Collective

Wellness

Best Chiropractic Practice

1. The Brost Clinic
2. Knewtson Health Group
3. Vaida Wellness Center

Best Cosmetic Surgery Practice

1. Mesna Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Center
2. Tie: Kayan Plastic Surgery; Omni Cosmetic

Best Dental Practice

1. Orono Dental Care
2. West Lakes Dentistry
3. Lake Minnetonka Dental

Best Dermatology Practice

1. Lakes Dermatology
2. Pinnacle Dermatology–Excelsior
3. Zel Skin & Laser Specialists

Best Eye Care Practice

1. Art of Optiks
2. Southwest Eye Care
3. Northwest Eye

Best Family Medicine Practice

1. Ridgeview
2. HealthPartners Park Nicollet
3. Northwest Family Physicians

Best Holistic Wellness Practice

1. The Brost Clinic
2. Vaida Wellness Center
3. Skingevity Med Spa

Best OB-GYN Practice

1. OBGYN West
2. Western OBGYN
3. Oakdale ObGYn

Best Orthodontic Practice

1. Lake Minnetonka Orthodontics
2. Anchored Orthodontics
3. Tie: Kottemann Orthodontics; Ovation Orthodontics

Best Pediatric Practice

1. Wayzata Children’s Clinic
2. South Lake Pediatrics
3. Southdale Pediatrics 

Learning

Best Dance Studio

1. Creo Arts & Dance Conservatory
2. Dance Esteem
3. Just for Kix–Minnetonka

Best Language Immersion Program or School

1. Groveland Elementary
2. Tie: Clear Springs Elementary Immersion; Deephaven Elementary; Excelsior Elementary; Minnewashta Elementary

Best Learning or Tutoring Center

1. Kay Tutoring
2. Bartel Tutoring & College Advising
3. Journey to Learning Tutoring

Best Preschool Program

1. The Goddard School–Minnetonka
2. St. Therese Catholic School
3.  Mount Calvary Preschool

Best Swim School or Lessons

1. Foss Swim School
2. Goldfish Swim School–Minnetonka
3. Life Time

Pet Care

Best Dog-Friendly Business (dining or retail venue) 

1. Duke’s on 7
2. Back Channel Brewery Co.
3. Chuck & Don’s

Best Dog Park

1. Lake Minnewashta Regional Park
2. Susan E. Lurton Park
3. Purgatory Park

Best Pet Boarding or Daycare Service

1. Top Dog Country Club
2. Woofington
3. Fusion Pet Retreat

Best Pet Grooming Service

1. Amber Paws Pet Grooming
2. Woofington
3. Shampooch Grooming Salon

Best Veterinarian Practice

1. Westonka Animal Hospital
2. Village Animal Hospital
3. Long Lake Veterinary Clinic

Shops

Best Apparel Boutique

1. Ooh La La Boutique
2. Evereve
3. General Store of Minnetonka

Best Florist

1. Lilia Flower Boutique
2. Candlelight Florist, Gifts & Flower Delivery
3. Bayside Just Because … Floral & Gifts

Best Gift Shop

1. General Store of Minnetonka
2. Five Swans
3. Tie: Fleurish; Ooh La La Boutique

Best Jewelry Store

1. Gunderson’s Jewelers 
2. Graham Jewelers
3. Wayzata Jewelers

Best Specialty Food or Kitchen Store

1. The Abundant Kitchen
2. General Store of Minnetonka
3. The Grocer’s Table

Leisure

Best Beach, Open Space or Park

1. Excelsior Beach/Commons
2. Deephaven Beach
3. Wayzata Beach

Best Date Night Spot

1. Gianni’s Steakhouse & Seafood
2. 6Smith
3. CōV

Best Outdoor Spot for Graduation Photos 

1. Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
2. Noerenburg Memorial Gardens
3. Excelsior Commons

Best Place for Family Activities

1. Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
2. Excelsior Commons
3. Lake Minnetonka

Best Venue to Watch Fourth of July Fireworks

1. Excelsior Commons
2. Al & Alma’s
3. Lafayette Club

Best of the West Metro

Best Alpine Hill or Nordic Ski Trail

1. Hyland Hills Ski Area
2. Baker Park Reserve
3. Buck Hill

Best Biking or Hiking Trail

1. Dakota Rail Regional Trail
2. Luce Line State Trail
3. Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

Best Bridal or Formal Wear Store 

1. Annika Bridal Boutique

Best Family Photographer

1. Memories in Time Photography
2. Tie: Jana Noonan Photography; Shari Fleming Photography

Best Financial Services (financial planners, wealth management, estate planning, etc.) 

1. UBS
2. RBC
3. Tie: Alerus; Edward Jones-Mound 

Best Golf Course

1. Baker National Golf Course
2. Deer Run Golf Club
3. Tie: Lafayette Club; Pioneer Creek Golf Course

Best Law Practice

1. Morrison Sund PLLC
2. Tie: AND Law Offices PLLC; Faegre Drinker

Best Music School 

1. Tie: MacPhail Center for Music; School of Rock

Best Outdoor Skating Rink

1. Thorpe Park
2. Tie: Klapprich Park and Field; Shirley Hills

Best Private School

1. Providence Academy
2. Breck School
3. Benilde-St. Margaret’s

Best Professional Theater 

1. Chanhassen Dinner Theatres
2. Guthrie Theater
3. Ordway

Best Staycation Hotel 

1. The Hotel Landing
2. Hotel Excelsior
3. The Guest House

Best Summer Camp

1. Lake Minnetonka Sailing School
2. Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
3. Tie: Camp Christmas Tree; Trout Lake Camps

Best Wedding Photographer or Videographer

1. Memories in Time Photography
2. Russell Heeter

Best Wedding Venue

1. Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
2. Lafayette Club
3. Al & Alma’s

Best Winery

1. Schram Vineyards Winery & Brewery
2. Sovereign Estate
3. Parley Lake Winery