CAHOOTS. Photo by Todd Cooper.

The Best Of Eugene 2020-2021

We’re going to be honest: 2020 has been exhausting. This year has seen a global pandemic, ongoing protests against police brutality and wildfires that ravaged our state. Throughout all this, the community has risen up to help each other out. So here’s our issue that celebrates the businesses, restaurants and people that make the Eugene area so great.

As always, we asked readers what they thought about us. You’re glad that this newspaper can still be free and have an events calendar, but to others that’s not good enough. They think we need to ramp up our reporting to more than once a week. To them, I say visit EugeneWeekly.com where we post things like public meeting reporting, breaking news and other stories. (It’s like the deleted scenes feature that is popular with the now archaic DVD format.)

Of course, we wouldn’t be doing a good job if everyone loved us. One “worst” thing about EW is that we’re too liberal (but not left enough for some) and someone isn’t happy with editor Camilla Mortensen’s sarcasm. However, we feel for the one person annoyed that they can’t collage the horoscope because the crossword puzzle is on the other side.

Although everyone should be a Best Of winner, we don’t have enough ink and paper. But what we do have is infinite space on the internet. Head over to EugeneWeekly.com (does a Beetlejuice-like figure appear if we say it one more time?) to read about more of the Best Of winners, and to find out who our staff picks are — you know, the things that our staff can’t shut up about. — Henry Houston

2020 Best of Eugene Staff Picks 

Best Coffee 

Best Outdoorsy Store

Best Veterinarian

Best Classical Music Group

Best Recreation Space

Best Food Cart

Best Politician

Best Pizza

Best Health Care Worker

Best Pho

Best Event Venue

Best Massage or Physical Therapist

Best Teacher/Professor

Best Beer

Best Sushi 

Best Photographer

Best Thai

Best Distillery 

Best Civil Rights Leader

Best Wine

Best Cannabis Dispensary 

Best Hair Stylist

Best Animal Advocates 

Best Program for the Homeless 

Best Bartender

Best Yoga

Best COVID-Adaptive Eatery

Best New Restaurant

Best Coffee Shop

Best Desserts

Best Bicycle Shop

Best Local Food Market

Best Bakery

Best Comfort Food 

Best Vegetarian/Vegan

Best Barbershop

Best Italian Food 

Best Artist

Best Latin American Food

Best Body Mod Business

Best Indie Bookstore

Best Thing About Surviving COVID-19 in Lane County

Best Budtender

Best Doughnuts 

Best Secondhand Shop

Best Cocktails

Best Drag Queen 

Best Local Band

Best Actor/Actress

Best Burger

Best Meal Over $25

Best Kombucha

Best Nonprofit

Best DJ (Club)

Best Hot Wings 

Best Thing About Eugene

Best Chinese Food

Best Sit-Down Restaurant To Go To After COVID

Best Server

Best Local Theater Company 

Best DJ (Radio) 

Best Out-Of-Town Restaurant (not in Eugene-Springfield)

Best Singer-songwriter

Best Hangover Breakfast

Best Meal Under $10

Best Place for Takeout

Best French Fries

Best Tech Company

Best Journalist

Best Bar