After 17 years of winners, close calls, and plenty of opinions, Falls Church once again decides who earns a place among the Best of Falls Church.

After 20 years in Falls Church, I still can’t figure out how we fit all of this into 2.2 square miles.

The restaurants. The bars. The coffee shops. The real estate agents. The doctors, lawyers, gyms, salons, auto shops, and businesses tucked into corners where you’d swear there wasn’t another corner left. Seriously, look at the City’s business rolls sometime and you’ll understand what I mean.

And then there are the opinions.

Lots and lots of opinions.

I’ve been lucky enough to be here for all 17 years of the Best of Falls Church, and if there’s one thing this contest has taught me, it’s this: Falls Church knows what it likes.

More importantly, Falls Church knows what it doesn’t like.

And it will tell you.

Every year we ask readers where they eat, where they drink, where they shop, who they trust, and which people and businesses make this little City what it is. We’ve had repeat winners, newcomers, razor-thin races, and the occasional result that makes somebody call us and demand, “Who the heck voted for that?”

That’s part of the fun.

This year, 45 winners earned a place among the Best of Falls Church. And nobody made a bigger entrance than Stratford Garden, winner of both Best New Restaurant and Best New Business.

Two categories. Two wins. That’s one heck of a way to introduce yourself to Falls Church.

And having sampled the menu myself, I can personally attest to one thing: the lobster roll is delicious. If you haven’t tried it yet, put it on the list.

Stratford Garden’s two victories tied it for the most wins this year with two places that certainly don’t need introductions. Dogwood Tavern took Best American Restaurant and Best Bar/Brewery, while Clare & Don’s Beach Shack won Best Outside Dining and Best Seafood.

That’s pretty serious company for the new kid.

Falls Church is home to some of the best schools in Virginia, with Meridian High School recently ranked fifth in the state. People here read. They research. They compare. They ask questions. That carries over to where they eat, where they shop, who they hire, and where they spend their money.

Being new gets you attention. Being good keeps you around. But being named among the Best of Falls Church year after year takes something more.

You have to become part of the community.

Which brings us to Tori McKinney, once again named Best Real Estate Agent, while ROCK STAR Realty took the company honor.

I’ve never bought or owned a house in the City of Falls Church, but I can certainly attest to Tori’s professionalism and what she has meant to this community. She has hosted events, supported local causes and, maybe most importantly, shown up. Again and again.

And she didn’t win in a weak field. Falls Church is loaded with great real estate agents, many of whom I’ve been fortunate to know and work with over the years. That makes winning this category again mean even more.

That’s how you build a reputation here. You don’t announce that you’re a Falls Church institution. You stick around. You do the work. You show up. Eventually, the community makes that decision for you.

For 35 years, the Falls Church News-Press has been part of that same community — telling its stories, introducing its businesses, celebrating its successes, and covering its challenges. And for 35 years, you’ve let us in. You’ve read us, advertised with us, supported us, and trusted us to tell the story of this little City.

We don’t take that for granted.

Maybe that’s what Best of Falls Church has really been about all along.

Dogwood isn’t simply burgers and beer. Clare & Don’s isn’t simply seafood and outdoor tables. Tori isn’t simply somebody selling houses. They’ve become part of this little City.

Now Stratford Garden gets its chance.

For Stratford Garden, winning two awards in its first Best of Falls Church contest is basically the community saying: Okay. We see you.

Because the News-Press doesn’t decide the Best of Falls Church. The community does.

We count the votes. Falls Church makes the call.

So congratulations to all 45 of this year’s Best of Falls Church winners.

Meet all 45 winners inside on pages 7–17.

And to everyone else: start planning for next year.

There are 45 Best of Falls Church winners this year. Why not 60 next year? Help us grow Best of Falls Church. Tell us about the businesses, people, and places we should be watching. Get involved. Vote. Make your case.

Because maybe next year, your name will be among the Best of Falls Church.

To this year’s winners: put the sticker on the window. Post it on Instagram. Tell your customers. Tell your employees. Tell your mother.

Brag a little.

You’ve earned it.

Because if Best of Falls Church has taught me anything, it’s this:

Everybody here has an opinion.

This year, these are the people and places the Little City agreed on.

Enjoy it.

Because next year the Little City is voting again.