Gold Winner Tom’s Little Havana

Silver Winner Point Pleasant Park

Bronze Winner Board Room Game Cafe

If even the words “first date” make you feel queasy (in a good or bad way), Tom’s has got you. Maybe it’s the dim lighting, the cozy corner seats, the friendly, pressure-free service—or maybe just the beer—but the beloved Little Havana has a reputation for being a place to chill out and really get to know someone. “I think that it’s just an interesting place, interesting people come here,” says Tom’s co-owner Lynne Ferguson. “There’s good people-watching. And the staff certainly help.” Having closed its legendary Doyle Street location in late October, Tom’s is now working on its Birmingham Street digs, which Ferguson says will aim to remain the same. “It’s not perfect. It’s not new. It’s comforting.”