We asked, you answered.
In The Baltimore Sun’s Best: Readers’ Choice 2025 poll, our readers voted on what’s best in the region, from wedding venues and roofers to pediatricians and hair salons. This year’s winners highlight people and businesses recognized for outstanding service and customer satisfaction over the last year.
The poll includes more than 550 winners in nearly 200 categories in six areas — Arts & Entertainment, Home & Garden, Food & Drink, Lifestyles & Shopping, Personal Services and People & Media.
More than 47,000 ballots were cast, cultivating a list of your favorite museums, pizza joints, boutiques, TV anchors, radio hosts and so much more.
Best Meteorologist: Justin Berk
justinweather.com
After years in television broadcasting as a meteorologist, Justin Berk has managed to navigate the emerging online and social media space, delivering weather news to millions in the Maryland region.
Berk took the online space by storm, building a platform where he shares forecasts, weather information and unique tidbits throughout the day, uplifting media content from others, too. He sticks to a schedule, with his first post of the day hitting the web by about 6:30 a.m., and holds himself with an air of humility and accountability.
“If there’s anything that I can see, that I can help in my way, my twist, my take, my version of presenting the weather to help people prepare for their stuff, then I feel like I’ve accomplished something,” he said.
Getting the weather “bug” as a child in New York eventually led him to a career on TV, and then to online, in schools and as a weather consultant or adjunct professor. But in building his platform, he’s also been able to focus on the “greater good” through a nonprofit for children’s oncology that he leads, and a trek he hikes and bikes each summer from Wisp Resort to Ocean City, where he honors one child’s story each day.
No one is perfect when predicting the future, Berk said. Whether he gets a forecast right or it’s not quite accurate, he follows the lessons he teaches his son’s baseball team: to be proud and humble when doing something well, because that might not happen all the time.
“And there’s going to be a next time when I don’t hit the forecast right, but I will always go back and look at what happened and try to learn from it,” Berk said. “And that’s the kind of information I share online.”
Have a news tip? Contact Kiersten Hacker at khacker@baltsun.com or @KierstenHacker on X.
Activist: Frank Neighoff, Chesapeake Bay Association
Honorable mentions:
Erricka Bridgeford, Baltimore Peace Movement
Terence O. Hanley, Harford County Parks & Recreation
Juanita Cage Lewis, MD Department of Housing
Reena Shah, MD Access to Justice
Author: Jessica Correnti
Honorable mentions:
C. L. Merklinger
Tom Ingegno
Sara Goodman Confino
Clergyperson: Rabbi Steven Schwartz, Beth El Congregation
Honorable mentions:
Father John Bilenki, Mount Saint Joseph High School
Rabbi Daniel Burg, Beth Am Synagogue
Pastor Rev Ryan E. Spence, New Horizon Baptist Church
College professor: Stacy Knight, Towson University
DJ: Intern John
Honorable mentions:
DJ Steezy
DJ Shay Shanae Chambers
DJ Mike On The Mic
Instagram account: @internjohnradio
Honorable mentions:
@shelbysos
@BaltimoreFoodScene
@calverthallcollege
Meteorologist: Justin Berk
Honorable mention:
Jasmine Lomax, Fox45
Oriole: Gunnar Henderson
Honorable mentions:
Cedric Mullins
Colton Cowser
Personal trainer: Wendy Abboud, Club Pilates
Honorable mentions:
Joshua Buchbinder, Brick Bodies
Rachel Brenowitz, BodyByBren Fitness
Heather Rockhill, Snap Fitness Fallston
Podcast: The Thought Shower
Honorable mentions:
Crisis on Infinite Podcasts
Healthy Living by Giant
Politician/government: Tony Giangiordano, Harford County Council
Honorable mentions:
Zeke Cohen, Baltimore City Council President
Bob Cassilly, Harford County County Executive
Radio host: Intern John, Z104.3
Honorable mentions:
Greg Carpenter, 101.9
Shelby Sos, Z104.3
Radio station: Z104.3 Baltimore
Honorable mentions:
101.9 FM Baltimore
WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore
WTMD 89.7 FM Baltimore
Raven: Lamar Jackson
Honorable mention:
Zay Flowers
School principal: Andy Moore, Calvert Hall College High School
Honorable mentions:
Brad Spence, Havre de Grace High School
Chris Hughes, Garrison Forest
Edward Trusty Jr., The St Paul’s School for Boys
Stage actor: Megan Anderson, Everyman Theatre
Visual artist: Rebecca Scheuerman
Honorable mentions:
Reed Bmore
Charlotte Hager
Sonny Lacey
Editor’s note: Winners and honorable mentions were determined by popular vote. Readers were invited to nominate and vote online from April to May. The ballot and results are generated solely by readers’ votes. The Baltimore Sun does not take responsibility for the services offered or advertised by those listed.
More winners
Food & Drink
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Arts & Entertainment
People & Media
Home & Garden
Lifestyles & Shopping
