The Best of Berkeley is the Daily Californian’s annual reader-voted contest to find the best people, places, and businesses in Berkeley.

If you have any feedback about the site, please pass it along to online@dailycal.org. Thanks!

Welcome to Best of Berkeley 2008!

You came. You saw. You voted. We're pleased to announce that 2008 marks the most successful Best of Berkeley yet.

And we're not just referring to the results-which, for the most part, we approve of-but also the unprecedented number of voters. We're pleased that you realized Best of Berkeley is the most important election of the year, with the possible exception of that minor one in November. And they say young people are apathetic.

We think the diversity of results speaks to the impressive volume of input. OK, there weren't a ton of upsets, but you're probably as glad as we are to see a few new names at the top. We also added some new categories, including Best Bang for Your Buck and Best Place to Have Sex-which, on second thought, sound disturbingly similar. The point is, your tastes change, and ours do, too.

And for those of you not satisfied by the usual, we've included Editors' Picks. No, we don't think we're any savvier than you; in fact, you'll notice we're often in agreement. We just want to make sure you're aware of everything out there, especially those destinations that extend outside your comfort zones. Sure, we love Gypsy's as much as the next guy, but we just wouldn't feel right without plugging the shocking deliciousness of Trattoria la Siciliana.

Why do we do Best of Berkeley? Because we love this city. We might bitch and moan from time to time, but at the end of the day, we love the variety. Whether you're looking for a place to grab a quick bite, to admire the view, or to take in a flick, we know you'll find something worthwhile. There's so much more to discover than we could ever hope to encompass in one list. So take heed-and your classmates' advice. This is the best of the best.

-Sofia Salazar-Rubio & Louis Peitzman