Welcome back to Readers' Choice! Allgauer’s received an overwhelming majority of recommendations for best Mother’s Day brunch spot, but Wheatstack received some love, too! This week we’re asking you to share your opinions on preschools and day care centers. Early education plays a role in developing a child’s skills. Parents can (and should!) trust their caretakers. Your feedback will help neighbors and other residents make future decisions about their childcare needs.   How to votePatch will introduce its Readers' Choice candidates every other week. Readers have until May 29 to voice their …

Welcome back to Readers' Choice! Fans of the Lisle Library and The Nook were vocal about their love for free wi-fi. This week we're getting ready for Mother's Day by asking readers where they like to go for a meal on Mother's Day. (The popular term is brunch, but if you go out for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, we won't quibble.) There are several options in Lisle, including Allgauer's, the Bavarian Lodge, Hyatt Lisle, Morton Arboretum, and Wheatstack. (I'm sure I'm missing someone. Feel free to let us know with a comment or email at karlie@patch.com, so we can make sure it's included in voting…

  Patch wants to know who Lisle residents designate their 'go-to' village businesses. Check out other readers' recommendations for their favorite fitness centers and classes.  We're returning back to food service this week: when you're craving Mexican food, where do you go?   How to voteWe've included a list of Mexican restaurants within village limits in our poll below. Choose your favorite option through Friday at noon. If your vote goes to Taco Bell, or an establishment outside village limits, submit your 'write-in' vote by leaving a comment with your recommendation. Have a favorite menu …

  Thanks to our readers who gave a shout-out to their favorite fitness centers and classes last week! Because there are so many facilities with a variety of offerings, both in and out of town, Patch asked for written recommendations. We received a handful of recommendations for Prairie Yoga, and facilities focused on personal training services, like Efficient Fitness (2200 Ogden Ave.), and Heaven and Hell Bootcamp. You can read my opinion on the voting page, or you can take the word of other fellow residents: Brenda Henry said on the Lisle Patch Facebook page, "I love Prairie Yoga Studio. The…

Patch wants to know who Lisle residents designate their 'go-to' businesses and services. Last week we asked you where you like to go out for a drink. This week's poll topic is for the fitness-minded: where are you going to break a sweat? I don't care if you lift weights, zumba, run, row, shoot hoops, or tap dance. Where do you go? More importantly, why? Did you sign up because of the equipment, the staff, or other features? What activities do you think make the most effective workout?   How to voteBecause your answer may require some elaboration, this week's voting will be by write-in. Sign …

Thanks to those who placed their vote for their favorite places for happy hour, weekend drinks, etc. The first day of voting started off pretty even, with equal showings of support for the Bavarian Lodge, Evviva!, Mullen's, and Country House. Some handy promotion on the Bavarian Lodge Facebook page led to a runaway victory for the top spot. One user said, "Great service, friendly and knowledeable staff, amazing food, and...duh...hundreds of rare and craft beers. This is a no-brainer!" Is it a surprise, when they were designated on of the top beer restaurants in the world last year? They aren'…

Patch wants to know who Lisle residents designate their 'go-to' village businesses. Voting closes at 5 p.m. on Wednesday for ‘Best Of' Florist. Make sure you’ve cast your vote, and don’t forget to check back for the official winner on Thursday morning! Maybe consumers aren't buying as many fresh flowers as they used to, because voting's been a little slow. Returning back to food service this week: when you want to go out for a cocktail or beer, where do you go? This question isn't just for the potential "Cheers" extras. Maybe you have a perfect spot for a quick drink after work, or an end-of-…

Thanks to those who placed their vote for their most trusted dry cleaner. After monitoring a close race for most popular breakfast spots, and a very close one last week for favorite pizza, I expected a similar trend here. Not so. Several readers made it clear on the first day of voting that they were ardent customers of Leo's Cleaners, securing more than 80 votes on the first day alone! Throughout the week, voters brought the establishment up to an even 100. When I mentioned the strange trend to my ad manager, Jackie Lobdell, last week, she didn't seem fazed. "You swear by your dry cleaner," …

Patch wants to know who Lisle residents designate their 'go-to' village businesses. Voting closes at 5 p.m. on Wednesday for ‘Best Of’ Dry Cleaner. Make sure you’ve cast your vote, and don’t forget to check back for the official winner on Thursday morning! (Although I have to admit, Leo's Cleaners supporters stole the contest on the first day!) This week’s topic: florists. Maybe you need to order a luscious dozen roses for your significant other, or a perky bouquet for your mother this coming Valentine's Day. But that's just in February. Fresh flowers are also a staple of formal dances, …

First of all, thanks to everyone who voted in our pizza poll this last week! While the Best Of series is designed to celebrate your personal favorites, perhaps another reader convinced you to try something new (or at least, out of the norm).   So, who wins? Much like in our Best Of Breakfast winners from last week, the most popular choices come in three's. Customers of Barraco's, Evviva!, and Passero's battled it out throughout the week for the top spot, with leads as little as 10-15 votes. Thanks to a shout-out from the Lisle Convention & Visitors Bureau Facebook page, a last day surge of …

Patch wants to know who Lisle residents designate their 'go-to' village businesses. Voting closes at 5 p.m. on Wednesday for ‘Best Of’ Pizza Place. Make sure you’ve cast your vote, and don’t forget to add your recommendations for specialty pies or appetizers. Check back for your most popular choices on Thursday morning! This week we're taking a break from food and delving into a more service-oriented category: dry cleaning. Face it, some things can't be machine washed. Where do you take your coats, comforters, and dress shirts? Leo's Cleaners was recognized by Consumer's Checkbook for their …

  First of all, thanks to everyone who voted in our Best Breakfast poll! While the Best Of series is designed to celebrate your personal favorites, perhaps another reader convinced you to try something new (or at least, out of the norm).   So, who wins? When we introduced the poll last Wednesday, Morning Side Café took an early lead. However, Lisle Fox Restaurant patrons made their voices heard in droves over the weekend. Fox was declared the very ‘best’ of this poll by a difference of more than 60 votes, but Patch readers made it clear that Morning Side Café and Granny’s are not to be …

  Patch wants to know who Lisle residents designate their 'go-to' village businesses. Voting closes at 5 p.m. on Wednesday for ‘Best Of’ Breakfast Spot. Make sure you’ve cast your vote, and don’t forget to check back for the official winner on Thursday morning! This week’s topic: pizza. That not-quite-Italian, not-quite-American dish remains beloved by most, and there’s no shortage of both chain and family-owned options nearby. While the village said goodbye to Vini in 2011, Pizzeria Bombola will be making a 2012 debut. Where do you purchase your pie?   How to voteChoose your favorite option …

Maybe you don't think of world-famous cuisine when you think of the western suburbs, but it is where you eat most of your meals and run most of your errands. That qualifies you as an expert on where to go. While spots like the Bavarian Lodge and Country House Restaurant are recognized regionally for their specialiteis (beer and burgers, respectively), Patch wants to know who Lisle residents designate the 'best of' in their village. Over the next several weeks we'll be asking residents to vote for the local businesses they use and trust. We'll be pitting cuisines against each other (do you …