​For the last eight months, Holey Shit has been roaming the city (and beyond), eating donuts and bagels, and buying bigger pants. It's been a tasty assignment. But now, with most bakeries having been subjected to criticism and my cholesterol reaching new highs, it's time to retire. So for our final edition, here are the holey lessons learned in what has been a delightful tour of our fair city's circular baked goods.

5. Round bread does not a bagel make.

It is not true that the only way to get a good bagel in Seattle is buying a plane ticket to New York. That said, there are certain characteristics a bagel ought to have--specifically that signature chewy inside. Adequate attention to boiling times can be enough to solve the problem. That is admittedly harder when you're baking bagels en masse, but with a bit of caution and care, Seattle can yet overcome it's bag-bagel rap.

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​Here, the best of the best, as chosen by Seattle Weekly readers:

GOLD: El Camion Best of Seattle Readers' Choice Winner

Vegetables are often an afterthought at taquerias, but this sleek taco bus lavishes care on its produce, assembling firm, fresh vegetables for its tacos, burritos and quesadillas. The truck, which reliably lures even reluctant home improvers to the Home Depot parking lot, offers four punchy salsas and pickled vegetables for customers who want to rustle still more flavor from their slow-cooked meats.

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​Here, the best of the best, as chosen by Seattle Weekly readers:

GOLD: Murray Stenson Best of Seattle Readers' Choice Winner

Fellow bartenders in 2010 picked Murray Stenson as the best bartender in America, and Seattle Weekly readers are inclined to agree with them. Stenson, who provoked a tempest in a rocks glass earlier this year when he left Zig Zag Cafe (he's since resurfaced at Jamie Boudreau's all-star Canon), is credited with jumpstarting the craft cocktail movement in the Pacific Northwest. But there's nothing outwardly glitzy about Stenson: He's a phenomenally hard worker who's mastered the art of hospitality. "He should be knighted, but this will have to do," David Wondrich told the Seattle Times when Stenson received his Tales of the Cocktail award.

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​Here, the best of the best, as chosen by Seattle Weekly readers:

GOLD: Lottie's Lounge Best of Seattle Readers' Choice Winner

Columbia City's darling commercial strip often seems to have the lock on every neighborhood-related category: Tourists from other sections of town are apt to wish their home 'hood had a Columbia City Bakery or a La Medusa or a Lottie's Lounge, a cozy bar located in a century-old drink destination. The former Columbia Hotel was remade as a coffee shop in 1998, and has functioned as a bar and restaurant since 1998. Partisans say it's a place to which you can return many, many times.

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​Seattle Weekly readers are a heavy-eating and drinking bunch, but a number of them set down their forks and steins to record their choices for the city's best spots for corned beef, coffee, and curry -- among other critical edibles. Over the coming weeks, we'll be sharing their selections on Voracious. And while the cliché that "if you don't vote, you can't complain" may hold true elsewhere, we welcome your rants about oversights and misjudgments in the comments section below.

Medals are awarded based on vote tallies, and the readers' decisions are final. Until next year.

GOLD: Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream Best of Seattle Readers' Choice Winner

The city's most adored ice cream by a wide margin, Molly Moon inspires lines so lengthy that a first-timer could be forgiven for assuming the cones were free. The shop this summer opened its third stand-alone store down the street from Top Pot Doughnuts in Queen Anne, and the lines are long there too. Fans like the rich, high-quality ice cream made from Washington milk, but it's Molly Moon's sophisticated flavors that keep them waiting patiently: Salted caramel is a perennial favorite.

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​Seattle Weekly readers are a heavy-eating and drinking bunch, but a number of them set down their forks and steins to record their choices for the city's best spots for corned beef, coffee, and curry--among other critical edibles. Over the coming weeks, we'll be sharing their selections on Voracious. And while the cliché that "if you don't vote, you can't complain" may hold true elsewhere, we welcome your rants about oversights and misjudgments in the comments section below.

Medals are awarded based on vote tallies, and the readers' decisions are final. Until next year.

GOLD: Tutta Bella Best of Seattle Readers' Choice Winner

The first of Seattle's four VPN-certified pizzerias, Tutta Bella takes its commitment to Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana precepts very, very seriously. That means puddles of San Marzano tomato sauce, rich cheese, and a blistered rim of soft crust, rising above the floppy pie. (In deference to American expectations, the pizzas are pre-cut.) To serve its loyal fans, Tutta Bella has four locations citywide and an elaborate online-ordering system.

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​Seattle Weekly readers are a heavy-eating and -drinking bunch, but a number of them set down their forks and steins to record their choices for the city's best spots for corned beef, coffee, and curry--among other critical edibles. Over the coming weeks, we'll be sharing their selections on Voracious. And while the cliché that "if you don't vote, you can't complain" may hold true elsewhere, we welcome your rants about oversights and misjudgments in the comments section below.

Medals are awarded based on vote tallies, and the readers' decisions are final. Until next year.

GOLD: Po Dog Best of Seattle Readers' Choice Winner

There are hot-dog fans who believe the sausage itself is so deserving of the palate's attention that anything more than mustard amounts to topping sacrilege. Those fans don't belong at Po Dog, the 2-year-old Capitol Hill counter-service joint that considers a hot dog an acceptable canvas for scrambled eggs, bananas, and macaroni and cheese. In addition to the topping selection, there are five different wieners from which to choose, so a chicken-apple sausage with cilantro and cream cheese is easily attainable here.

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​Seattle Weekly readers are a heavy-eating and drinking bunch, but a number of them set down their forks and steins to record their choices for the city's best spots for corned beef, coffee, and curry--among other critical edibles. Over the coming weeks, we'll be sharing their selections on Voracious. And while the cliché that "if you don't vote, you can't complain" may hold true elsewhere, we welcome your rants about oversights and misjudgments in the comments section below.

Medals are awarded based on vote tallies, and the readers' decisions are final. Until next year.

GOLD: Metropolitan Market Best of Seattle Readers' Choice Winner

Seattle's homegrown showcase for gourmet goods is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, a tenure achieved through top-notch products, knowledgeable customer service, and unwavering community support. While the grocery's detractors complain about high prices, loyal Metropolitan Market customers are willing to shell out a few extra quarters for wines, cheeses, and meats from the store's carefully curated selection.

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​Seattle Weekly readers are a heavy-eating and drinking bunch, but a number of them set down their forks and steins to record their choices for the city's best spots for corned beef, coffee and curry - among other critical edibles. Over the coming weeks, we'll be sharing their selections on Voracious. And while the cliché that "if you don't vote, you can't complain" may hold true elsewhere, we welcome your rants about oversights and misjudgments in the comments section below.

Medals are awarded based on vote tallies, and the readers' decisions are final. Until next year.

GOLD: Ezell's Famous Chicken Best of Seattle Readers' Choice Winner

Court papers suggest behind-the-scenes dealings at Ezell's have sometimes been as slippery as the grease-drenched skin on a spicy thigh, but the fried chicken chain's loyal customers don't care if the restaurant has buckled under heavy debt or if founder Ezell Stephens shared a trademarked breading recipe. Like Oprah Winfrey, they're sold on the tender meat and crisp skin.

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​Seattle Weekly readers are a heavy-eating and drinking bunch, but a number of them set down their forks and steins to record their choices for the city's best spots for corned beef, coffee, and curry--among other critical edibles. Over the coming weeks, we'll be sharing their selections on Voracious. And while the cliché that "if you don't vote, you can't complain" may hold true elsewhere, we welcome your rants about oversights and misjudgments in the comments section below.

Medals are awarded based on vote tallies, and the readers' decisions are final. Until next year.

GOLD: Ballard Farmers Market Best of Seattle Readers' Choice Winner

Ballard Farmers Market's year-round weekly Sunday schedule gives the market license to boast it's "more reliable than the post office." It's certainly more popular. Droves of home cooks flock to Ballard for foraged lobster mushrooms, salted salmon roe, fresh goat meat, rooftop honey, and cinnamon rolls. Wondering what to do with the bounty? You'll have to wait until the winter to learn from the experts: The market's so crowded in summer months that it's impossible for organizers to stage chef demos.

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