County Brief, a free local news site covering all 21 New Jersey counties, has opened nominations for its first Best of [County] 2027 Readers' Choice awards, a separate program in every county, from Best of Sussex to Best of Cape May.
Readers can nominate their favorite local businesses and places in 34 categories through Thursday, December 31, 2026 at countybrief.com. Categories range from Best Pizza, Best Bagels and Best Diner to Best Hair Salon, Best Auto Repair and Best Hiking Trail. Each county also has one category all its own, among them Best Tomato Pie in Mercer, Best Cheesesteak in Camden, Best Hot Dog in Passaic, Best Bed & Breakfast in Cape May and Best Lakeside Restaurant in Sussex.
The places with the most confirmed nominations in each category, up to five, become finalists, announced Jan. 11. Readers then vote January 11–31, 2027 and winners are announced February 15.
"Every town has a place people argue about: the best slice, the diner everyone goes to after the game, the barber who's cut three generations of hair. Best of [County] lets the people who live here settle it, county by county, and gives the small businesses that make New Jersey towns what they are a well-earned moment in the spotlight." said Rob Diamond, publisher of County Brief.
Taking part is free for businesses. There is no fee to be nominated, to be a finalist or to win, and businesses may not offer discounts or prizes in exchange for nominations or votes. A free promo kit for businesses, with a counter sign, flyer, QR code and social images, is available for each county at countybrief.com.
How it works
Nominations: November 2 – December 31, 2026, one per category per person
Every nomination is confirmed by email; duplicate and automated entries are removed
Finalists announced and voting open January 11, 2027; voting closes January 31
Winners announced February 15, 2027, with a free winner's badge and certificate
County Brief (countybrief.com) is a free local news site covering all 21 New Jersey counties: town council and school board meetings, local headlines, events, weather and new businesses, county by county. It publishes weekly guides and The Sussex Six, a Monday email of six things to know. County Brief is an independent publication of Wisdom Digital and is not affiliated with any county or municipal government.
Monday, November 02, 2026
@ 7:30pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center
Morristown, NJ
Tuesday, November 03, 2026
@ 7:30pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center
Morristown, NJ
There are multiple performances including:
Tuesday, November 03, 2026
@ 7:30pm
NJPAC - Prudential Hall
Newark, NJ
Wednesday, November 04, 2026
@ 7:30pm
State Theatre New Jersey
New Brunswick, NJ
Wednesday, November 04, 2026
@ 7:00pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Matthews Theatre)
Princeton, NJ
