The results are in for the 11th annual Best of Windsor-Essex Awards.
Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island presented 25 awards including Best Pizza, Best Sweet Treat and Best Waterfront Experience after three weeks of online voting this winter.
Over 8,000 people voted for their favourite spots in the region, a 30 per cent increase over 2025.
"Community engagement is very high, and what this is good for is the fact that when visitors like to come here, they like to live like a local and it's the locals really telling us who their favourites are in these 25 categories, "said CEO Gordon Orr. "Visitors know that where locals like to go, so will they."
All of the winners will be featured in the 2026 Visitor's Guide that will be released later this spring.
"The website also will be highlighted and goes live with those 25 winners and the finalists and we use them as part of our marketing campaign all year long," said Orr.
For the owners of Iron Kettle Commissary, winner of Best Sweet Treat, the fact that the awards are voted on by the locals means a lot.
"We do this because we love it, but we love that people love what we do, and they have embraced it as much as we have, so it means a lot," said Ginette Trembley, owner of the Iron Kettle.
She said they've become a tourist destination because of locals bringing family and friends.
"As soon as they have someone coming from outside, they're like we got to go here," said Trembley. "This week I've met somebody who was bringing someone from Germany, someone from London, people that are coming from Ridgetown."
A full list of this year's winners can be found on TWEPI's website.
