The best restaurants and shops in Warren County, revealed

The Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau today released a list of the best restaurants and shopping destinations in Warren County, and some of the results may surprise you.

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The winners were chosen via online voting. Here’s how Scott Hutchinson, senior communications manager for the visitors bureau, described the methodology:

"Over the past several weeks, we have hosted a 'Best of Warren County' page on our web site, OhiosLargestPlayground.com. Locals and Warren County regulars were encouraged to first nominate their favorite Warren County attractions, restaurants, etc. across all 17 categories. After compiling those nominations, we announced four to eight finalists in each category. Locals and Warren County regulars were then asked to vote on those finalists."

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And here are the winners:

Best Fine Dining – Golden Lamb

Best Locally Owned Restaurant – 1572 Roadhouse Bar-B-Q

Best Dish – Ribs at 1572 Roadhouse Bar-B-Q

Best Lunch Spot – Cobblestone Café

Best Burger – Black Horse Tavern/Golden Lamb

Best Pizza – Two Cities Pizza Co.

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Best Sweet Treat – Golden Turtle Chocolate Factory

Best Frozen Treat – Whit's Frozen Custard

Best Coffee – Heather's Café

Best Date Night – Valley Vineyards

Best Antique/Unique Store – Rose & Remington

Best Shopping Area – Cincinnati Premium Outlets

Best Place to Explore History – Ohio Renaissance Festival

Best Place for a Day of Family Fun – Ohio Renaissance Festival

Best Festival/Event – Ohio Renaissance Festival

Best Hangout for Teens – Kings Island

Best Outdoor Adventure – Caesar Creek State Park

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According to attendance figures compiled by the WCCVB, the county’s numerous entertainment, shopping and dining attractions surpassed 12 million visitors for the first time in 2017, toppling a previous record set in 2016. Phillip S. Smith, president and CEO of the visitors bureau, credits the influx in visitation to the county’s growing reputation as both a convenient and affordable travel destination.

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And of course, it doesn’t hurt to be the home of Kings Island, Caesar Creek State Park, Miami Valley Gaming, the Ohio Sauerkraut Festival and the Western & Southern Open, which were cited as the most-visited destinations in the county.

State officials say tourism is the Warren County’s top industry, accounting for one in every nine jobs, or 11 percent of the workforce, WCCVB officials said.

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