Who makes the best hamburger in Boothbay and the best pancakes in Wiscasset? Those are two of the ten questions Boothbay Register and Wiscasset Newspaper readers answered in recent online contests on the two websites.

Online Boothbay Register voters chose winners in five “FunTime Food” categories, and online Wiscasset Newspaper voters chose winners in five “Breakfast Food” categories.

The votes are in, the winners have been announced, and award certificates have been presented to the following winners.

Wiscasset winners

Best donut: Marketplace Cafe, 681 Bath Road (Route 1), in the Wiscasset Marketplace/Family Dollar shopping center across from Shaw’s in Wiscasset. 207-882-9375.

Best omelette: Marketplace Cafe

Best breakfast sandwich: Marketplace Cafe

Best pancakes: Marketplace Cafe

Best coffee: Marketplace Cafe

High tribute is due to Dan and Cindy Bradford for running away with the entire Wiscasset's Best Breakfast Food Contest. They won every category. A win like this could not be accidental. So said customer Mark Powley, who is shown in a photo accompanying this article (because he won a gift certificate from contest sponsor Big Al's).

Unsolicited, while at Big Al's to receive his gift certificate, Powley handed a typewritten statement to Wiscasset Newspaper advertising sales representative Sarah Morley. It said, “Marketplace Café is best breakfast in Wiscasset and beyond. Also, best staff and best customers. Should be called Friendship Café.

“The Café has attracted a continuing gathering of diners familiar with staff from their former restaurant employment. A Wiscasset study of success.”

Their customers are so enthusiastic about this eating spot, the Cafe even won for having the best donut. Word on the street is that the Bradfords do not sell donuts.

Boothbay winners

Best hamburger: Karen's Hideaway, 716 Wiscasset Road, Boothbay. 207-350-1006. Wandering around at Karen's, your mind can go on overload as you take in the multitude of cute signs and sayings. Inspiring. Clever. Warm. Cute. Owner Karen Blackman said her grandson Zachary Blackman played a huge part in their success story, and regretted that he could not be there for the photo.

Best lobster roll: Karen's Hideaway. Thirteen Boothbay eating spots were nominated for best lobster roll, and Karen's Hideaway won the contest with 46 percent of the vote. Another landslide for the Blackman family.

Best pizza: Hometown Convenience, 107 Eastern Ave., Boothbay Harbor. 207-350-4106. When Morley arrived at the store to present Corey Tibbetts with the award, she realized he had not told his crew why they had been called in. When she pulled her camera out, they had that deer-in-the-headlights look in their eyes. Their eyes filled up when Tibbetts gave a wonderful speech, right from his heart, telling his staff how important they were to him and how very proud he was that they had won the contest for Boothbay's best pizza.

Best ice cream: Ice Cream Hut, 11 Hardwick Road (Mini-Golf), Boothbay. 207-633-4828. Does great food sometimes run in a family? Katrina Dunsmore is Corey Tibbetts' sister. He owns Hometown Convenience and she and James Barter own Ice Cream Hut. As the photo proves, Dunsmore's daughter, Addie Barter, can lick a popsicle while chewing pizza. Another great Boothbay family!

Best fish & chips: Bet's Famous Fish Fry, on the Common, Boothbay. 207-633-3015. Few doubted that Bet Finocchiaro would run away with this award. Rumor has it that people call Bet from other states to be sure she's open before driving to Boothbay. As if to underline that story, two women from Pennsylvania stopped at Bet's while Morley was presenting the award. They said they stopped to share an order of fish & chips before checking into their hotel.

Contest voters win gift certificates

Voters in the Boothbay and Wiscasset food contests automatically became eligible to win gift certificates offered by the contest sponsors in a drawing. Sponsors and gift certificate winners are below.

Winners of Wiscasset contest sponsor gift certificates:

Sponsor: Ames Supply True Value

Winners: $100 to Patricia Smith of Westport Island; $75 to Mary Terry of Woolwich; $50 to Sharon Rogers of Woolwich

Sponsor: Big Al's

Winners: $100 to Linda Campbell of Wiscasset; $75 to Derek Richner of Woolwich; $50 to Mark Powley of Phippsburg

Winners of Boothbay contest sponsor gift certificates:

Sponsor: Janson's Clothing Store

Winners: $100 to Larry Oakes of Boothbay; $75 to Beth Raburn of Boothbay; $50 to Lori Brewer of Waldoboro

Sponsor: Hawke Motors

Winners: $100 to Kristin Hodgdon of Thomaston; $75 to Megan Smith of Boothbay; $50 to Julie Nolan of Bath

When Wayne Averill of Ames Supply presented gift certificates to Patricia Smith and Sharon Rogers, Smith announced that she'd be donating part of her $100 win to the Westport Island Halloween Party.

Nobody can enter or leave Ames Supply without seeing the pet adoption cage just inside the front door. Mirroring that dedication to pairing new pets and owners, gift certificate winner Sharon Rogers said she will donate half her win to the Lincoln County Animal Shelter.

Carrying on the “we love our pets” theme, Hawke Motors had its lovable golden retriever mascots, Perry and Peter, present gift certificates to the winners. One certificate did not make it through the presentation, as Peter decided to eat it. Happily a duplicate certificate was created.

All of us at Boothbay Register and Wiscasset Newspaper enjoyed hosting these contests. It was fun to see the good natured competition and read the enthusiastic nominations from our readers. Many of the nominations contained glowing accolades for favorite eating spots, prompting us to add them to our lists of places to try.

We are once again reminded what a privilege and a pleasure it is to live, work and play in an area where we are surrounded by such remarkable beauty, while, at the same time, being immersed in such graciously energetic and friendly communities.