About Best of the Valley

Best of the Valley is the annual reader vote run by the Yakima Valley Business Times. Readers pick their favorite local businesses in Yakima County, and we publish the winners in our Best Of issues each fall. The 2026 ballot is the 26th; we've run it since 2001.

Who runs it

The Yakima Valley Business Times is a locally owned monthly business publication covering Yakima County, published since 1998 by Yakima Valley Publishing, Inc. in Yakima, Washington. Learn more at yvpub.com.

How voting works

The 2026 ballot had 96 categories in six sections: Businesses; Health, Wellness & Beauty; Retirement Living; Food & Drink; Auto; and Construction & Real Estate.
Voting ran April 28 through May 31, 2026.
Voters give their name, email and ZIP code, then write in or choose a business in each category they want to vote in.
A ballot needs at least 12 picks to count.
Each email address may submit one ballot per week.

How winners are chosen

The business with the most valid votes in a category wins. We remove duplicate and invalid ballots before counting. Winners are announced in the October and November 2026 issues of the Yakima Valley Business Times and on the 2026 winners page.

For businesses

Won a category, or want to advertise in the Best Of issues? Call (509) 457-4886 or email sales@yvpub.com.