1st Place: Culver’s (tied)
1st Place: Randy’s Family Restaurant (tied)
2nd Place: Altoona Family Restaurant
3rd Place: Blue Moon

You would assume the definition of comfort food would vary so much from person to person that this category would all over the place – maybe nothing puts you at ease like steaming plate of plain tofu. But, according to this year’s winners, most of us look for something a little greasier and a little saltier when we need a meal to make us feel better. Culver’s (2021 Brackett Ave., 2525 W. Folsom Ave., 1330 Stout Road, and 2573 Commercial Blvd., Chippewa Falls) tied this year with Randy’s Family Restaurant (1132 W. Macarthur) for first. Both places know their way around a juicy burger and a stack of French fries, and both are masters of dessert, with Culver’s focusing on custard and Randy’s highlighting pie. Second and third place follow Randy’s lead as top-notch purveyors of American-style family cuisine. Altoona Family Restaurant (2000 N. Hillcrest Pkwy.) boasts an enormous menu of sandwiches and dinners with plenty of fried items, while Blue Moon (805 S. Hastings Way) carries the Heckel’s torch with its enormous comforting menu. – Eric Rasmussen