Many of us may need a little extra boost to get going in the morning-- or just to help get through a long day.  That's where our friend caffeine comes in.

Even the decaf variety of coffee can provide much needed solace from outside distractions.

Patch wants to know:  where do YOU find the best cup of coffee, latte, espresso, Americano – you get the idea - around the area? 

That being said, Patch is running the ultimate Readers’ Choice yet. While we’ve done similar contests in the past, this one includes business from Skokie, Niles, Morton Grove, Park Ridge and Des Plaines. Our 2012 winner will even receive an award for having the best coffee in town. On a side note, we’ve also fixed our voting mechanism, meaning people can no longer manipulate the system.

To vote, simply login to your Patch account and select the business that you think has the best product. That’s it. Voting ends Aug. 17, at 5:00 p.m.

Patch readers nominated all the following businesses and the nomination period is now closed. It’s time to pick a winner, folks.