Fabulous and tempting.
lou987 -- I don't know this newspaper in particular, but I think it is unlikely that the pizzas were chosen based on advertisers. If you read the blurb, the pizzas were nominated by
readers. Although you might find it hard to believe, even in these cash-strapped days, most newspapers still have a wall separating advertising (what they get of it) from editorial. And restaurant critics are adamant that advertising can't affect their reviews.
The blurb also says that on page 3C there's a list of all nominations received. Sounds pretty transparent to me.
Unless this was a "special advertising supplement" -- which it doesn't appear to be -- advertising, or failure to do so, most likely had no impact on the selections. You can disagree with them, but you should blame the readers, not the journalists who compiled the selections from their nominations.
I'm always struck by how awful the "readers' favorites" picks in the annual "best of" issues in the local magazines in the Twin Cities are. The pizzas that win are often chains, and "Famous Dave's" usually wins for barbecue.
