Readers, I’m not going to lie to you—as I write this the Eat Out Awards attendees are filing past me because the ceremony has ended. This is a live blog on, like, a 20-minute delay. And still you’re not protected from profanity—like I could say “fuck” right now—because no one is filtering this.
Fortunately (or not, for the purposes of a colorful blog entry), the Readers’ Choice portion of the evening flew by without much incident. There was certainly a heightened buzz, and you could tell who had the largest (or drunkest) contingent in the stands by the forcefulness of the whooping when that restaurant was called among the nominees. It makes me happy somehow that these very successful, mostly rich stewards of the New York restaurant industry aren’t above whooping for themselves at an event like this. When this blog is nominated for its blog Pulitzer, I hope I’ll have the balls to whoop at that ceremony too.
But you’re probably interested in the awards, or whatever. Read them all after the jump:
Best splurge
Per Se (10 Columbus Circle at 59th St, 212-823-9335)
Other nominees: Daniel, Kobe Club, Le Cirque, Masa
New chef of the year
Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern (42 E 20th St between Broadway and Park Ave South, 212-477-0777)
Other nominees: David Chang (Momofuku Ssäm Bar), Daniel Humm (Eleven Madison Park), Seamus Mullen (Boqueria), Jason Neroni (Porchetta)
Best new Queens restaurant
Quaint (46-10 Skillman Ave between 46th and 47th Sts, Sunnyside, Queens; 917-779-9220)
Other nominees: Aces, Il Bambino, Jade Eatery & Lounge, Ovelia
New bar of the year
ReBar (147 Front St between Jay and Pearl Sts, Dumbo, Brooklyn; 718-797-2322)
Other nominees: Beatrice Inn, Death & Co., Marshall Stack, Union Hall
Best new Brooklyn restaurant
The Good Fork (391 Van Brunt St between Coffey and Van Dyke Sts, Red Hook, Brooklyn; 718-643-6636)
Other nominees: Dressler, Petite Crevette, The Smoke Joint, Zenkichi
Best new neighborhood spot
The Good Fork (391 Van Brunt St between Coffey and Van Dyke Sts, Red Hook, Brooklyn; 718-643-6636)
Other nominees: Cafe Cluny, Flatbush Farm, Frankies Spuntino 17 Clinton Street, Klee Brasserie
Best new alt coffeeshop
Joe, the Art of Coffee (130 Greene St between Houston and Prince Sts, 212-941-7330)
Other nominees: Aroma, Mudtruck, Ninth Street Espresso, Think Coffee
Best new steakhouse
Craftsteak (85 Tenth Ave at 15th St, 212-400-6699)
Other nominees: Harry’s, Porterhouse NY, Quality Meats, STK
Best new wine bar
Bin No. 220 (220 Front St between Beekman St and Peck Slip, 212-374-9463)
Other nominees: Centovini, Domaine Bar à Vins, Pudding Stones, Tini Wine Bar
Best new out-of-town restaurateur
Stephen Starr (Morimoto, Buddakan)
Other nominees: Tim Love (Lonesome Dove), Gordon Ramsay (Gordon Ramsay at the London), Joël Robuchon (L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon), Michael Symon (Parea)
Best new Asian restaurant
Buddakan (75 Ninth Ave at 16th St, 212-989-6699)
Other nominees: Japonais, Mai House, Momofuku Ssäm Bar, Safran
Best restaurant you can’t get into
Babbo (110 Waverly Pl between Sixth Ave and MacDougal St, 212-777-0303)
Other nominees: The Little Owl, Nobu, Rao’s, The Waverly Inn
Best vegetarian
Red Bamboo Brooklyn Vegetarian Soul Lounge (271 Adelphi St at DeKalb Ave, Fort Greene, Brooklyn; 718-643-4352)
Other nominees: HanGawi, Mana, Vegetarian Dim Sum House, Wild Ginger Pan-Asian Vegan Cafe
Best new beer bar
The Village Pourhouse (64 Third Ave at 11th St, 212-279-2337)
Other nominees: Against the Grain, CB Six, Essex Ale House, 4th Avenue Pub
Best new seafood joint
Lure (142 Mercer St at Prince St, 212-431-7676)
Other nominees: Black Pearl, Ditch Plains, Jack’s Luxury Oyster Bar, Pier 2110
Best new prix fixe
Knife + Fork (108 E 4th St between First and Second Aves, 212-228-4885)
Other nominees: Degustation, Del Posto Enoteca, Megu Midtown, Palo Santo
Best Australian
Eight Mile Creek (240 Mulberry St between Prince and Spring Sts, 212-431-4635)
Other nominees: Bondi Road, Sheep Station, Tuck Shop, Wombat
Best new pizza joint
Baci & Abbracci (204 Grand St between Bedford and Driggs Aves, Williamsburg, Brooklyn; 718-599-6599)
Other nominees: Cronkite Pizzeria and Wine Bar, Krunch Pizza Bar, Lucali, Pasita
Best barbecue
Blue Smoke (116 E 27th St between Park and Lexington Aves, 212-447-7733)
Other nominees: Daisy May’s, Rack & Soul, R.U.B., The Smoke Joint
Best cheese shop
Murray’s Cheese (254 Bleecker St between Sixth and Seventh Aves, 212 243-3289 • Grand Central Terminal, 43rd St at Lexington Ave, 212-922-1540)
Other nominees: Artisanal, Formaggio Essex, Saxelby Cheesemongers, Stinky Bklyn
Best new gimmick
S’MAC (345 E 12th St between First and Second Aves, 212-358-7912)
Other nominees: BAMN!, Burgers & Cupcakes, Hawaiian Tropic Zone, In Tent
Best reopening
Russian Tea Room (150 W 57th between Sixth and Seventh Aves, 212-581-7100)
Other nominees: Le Cirque, Picholine, Tasting Room, The Waverly Inn
Best new burger joint
BLT Burger (470 Sixth Ave between 11th and 12th Sts, 212-243-8226)
Other nominees: BRGR, Royale, 67 Burger, Stand
Best breakfast or brunch
Clinton St. Baking Company (4 Clinton St between Houston and Stanton Sts, 646-602-6263)
Other nominees: Brooklyn Label, Egg, Tom’s, Westville
New restaurant of the year
A Voce (41 Madison Ave, entrance on 26th St between Madison Ave and Park Ave South, 212-545-8555)
Other nominees: Goblin Market, Gordon Ramsay at the London, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, The Waverly Inn
Murray’s Cheese is fabulous, however Saxelby Cheesemongers is my favorite pick!!
I’m with Pam!
Best new prix fixe “Knife + Fork”? That is ridiculous. Knife + Fork is one of the worst restaurants I’ve ever been too. Utter rubbish. If this is a readers pick those readers do not have tounges. The only redeeming quality about that restaurant is that after leaving I could walk to McDonalds and get an edible meal. Sorry folks but that’s the truth!
YO BEST NEW BROOKLYN BEST NEW NEIGHBORHOOD JOINT !! WAY TO GO GOOD FORK, ONE OF THE BEST THINGS LEFT IN RED HOOK. MR AND MRS KIM RULE!
Knife + Fork truly deserves the award for ‘new best prix fixe”. It’s one of the most exciting and interesting menues I’ve ever tried. I congratulate the chef for being so innovative and always surprising my tastebuds with something new.
I only fear that now I won’t be able to get a reservation anymore…
Dear Thtan Davith, I mutht be one of thoth readerth without a tongue, becauth Damien Brathell at Knife + Fork ith a well detherving winner. I altho have to dithagree with your thatement of “truth”…you can’t get an edible meal at mcdonaldth!
Let’s keep things positive here, people. Clearly, someone who eats at McDonald’s….has no respect for good food. I’ve been to Knife+Fork and it was fabulous. Tasting menu is great along with the chef’s incredible homemade breads! I also want to send congrats to Eight Mile, New Chef of the Year at Gramercy and hats off to all the Brooklyn wins! Now, eat up…
Links seem to be having some problems…
There are indeed problems with many links. Thanks for bringing this to our attention, Rob. We’re looking into it and should have the problem solved shortly.
–Dustin Goot, TONY online editor
All of our links should be working again. We apologize for the inconvenience.
–Dustin Goot, online editor