AWARD History
2025
CULINARY EXCELLENCE OF THE YEAR - ROLAND LICIONI
restaurant of the year - AVEC
EL CHE STEAKHOUSE & BAR
ELSKE
ROSE MARY
Chef of the year - OTTO PHAN (KYǑTEN)
SARAH GRUENEBERG (MONTEVERDE RESTAURANT & PASTIFICIO)
STEPHEN GILLANDERS (S.K.Y., VALHALLA & APOLONIA)
KEVIN HICKEY (THE DUCK INN)
RISING CHEF - CHRIS JUNG (MAXWELL’S TRADING)
MIKE SATINOVER (AKAHOSHI RAMEN)
MADALYN DURRANT (BAR PARISETTE)
JOHN DAHLSTROM (NETTARE)
BEST COUNTER SERVICE - RAGADAN
MIGOS FINE FOODS
SANTA MASA TAMALERIA
J.P. GRAZIANO GROCERY
2023
culinary excellence of the year award - PHIL VETTEL
KYOTEN
JEONG
GALIT
DAISIES
Restaurant of the YeaR - galit
PAUL FEHRIBACH (BIG JONES)
GENIE KWON AND TIM FLORES (KASAMA)
STEPHEN GILLANDERS (S.K.Y., VALHALLA & APOLONIA)
PAUL VIRANT (VIE, VISTRO PRIME & GAIJIN)
chef of the YeaR - PAUL VIRANT
INDIENNE
VALHALLA
WARLORD
OBÉLIX
BEST NEW RESTAURANT - INDIENNE
RISING CHEF OF THE YEAR -
FLEMING, KRASZYK & LUPTON
MARGARET PAK (THATTU)
TREVOR FLEMING, EMILY KRASZYK & JOHN LUPTON (WARLORD)
CHRISTIAN HUNTER (ATELIER)
DAMARR BROWN (VIRTUE)
TATUM SINCLAIR (S.K.Y., VALHALLA & APOLONIA)
MAYA-CAMILLE BROUSSARD (JUSTICE OF THE PIES)
VALERIA VELAZQUEZ LINDSTEN (LOBA PASTRY)
ERIN KOBLER (SEPIA & PROXI)
pastry chef of the year -
TATUM SINCLAIR
MEADOWLARK
CHERRY CIRCLE ROOM
BEST INTENTIONS
SCOFFLAW
BAR of the YeaR - BEST INTENTIONS
HERITAGE RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR - RUBI’S ON 18TH
BOONIE’S
RUBI’S ON 18TH
TUK TUK THAI ISAN STREET FOOD
THALAIVA’S INDIAN KITCHEN
SOMMELIER of the YeaR -
CHRISTIAN SHAUM
DANIEL BENNETT (SUSHI-SAN)
ALEX CUPER (EL CHE STEAKHOUSE & BAR)
AMBER PIKE (ANDROS TAVERNA)
CHRISTIAN SHAUM (BAZAAR MEAT)
NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANT of the year - POMPETTE
POMPETTE
BOEUFHAUS
TORCHIO PASTA BAR
DAISY’S PO-BOY AND TAVERN
BEST COUNTER SERVICE -
OMARCITO’S LATIN CAFE
OMARCITO’S LATIN CAFE
LOAF LOUNGE
FLOUR POWER
JT’S GENUINE SANDWICH SHOP
BEST RESTAURANT DESIGN -
THE OMAKASE ROOM
FIORETTA
THE OMAKASE ROOM
BISTRO MONADNOCK
WARLORD
BEST HOSPITALITY -
BRONZEVILLE WINERY
BRONZEVILLE WINERY
DEAR MARGARET
SMYTH
DENUCCI’S
2022
Restaurant of the YeaR - Oriole
chef of the YeaR - erick williams: Virtue
BEST NEW RESTAURANT - dear margaret
rising chef - ethan lim: hermosa
pastry program - kasama
neighborhood restaurant - the duck inn
heritage - sochi saigonese kitchen
sommelier - alex ring: sepia
Bartender - stevan miller: claudia
bar - the alderman
hospitality - william talbott: el ideas
2020
culinary excellence of the year award - ina pinkney
Restaurant of the YeaR - smyth
chef of the YeaR - anna and david posey: elske
BEST NEW RESTAURANT - Kyōten
rising chef - Jess Galli: Middle Brow bungalow
chef de cuisine - Mariya Russell: Kikko
pastry program - craig harzewski: brindille
rising pastry chef - tatum sinclair: s.k.y.
neighborhood restaurant - passerotto
heritage - cafe istanbul
bartender - kevin beary: bamboo room
counter service - publican quality meats
sommelier - aaron mcmanus: oriole
bar - kumiko
design - tzuco
hospitality - s.k.y.
2019
culinary excellence of the year award - michael foley
Restaurant of the YeaR - george trois
chef of the YeaR - jason hammel: lula cafe, marisol
BEST NEW RESTAURANT - s.k.y.
rising chef - alisha elenz: mfk
chef de cuisine - ryan pfeiffer: blackbird
pastry program - nicole guini: blackbird, avec
rising pastry chef - elaine townsend: fat rice
neighborhood restaurant - pizzeria bebu
heritage - a place by damao
bartender - stephanie andrews: billy sunday
counter service - calumet fisheries
sommelier - jill gubesch: frontera group
bar - moody tongue
design - pacific standard time
hospitality - temporis
2018
culinary excellence of the year award - katsu & haruko imamura
Restaurant of the YeaR - monteverde
chef of the YeaR - andrew zimmerman: sepia, proxi
BEST NEW RESTAURANT - smyth
rising chef - nick dostal: sixteen
chef de cuisine - bill montagne: nico osteria
pastry program - anna posey: elske
rising pastry chef - kyleen atonson: honey’s
neighborhood restaurant - daisies
heritage - ras dashen ethiopian restaurant
bartender - amit gilad: greenriver
sommelier - parag lalit: sixteen
bar - income tax
design - proxi
BEST NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANT - LE BOUCHON
BUNGALOW BY MIDDLE BROW
KIE-GOL-LANEE
DAISY’S PO-BOY AND TAVERN
BEST PIZZA - SPACCA NAPOLI
PISTORES
MILLY’S PIZZA IN THE PAN
ROBERT’S PIZZA AND DOUGH CO.
BEST NEW RESTAURANT - CARINO
BRASERO
JOHN’S FOOD AND WINE
OLIVER’S
BAR OF THE YEAR - BISOUS
NINE BAR
SEPIA
GOLDEN YEARS
hospitality - oriole
BEST DESIGN - TRE DITA
AZAAR MEAT
BRASERO
PERILLA STEAKHOUSE
BEST HERITAGE RESTAURANT - STUMARA
BAZAAR MEAT
BRASERO
PERILLA STEAKHOUSE
PASTRY CHEF OF THE YEAR - TC LUMBAR
SANTONIO INCANDELA (MARISCOS SAN PEDRO)
BO DURHAM (MINDY’S BAKERY)
SARAH MISPAGEL-LUSTBADER & BEN LUSTBADER (LOAF LOUNGE
SOMMELIER of the year - JELENA PRODAN (APOLONIA, S.K.Y., VALHALLA)
SCOTT STROEMER (GALIT)
PATTI ROBISON (ACANTO)
KAT HAWKINS (MIRU, TRE DITA, ST. REGIS BAR)
BEST HOSPITALITY - DEAR MARGARET
BRINDILLE
JEONG
ANELYA