Another day, another trophy on the mantel for Girl & The Goat chef-owner Stephanie Izard, who took home Chef of the Year and Best New Restaurant awards at last night's TOC Eat Out Awards. The fifth annual award ceremony was split between critic and readers' picks, honoring the most talked about restaurants of the year from the pub grub at Owen & Engine and mobile naanwiches from food truck gaztro-wagon to unsung heroes like Chimney Cakes and MingHin Cuisine. Here is the full list of winners:
Best New Italian: Davanti Enoteca
Best New Bakery: Sprinkles
Best Food Truck: gastro-wagon
Best New Patio: Big Star
Best New BBQ: Lillie's Q
Restaurateur of the Year: Rob Katz and Kevin Boehm
Best Local Coffee Roaster: Intelligentsia
Best Dessert Truck: Flirty Cupcakes
Chef of the Year: Stephanie Izard
Best New Steakhouse: Chicago Cut
Best New Beverage Program: Sable Kitchen & Bar
Best New Pub Grub: Owen & Engine
Breakout Chef of the Year: Matthew Eversman (Saigon Sisters)
Best New Bar: Banger's and Lace
Best New Restaurant: Girl & the Goat
CRITIC'S PICKS:
Best Excuse to be a Locavore: The all-Midwestern lineup of spirits at The Watershed.
Best Late Night Destination: MingHin Cuisine
Best Cure for the Average Brunch: Sunday Noodles at Takashi
Best Change of Pace: Jeff Pikus' cooking at Maude's Liquor Bar.
Best Cheese Course: The goat cheese cashew caramel gelato at Black Dog Gelato.
The Sorta-Annual "Proof that Evolution Exists" Award: Caffé Streets
Latest Reason to be a Homosexual: Downtown Bar & Lounge
Best Community Sponsor: Matt Maroni of Gaztrowagon
Best Reason to Fly Again: Tortas Frontera at Terminal 1 at O'Hare.
Least Insufferable Food Term of the Year: Chimney cake
Best Chip Off the Old Block: Ed Marszewski, Maria’s Packaged Goods & Community Bar.
Best Box Lunch: Bento boxes at the Bento Box
Extreme Makeover: Integrity Edition -- Ba Le
For more on the winners and full coverage of last night's festivities, check out Time Out Chicago.
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David Tamarkin on Chicago's Food Scene