Earlier this month, our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants) came out with its Best Hidden Restaurants in the Boston Area for 2011 list. And it is just one of a number of restaurant/food lists to be published, with others coming from area food writers, newspapers, magazines, and websites. Some of the lists that we find particularly interesting are below:
The 2011 Devil's Dining Awards
Once again, Boston-based food writer and restaurant critic MC Slim JB has put out an entertaining and informative article that contains such quirky categories as "Annoying Industry PR Buzzphrase of the Year," "Charles Bukowski Award for Entertaining Literary Drunkenness," and "Manny Pacquiao Award for Disputable Championship." As always, MC's list is a nice alternative to the more traditional end-of-year lists and is a great read for those who love satire.
11 favorite dishes of 2011: the year's best in Boston and beyond
Boston Globe food writer Devra First has created a terrific list here that includes dishes from both popular and lesser-known spots in the area. Included are the clam chowder from the Island Creek Oyster Bar in Boston's Kenmore Square, the beef tournedos from Catalyst in Cambridge's Kendall Square, the gnocchi from 80 Thoreau in Concord, and much more.
Year In Eater: Eater Boston
The wonderful Eater site expanded into Boston this year, and the Boston section recently put out a series of end-of-year articles based on surveys of friends, people in the restaurant industry, bloggers, and more. Categories here include Surprises, 2011 in One Word, Best Neighborhood, Top Newcomers, and Best Standbys, with such folks as Devra First, MC Slim JB, Tom O'Keefe (BostonTweet), Penny and Ed Cherubino (BostonZest), and yours truly being surveyed.
The Passionate Foodie -- 2011: Favorite Restaurants
Known in part for his extensive knowledge of wine and sake, The Passionate Foodie is also a food writer and restaurant reviewer. And for 2011, he has picked some favorite dining spots in the Boston area and beyond, including favorite overall restaurant, favorite suburban restaurant, favorite pizza chain, favorite underappreciated restaurant, favorite donuts, and favorite fried seafood.
Celebrating 2011 in dining, all over the place
Robert Nadeau of the Boston Phoenix has written an end-of-year article that perhaps rivals MC Slim JB's in the quirkiness category. Here you will find his more straightforward picks for best restaurants of 2011 as well as best specific dishes, but you will also find such offbeat categories as "Best Cliche Restaurant," "Major Weird, but Worth It," "Meandering Path to Glory," and "(Buzz-) Killer App."
Best of Boston 2011: Restaurants and Food
One of the area's most well-known "Best Of" lists, Boston Magazine's series of articles on best restaurants and food seems to cover it all. Here you will find everything from "Best Deli" to "Best Cheese Shop" to "Best New Restaurant" to "Best Tasting Menu" to "Best Cookie" and so much more.
Boston's 11 Hottest New Restaurants of 2011
The blog section of Zagat has included photos and descriptions of a handful of hot new restaurants in the Boston area for this year. Included are such places as Sweet Cheeks in Boston's Fenway neighborhood, Storyville in the Back Bay, Trade on the waterfront, Wahlburgers in Hingham, and Area Four in Kendall Square.
If you have any other favorite "Best of 2011" lists for restaurants and food in the Boston area, please post links to them in the comments section below. Have a Happy New Year!
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