In celebration of the local restaurants diners return to time and again, OpenTable, the provider of online restaurant reservations, is pleased to honor the 2014 Diners' Choice Award winners for the Top 100 Best Neighborhood Gem Restaurants in America. These awards reflect the combined opinions of more than 5 million restaurant reviews submitted by verified OpenTable diners for more than 19,000 restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Highlighting eateries that contribute to the character of their neighborhoods, the complete list includes award winners in half the states in the nation and Washington, D.C., including Lucia's Restaurant and Wine Bar in Minneapolis, Red Gravy in Brooklyn, and The Yellow Porch in Nashville. California has 24 winning restaurants sprinkled throughout the state, followed by New York with 10, and New Jersey and Pennsylvania with six each.
Both Florida and Georgia have five honorees, while Massachusetts and Texas each boast four. Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Tennessee, Washington, and Washington, D.C., all have three winners, and the states of Delaware, North Carolina, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, and South Carolina have two apiece. Alabama, Colorado, Indiana, Missouri, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Utah are also represented.
Although American fare is the most popular cuisine, Italian cuisine was a close second, with 25 restaurants specializing in dishes inspired by Lo Stivale, or The Boot. French fare is popular as well, as are seafood and Southern menus.
"The winning restaurants on this list are in many ways the heart and soul of their neighborhoods, offering much more than delicious meals," says Caroline Potter, OpenTable Chief Dining Officer. "They provide a place that inspires a real sense of community and pride, making local area foodies feel right at home, night after night."
The Diners' Choice Awards for the Top 100 Best Neighborhood Gem Restaurants in America are generated from more than 5 million restaurant reviews collected from verified OpenTable diners between June 1, 2013, and May 31, 2014. All restaurants with a minimum overall score and number of qualifying reviews were included for consideration. Qualifying restaurants were then scored and sorted according to the percentage of qualifying reviews for which "neighborhood gem" was selected as a special feature.
Based on this methodology, the following restaurants, listed in alphabetical order, comprise the Top 100 Neighborhood Gem Restaurants in America according to OpenTable diners.
2014 Diners' Choice Award Winners for the Top 100 Neighborhood Gem Restaurants in America
- Agave – Atlanta, Georgia
- Apartment 13 – New York, New York
- The Back Room Steakhouse – Apopka, Florida
- Bar Lucca – Conshohocken, Pennsylvania
- Battuto Italian Kitchen – Dallas, Texas
- Benissimo Ristorante and Bar – Corte Madera, California
- Bethany's Table – Portland, Oregon
- Bistro de la Gare – South Pasadena, California
- Bistro Grace – Cincinnati, Ohio
- Bistro Piattini – Albuquerque, New Mexico
- The Black Sheep Bistro – Old Town Spring, Texas
- Blue Marlin – Bradenton Beach, Florida
- Blue Ribbon Rustic Kitchen – San Diego, California
- BO-beau kitchen + garden – La Mesa, California
- Bottega – Baltimore, Maryland
- Buck's Fishing & Camping – Washington, D.C.
- Bustan – New York, New York
- Cafe Nell – Portland, Oregon
- Casa Bella Trattoria – Haddonfield, New Jersey
- Casper Fry – Spokane, Washington
- The Cecil – New York, New York
- The Chef's Table – Rocklin, California
- Chicago Joe's – Las Vegas, Nevada
- The Clam – New York, New York
- Common Quarter – Marietta, Georgia
- Croce's Park West – San Diego, California
- Crossings – South Pasadena, California
- Crux Cafe – Audubon, New Jersey
- District Kitchen and Cocktails – Austin, Texas
- Eastland Cafe – Nashville, Tennessee
- El Sitio Steak and Seafood – Collingswood, New Jersey
- Favaloro's Big Night Bistro – Pacific Grove, California
- Finca – Salt Lake City, Utah
- Fork! – Cornelius, North Carolina
- Gemma – Dallas, Texas
- Glen Ellen Star – Glen Ellen, California
- Glyndon Grill – Glyndon, Maryland
- The Good King Tavern – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- The Granary – Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
- Grange – Westwood, New Jersey
- The Grilled Oyster Company – Potomac, Maryland
- Gusto – San Carlos, California
- Hammocks Trading Company – Sandy Springs, Georgia
- Heyday – Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Il Segreto – Bel Air, California
- Ilios Noche-Park Rd. – Charlotte, North Carolina
- Ink & Elm – Atlanta, Georgia
- Kinfolk – San Francisco, California
- Kitchen on George – Mobile, Alabama
- Laurel – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Little Nonna's – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- L'Oceano Ristorante – Collingswood, New Jersey
- Longitud315 – Highwood, Illinois
- Lou's Village – San Jose, California
- Lucia's Restaurant and Wine Bar – Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Luna Blu – Tiburon, California
- Maximiliano – Los Angeles, California
- mkt. – Seattle, Washington
- M'Tucci's Kitchina – Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Nico – San Francisco, California
- Nico's Taco and Tequila Bar – Minneapolis, Minnesota
- The Obstinate Daughter – Sullivan's Island, South Carolina
- Oda House – New York, New York
- Osmanthus – Oakland, California
- Osteria Mattone – Roswell, Georgia
- Paris Bistro-Chestnut Hill – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Pascal and Sabine – Asbury Park, New Jersey
- The Pastaria – Los Gatos, California
- Picasso on Paseo – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- the plimouth – Denver, Colorado
- Po Le Cucina – Spring House, Pennsylvania
- Pomodoro Rosso – New York, New York
- Red Cow – Seattle, Washington
- The Red Feather – Cincinnati, Ohio
- Red Gravy – Brooklyn, New York
- Reunion Kitchen + Drink – Anaheim Hills, California
- Roma Ristorante – Carmel, Indiana
- Rossetti Restaurant of Lynn – Lynn, Massachusetts
- Sarma – Somerville, Massachusetts
- Satsuma – Wilmington, Delaware
- Sociale – Brooklyn, New York
- South + York – Winter Springs, Florida
- South End – Venice, California
- Stone's Public House – Ashland, Massachusetts
- Stones Throw – San Francisco, California
- Stonewood Grill & Tavern – Orlando, Florida
- Stonewood Grill & Tavern – Wellington, Florida
- T.W. Food – Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Tavola – New York, New York
- Taylor's Kitchen – Sacramento, California
- Thally – Washington, D.C.
- Thomas Restaurant – Kansas City, Missouri
- Tortino – Washington, D.C.
- Trabocco – Alameda, California
- Unite Urban Grill – Chicago, Illinois
- Vincitori Fine Italian Cuisine – Westmont, Illinois
- V's Restaurant – Malibu, California
- Wild Iris – Brentwood, Tennessee
- The Writing Room – New York, New York
- The Yellow Porch – Nashville, Tennessee
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