Readers’ choices

Buttercup Bake Shop

Photo: Steve Cohen

Best new bakery
Buttercup Bake Shop
Other nominees: Babycakes NYC, Falai Panetteria, Milk & Cookies, One Girl Cookies

Even folks who don’t eat dessert know about the city’s famous bakery wars. Well, the votes are in, and for all you buttercream addicts at least, Buttercup Bake Shop’s cupcakes, uh, took the cake. Owner Jennifer Appel—a founding partner at Magnolia—serves bright frosted cupcakes in flavors like Devil Dog and German chocolate, as well as towering cakes (carrot, coconut, apple walnut) and glistening pies (pecan, apple, lemon meringue). With ten varieties of cupcakes on hand, Buttercup is tops on selection alone (not to mention sheer fluffy goodness). And the sweetest treats of all: tables, chairs and no line to get in.—Jay Cheshes
• 141 W 72nd St between Columbus Ave and Broadway (212-787-3800)

Best new Brooklyn restaurant
Brooklyn Fish Camp
Other nominees: Beast, Monkey Town, Queen’s Hideaway, Sette Enoteca e Cucina, Sorrel

Great New England–style oyster bars have a way of multiplying in NYC. First, Pearl Oyster Bar spawned Mary’s Fish Camp (after the original partners split), and then Mary Redding, along with partner Derek Dos Anjos, headed to the Slope to open Brooklyn Fish Camp—and you followed. This offshoot’s menu sticks with classic fare: pristine Malpeque oysters; Canadian steamers; lobster rolls with the perfect proportion of mayo to crustacean (and addictive matchstick fries); plus whole market fish served grilled or fried. The bucolic spot even boasts backyard seating. Great surf deserves this kind of turf.—Nancy Davidson
•162 Fifth Ave between DeGraw and Douglass Sts, Park Slope, (718-783-3264)

Best late-night eatery (not 24-hour dining)
Blue Ribbon
Other nominees: Aspen, Bozu, Landmarc, Mas

Where else, at three in the morning, can you slurp down just-shucked oysters and smear bone marrow on toast? There’s a good reason that off-duty chefs long ago elected this Soho sleeper to be their postwork playhouse, and readers understand. Every night past midnight, the Bromberg brothers’ flagship restaurant begins filling up with a who’s who of the restaurant biz. You might need patience landing even a perch at the bar. Ask for a menu while you wait and decide if you’re going upscale (sevruga caviar) or down (matzo-ball soup).—Jay Cheshes
• 97 Sullivan St between Prince and Spring Sts (212-274-0404)

Best new cocktail bar
Pegu Club
Other nominees: The Double Seven, East Side Company Bar, Little Branch, Salon

Located on an unassuming Soho block, Pegu Club is both hidden and welcoming. Upstairs, what greets cocktail connoisseurs is an elegant space with a long maple bar. Owner-mixologist Audrey Saunders—formerly of the Carlyle Hotel’s Bemelmans Bar—brings a unique, almost cocky approach. First, she stubbornly discourages trendy vodkas—gin is the basis for most of the menu. Second, she pays attention to details. Extra-large ice cubes, for example, keep drinks from becoming watered-down messes. And finally, she enlisted consulting chef Gavin Citron to create sophisticated snacks such as sloppy duck sandwiches and smoked-trout deviled eggs.—Jack Curtin
• 77 W Houston St between West Broadway and Wooster St (212-473-7348)

Blue Ribbon

Photo: Jay Muhlin

Best hot dog
Gray’s Papaya (uptown)
Other nominees: Broomedoggs, Crif Dogs, Nathan’s Famous, Schnäck

Hot-dog aficionados look for a few key things: type of meat, casing or no casing, type of bun and range of condiments. A great number of you think Gray’s Papaya exemplifies the classic New York dog. The meat itself (all beef) boasts the ever-alluring combination of salty and sweet. It is cooked on a flat grill that renders the exterior (or casing) slightly crunchy. The buns are also lightly grilled; warm bread is softer than what you might find at a Sabrett cart. Toppings are another matter—and debates rage on about how you should garnish your wiener—but you’ll find mustard, sauerkraut, sautéed onions and ketchup on the counter. At 95¢ apiece, the price certainly is right. Scrounge up $2.75 and you get two dogs, a tropical drink and one of the city’s best cheap eats.—James Oliver Cury
• 2090 Broadway at 71st St (212-799-0243)

Best jacket-and-tie-required
Per Se
Other nominees: Alain Ducasse, Bouley, Daniel, Jean Georges, Le Bernardin

Rules are meant to be broken—unless you’re Thomas Keller, and then they’re not. Keller and his partner, Laura Cunningham, insist on perfection at Per Se. All they ask in return is that diners rise to the occasion and dress for it. Truth be told, a few guests are let off the hook. Mick Jagger got to wear jeans, and an occasional VIP is allowed to dine in a button-down without being forced to don the house jacket. Otherwise, those who are lucky or patient enough to get a reservation willingly suit up for the meal. For doing so, they’re treated to nearly flawless, epic tasting menus, from the crunch of the classic opening bite—Keller’s salmon-topped tuile cone—to the last little macaroon on the petits fours tray.—Maile Carpenter
• Time Warner Center, 10 Columbus Circle at Broadway, fourth floor (212-823-9335)

Uva

Photo: Astrid Stawiarz

Best new wine bar
Uva
Other nominees: Aroma, Bin 71, Epistrophy, Park Blue, Tarallucci e Vino

A great wine bar requires more than a well-stocked cellar. Uva is your choice for best newcomer because the smartly selected, not-too-pricey wines (35 of them by the glass) come in just the right package: a rustic brick-walled room dimly lit with chandeliers and flickering ruby-red tea lights. The lighting makes everyone’s skin glow, which explains why so many Upper East Siders come here for dinner dates. They also know that the kitchen isn’t content to pair a primitivo or chianti with plain old panini. Along with the extensive leather-bound wine list comes an equally comprehensive dinner menu, packed with dozens of snacks (focaccia topped with a Robiola-and-truffle spread), intriguing appetizers (burrata drizzled with balsamic vinegar, fava beans and bits of chopped yellow tomatoes) and seriously rich entrées (gnocchi pillows smothered in creamy truffle-and-chive sauce). It isn’t the most traditional wine-bar menu, but in a neighborhood better known for pub grub, it is clearly a welcome one.—Maile Carpenter
• 1486 Second Ave at 77th St (212-472-4552)

Best Queens restaurant
718
Other nominees: Agnanti, L’Incontro, Sripraphai, Tournesol, Trattoria

Queens has always had pockets of culinary excellence: Greek food in Astoria, Chinese in Flushing. But the borough achieved a certain critical mass two and a half years ago when French chef Alain Allaire co-opened 718 on a promising corner of Ditmars Boulevard’s restaurant row. The joint has since become a consistent crowd-pleaser. It is at once a bar, a warm-weather café, a brunch hang, a late-night tapas haunt, a weekly belly-dancing-and-salsa club and (crucially) a dependable kitchen. Picky eaters are sated by Allaire’s savory braised short ribs topped with foie gras, or his rosy duck breast with hazelnut-studded cauliflower puree. And Queens’ dishiest dessert isn’t Ben Faremo’s Italian ices in Corona. It’s 718 pastry chef Raphaël Sutter’s vanilla, chocolate and coffee crème brûlée trio. Eat that, 212.—Karen Tina Harrison
• 35-01 Ditmars Blvd at 35th St, Astoria (718-204-5553)

Best new Upper West Sider
Telepan
Other nominees: Gari, Loft, Pair of 8s, Spiga

By opening his own restaurant on West 69th Street, Bill Telepan—former chef at the now-defunct Judson Grill—further disproved the once popular myth that hot new eatery and Upper West Side could never appear in the same sentence. The place isn’t fancy, but it gets things right. Diners can customize their $55 prix-fixe dinners by selecting three dishes from any three columns; they can ask for assistance and get smart feedback; and they can count on a fresh, Greenmarket-inspired menu featuring stuff like hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, brook trout and organic lamb. You made this spot a real contender for best new restaurant, too.—Nancy Davidson
• 72 W 69th St at Columbus Ave (212-580-4300)

Best new tapas restaurant that actually serves Spanish food
Las Ramblas
Other nominees: Barça 18, Bar Carerra, Sol y Sombre, Tapeo 29

Now that tapas has become the trendy misnomer for small-plate fare from any cuisine, it’s no wonder you’re grateful when you see the real Spanish deal. The authenticity of Las Ramblas is apparent in every centímetro of the place—the chef hails from Pamplona; three flavors of sangria (red pear, white peach and champagne strawberry) are mixed to order; and the intimate space actually fosters interaction. Or maybe you just like the food: aged serrano ham, grilled chorizo, patatas bravas (fried potatoes with garlic and allioli), croquetas and a selection of Spanish cheeses (Manchego reserva, tetilla, idiazabal and cabrales)—all served in portions that are just the right size, and price, for sharing.—Nancy Davidson
• 170 W 4th St between Cornelia and Jones Sts (646-415-7924)

Best garden
DuMont
Other nominees: Cávo, I Coppi, La Lanterna di Vittorio, Paradou, Pure Food and Wine

When the urge to dine al fresco hits a fever pitch in April, the competition for a garden seat can be as brutal as a Yankees–Red Sox smackdown. After carving out unexpected yet comfortable spots for tables and bar seats in DuMont’s railroad-apartment-style layout, owner Colin Devlin and designer Joseph Foglia took their penchant for spatial relations outside and created your favorite urban oasis of hanging plants, wooden benches and a ten-seat bar. Opt for the “tree house,” a four-foot-high balcony built around a shady tree with three tables. There’s even a Mother Nature safety net: A huge, retractable awning covers the whole darned patio, so you’ll never get rained out.—Amy Zavatto
• 432 Union Ave between Metropolitan Ave and Devoe St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-486-7717)

DuMont

Photo: Joseph Kidd

Best new hotel restaurant
Thor
Other nominees: The Carlyle, Chemist Club, Country, Gilt

A nice lobby and a solid rib eye don’t cut it anymore at the city’s top hotels. Restaurateurs are hiring celebrity chefs and cutting-edge designers and praying that the food tastes as good as the place looks. At Thor, the marriage was an instant success: Crowds packed the Lower East Side hot spot (its name is an acronym for the Hotel on Rivington) to savor one of downtown’s most fashionable scenes and delicious meals. Underneath a dreamy glass ceiling, you continue to be seduced by chef Kurt Gutenbrunner’s European menu, and when you’re done, and if you have the cash, you can keep the night rolling by hitting the sack upstairs instead of the subway.—Alia Akkam
• 107 Rivington St between Essex and Ludlow Sts (212-796-8040)

Best dive bar
Subway Inn
Other nominees: Holiday Cocktail Lounge, Holland Bar, Milady’s, Milano’s, 169 Bar

The bar near the Lexington Avenue and 60th Street subway exit is a 72-year-old watering hole that really is a hole. And you like it that way. The clientele varies based on the time of day, but you’re likely to see a mix of what appears to be Bowery-bum-like boozers, regular guys, and confused tourists seated either in decrepit booths or at the bar. If they’re not talking to one another, they’re looking aimlessly at the inexplicable collection of knickknacks behind the bar: old shoes, a polar bear, little pigs. Or they’re staring into a glass. Drinks are lost in a time warp too—beer starts at $3.50.—James Oliver Cury
• 143 E 60th St between Lexington and Third Aves (212-223-8929)

Best breakfast (not brunch)
Balthazar
Other nominees: Cafe at Country, Café Sabarsky, Egg, Norma’s, Shopsin’s General Store

Before brunch—that maddening weekend fight-for-a-table event—there was breakfast. And at Balthazar, breaking croissants in the morning is as sexy and fulfilling as whiling away the evening over steak frites and escargots. The French toast—made with brioche, of course—is enticingly thick and sprinkled with powdered sugar. The roasted-red-pepper and caramelized-onion quiche sits in a perfectly buttery crust, and the bread basket teems with delectable pastries made fresh in the adjoining bakery. Watching fashionistas and media types sip café au laits and tap into dainty soft-boiled eggs may add to the pleasure quotient too.—Alia Akkam
•80 Spring St between Broadway and Crosby St (212-965-1414)

Ginger

Photo: Astrid Stawiarz

Best new Upper East Sider
Ginger
Other nominees: Frederick’s on Madison, Jovia, Philippe, Spigolo

Big-name developers aren’t the only people breaking new ground in East Harlem. What’s novel about this recently opened organic Chinese restaurant—aside from the fact that it’s on East 116th Street—is what executive chef James Marshall (Vong, China Grill) won’t do to the food: There will be no deep-frying, no excessive usage of oil or salt. Instead, fresh vegetables and lean meats are doused in citrusy sauces; the menu lists a pineapple-and-mango-glazed pork chop as well as an apricot-glazed chicken. The decor mixes traditional with modern. Is it authentic Chinese cooking? You don’t care when the food is this good—and healthy. —Leslie Price
• 1400 Fifth Ave at 116th St (212-423-1111)

Best new Mexican restaurant
La Esquina
Other nominees: The Alamo, Centrico, Grove, Mercadito, Taco Chulo

Many first-time diners here stand on the corner of Lafayette and Kenmare Streets staring at the deli sign, wondering if they wrote down the wrong address. After watching dozens of people who in no way look like employees walk through a door marked employees only, it becomes clear that the restaurant does lurk within—and it must be good. Down the stairs and through the kitchen are a wall of tequila bottles, shots served on wooden planks and a menu that doesn’t read like Taco Bell. Dishes like spicy sirloin with poblano chilies, Mayan shrimp coated in a chipotle glaze and grilled fish with avocado salsa somehow taste better when served amid exposed brick, wrought iron and wax-dripping candelabras.—Fabiana Santana
•106 Kenmare St between Cleveland Pl and Lafayette St (646-613-7100)

Best diner
Empire Diner
Other nominees: Cheyenne Diner, Diner, Lexington Candy Shop, Moondance, Relish

Chelsea has changed a lot in the past 30 years, but one thing remains, more or less, blissfully the same: the chrome comfort of the Empire Diner, an Art Deco–style Fodero diner that’s been serving blue-plate specials since 1976, when the place reopened under new management.While the waitstaff’s deadpan efficiency and lack of effusiveness have been mistaken for crankiness on occasion, you seem more than willing to cut them some slack. After all, the joint’s open 24 hours a day, and even provides a little moon-glow ambience after dark with tapered candles along a 20-seat counter. But it’s the fine print at the bottom of the menu that best sums up the soul of Empire: stop fidgeting. watch your language. close your mouth when you chew. don’t be such a stranger. david, call your mother.—Amy Zavatto
• 210 Tenth Ave between 22nd and 23rd Sts (212-243-2736)

Best Peter Luger offshoot
Wolfgang’s Steakhouse
Other nominees: Ben & Jack’s Steak House, Blair Perrone Steakhouse, MarkJoseph Steakhouse

Steak lovers no longer really bicker about whether Peter Luger’s steaks are the best, but rather, which of the offshoots nails the formula best, and if any of them surpass the master. Of the four steakhouses boasting former Luger workers, you overwhelmingly preferred Wolfgang’s—a place owned by Wolfgang Zwiener, a man who spent four decades serving tables at Luger’s. He not only mimicked the meat—which is dry-aged for 28 days and proffered as porterhouses for two, three or four—he developed his own Luger-like steak sauce and, best of all, serves it all in a gorgeous space with Guastavino-designed vault ceilings (a marked improvement over Luger’s beer-hall decor). The clincher? He accepts credit cards, too.—James Oliver Cuty
• 4 Park Ave at 33rd St (212-889-3369)

Stanton Social

Photo: Patrik RytiKangas

Best “secret” restaurant
Chumley’s
Other nominees: La Esquina, Jimmy’s, Freemans, Grotto, Sakagura

The trend of hidden places can get old fast; contrived secrecy feels like a game of hide-and-seek. So it’s no surprise that you prefer the real deal—a former speakeasy that still has a concealed entrance, secretly tucked away on Barrow Street. For those unfamiliar with the story, the building was a blacksmith’s shop in the 1830s, then became a speakeasy–gambling den in the 1930s, where, it is said, the term eighty-six (a nod to the secret entrance/exit on 86 Barrow) came from. Post-Prohibition, Chumley’s served as a hangout for literary types whose photos and dust jackets still line the walls. The worn wood decor, sawdust-covered floors and working fireplace make for a cozy ambience in which to enjoy classic pub grub such as crispy fish-and-chips, grilled rib eye, and draft beers like Honey Brown and Chumley’s own brew. Real fans of the place become part of the history by carving their initials in a table.—Fabiana Santana
• 86 Bedford St between Barrow and Grove Sts (212-675-4449)

Best new burger joint
DuMont Burger
Other nominees: The Burger Joint (Bleecker Street), Goodburger, Joe’s BestBurger

Aside from pizza, the burger is probably the most controversial New York food, perhaps because we all know exactly how we like it. This makes it really hard for any one critic—or even voting body—to pinpoint a citywide favorite newcomer. And yet, we have a winner. DuMont Burger in Williamsburg (a sibling of DuMont, winner for best garden) most impressed our readers—not just because there’s a rustic barroom setting and indie-outlaw spirit, but because the place understands beef. Their big, round burger is marinated in a secret sauce, formed by hand and cooked to order. The result is a nicely charred burger, juicy but not too messy, piled high on a brioche bun with a choice of cheese (American, cheddar, Danish blue, Gruyère, Monterey Jack) and add-ons like bacon, avocado and batter-dipped onion rings.—Nancy Davidson
• 314 Bedford Ave between South 1st and 2nd Sts, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-384-6127)

Best new vegetarian restaurant
Heirloom
Other nominees: Blossom, Gobo (Upper East Side), Happy Buddha, Radha

If anyone can make a vegetarian restaurant look and taste good—even to contemptuous carnivores—it’s Matthew Kenney (formerly of Pure Food and Wine). Rather than resembling a yoga studio or a hippie commune, his latest healthful haven, on trendy Orchard Street, boasts sexy circular booths, dim lighting and smart young servers who not only can tell you what’s in every dish, but can make sure you get only vegan or even raw meals. Kenney works wonders with seasonal organic fare, turning fromage blanc–stuffed eggplant, for example, into ravishing ravioli—served with chickpea fries and parsley-garlic sauce. The faux foie gras, seafood and even cheesecake are so rich that some patrons can’t believe it’s not the real thing.—Giuliana Calzarossa
• 191 Orchard St between Houston and Stanton Sts (212-228-9888)

Best nonchain coffee purveyor
Joe, the Art of Coffee
Other nominees: Gorilla Coffee, the Grey Dog’s Coffee, Mudspot, St. Helen Cafe

You might wonder: Is it the beans, the baristas or the breakfast bites that make Joe the java joint of choice among coffee lovers? It’s all that and more: The counter staff is adept and accommodating without too much smarmy fawning—they leave the sweets to the assortment of muffins, tea cakes and, when available, Amy Sedaris’s cupcakes. They also indulge in making “latte art”—attempting to create patterns on the surface of the drink using the milk and espresso as media. But most important, at least for those who buy coffee by the pound, it’s the quality of the Vienna roast—cooked to order from the Barrington Coffee Roasting Company in Lee, Massachusetts, and poured whenever you order a regular cup o’ joe. The stuff is rich and aromatic without that disappointing bitterness often found in the mugs at bigger chains. Formica café tables and individual French presses are extra perks.—Amy Zavatto
• 141 Waverly Pl between Sixth Ave and Gay St (212-924-6750)
• 9 E 13th St between Fifth Ave and University Pl (212-924-7400)

Best new restaurant design
Stanton Social
Other nominees: Country, Del Posto, Nobu 57, Thor

Sensuous low-level lighting, plush booths and rows of wine bottles illuminated behind sheets of glass are what you like about this LES tapas hot spot—an aesthetic oasis on an otherwise grimy and graffiti-laden block. Chef-owner Chris Santos (Wyanoka) and partners Richard Wolf (Tao) and Peter Kane (Happy Ending) tapped design firm AvroKO (Public, Sapa) to work their magic on the tri-level space, and the results are impressive. It’s all in the details: The menus are fashioned from slabs of wood, antique hand mirrors line the upstairs lounge, and the zigzagging wine bottles against the wall actually make a herringbone pattern designed to pay homage to the neighborhood’s heritage as a suit-and-fabric destination.—Alison Rosen
• 99 Stanton St between Ludlow and Orchard Sts (212-995-0099)

Best afternoon-tea service
Alice’s Tea Cup
Other nominees: Astor Court at the St. Regis, Tea Box Café at Takashimaya, T Salon and Emporium, Wild Lily Tea Room

There’s a Starbucks on every corner, but options for high tea in this town seem to include only three types of places: hotel lounges, Asian theme venues and quirky mom-and-pop shops. You cozied up to the latter by voting for Alice’s Tea Cup, a quaint, folksy space with mismatched furniture and scribbles from Lewis Carroll’s classic text on the walls. Tea snobs will appreciate the impressive menu of 140 varieties of black, green and white blends from all over the globe. Those seeking a proper afternoon tea get to raise a cup while munching on plump scones, home-baked cookies and chunky sandwiches (tangy curried chicken is a perfect partner for the Indian brews)—all stacked on the traditional three-tiered stand.—Clare Lambe
• 102 W 73rd St between Columbus and Amsterdam Aves (212-799-3006)
• 156 E 64th St at Lexington Ave (212-486-9200)

Best new restaurant
The Modern
Other nominees: Alto, Del Posto, Gilt, Perry Street, Telepan

From the moment he was tapped to run the renovated MoMA’s flagship restaurant, chef Gabriel Kreuther set about creating modern art of his own—inspired dishes that would do justice to any setting, even a dining room overlooking the museum’s famed sculpture garden filled with priceless works. Every element—the slickly dressed servers, the Christofle silverware, the flower displays—shows attention to detail. Kreuther’s part starts with a precious gift (a thin crêpe purse filled with morels, maybe) and continues with dishes like creamy buckwheat soup; tender, rosy venison with a flaky meat-filled strudel; or bacon-crusted cod. Ethereal desserts follow, and women are given a tea cake to take home. The experience prompted one lady at a neighboring table to proclaim, “Now this is art.” Our readers clearly agree.—Maile Carpenter
• 9 W 53rd St between Fifth and Sixth Aves (212-333-1220)