2013 Best Restaurants: Qualifying Language for Special Awards

Our criteria for selecting Special Award winners for the annual Best Restaurants issue.

To qualify as a contender for our Best Restaurants list, eateries must have been open for business by the end of 2012.

SPECIAL AWARDS (descriptions):

Best New Restaurant:
A restaurant opened by Nov. 30, 2012, that displays excellence in food and service. It's likely that this place will have a significant impact on the city’s restaurant scene.

Chef of the Year:
A working chef in western Pennsylvania whose food and menu contribute to culinary excellence in the region; candidates must have been working chefs in our region for the past two years.

Star Chef:
A working chef in western Pennsylvania who’s 40 years or younger, and possesses impressive culinary talent and a unique perspective. This person will probably have an influence on the city’s restaurant scene.

Delicious Design:
A restaurant opened or renovated by the end of 2012 that displays creativity in design and sets the stage for the dining experience. The space should be an integral component of a restaurant strategy that includes food and service. Components for evaluation include style, interior and exterior materials, color, lighting, furniture, tablescape, decor elements, art, logo, sign and menu graphics.

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