Alinea, Next, Shanghai Terrace Top 2012 Zagat Survey

Zagat just released its 2012/13 Chicago Restaurants survey results and, not surprisingly, Alinea topped the list in the overall food category with a 29 out of 30. Next tied its sibling with a 29 as well, but in the overall service category, while Shanghai Terrace got the No. 1 spot in the decor category. Alinea was also No. 1 on the Most Popular list.

The survey, which comes out in a soft-cover reference book and is available via Google search and Google+, ranked restaurants based on survey results of more than 6,200 Chicagoans. Two restaurants, Katsu and Riccardo Trattoria, broke the top 5 in the overall food category. Next came in at No. 3 and Les Nomades was at No. 5.

Leading the Top Newcomers was NoMI Kitchen, following its makeover last year (so technically is it a newcomer?). It was followed by Perennial Virant, Roka Akor, Telegraph and Bistro Voltaire.

Below, a sampling of the top five entries in a few lists:

TOP FOOD
1) Alinea
2) Katsu
3) Next
4) Riccardo Trattoria
5) Les Nomades

TOP DECOR
1) Shanghai Terrace
2) Alinea
3) Sixteen
4) Courtright's
5) L2O

TOP SERVICE
1) Next
2) Alinea
3) Vie
4) Les Nomades
5) Tru

MOST POPULAR
1) Alinea
2) Frontera Grill
3) Girl & The Goat
4) Gibsons
5) Charlie Trotter's

TOP NEWCOMER
1) NoMI Kitchen
2) Perennial Virant
3) Roka Akor
4) Telegraph Wine Bar
5) Bistro Voltaire