Announcing the 2013 Eater Awards for Chicago

It is time now—drumroll, trumpets, gongs—to announce the winners of the 2013 Eater Awards. In over a dozen categories in 27 cities, the winners comprise a diverse group of the finest and most interesting chefs, operators, and characters in the continent that have defined this year in dining. We applaud them. You are hereby instructed to applaud them. So, without further ado—actually, a few quick pre-ambling thoughts....

To recap, Eater's local editors in 27 cities nominated candidates for five major local categories: Restaurant of the Year, Chef of the Year, Bartender of the Year, So Hot Right Now Restaurant, and Stone Cold Stunner. Eater readers then voted to narrow the field to a final three in each category. From that final three, the Eater editorial team chose the winner. Our Eater National brain trust then got together to decide the national winners for those categories. In addition to these main stage winners, said Eater editorial team has named worthy winners in more specialized categories, for myriad notable achievements.

Nominees and winners alike will be feted at a party tonight in Manhattan. Those winners that couldn't make it should watch their mail for packages containing cans of Italian peeled tomatoes. And now, without further ado, the winners in Chicago.

Click through for the full rundown of winners across the country on Eater National.

Eater Awards 2013

Restaurant of the Year
Nominees: Carriage House, Fat Rice, Found, Grace, Sumi Robata Bar
Finalists: Grace, Carriage House, Fat Rice
Winner: Grace

Chef of the Year:
Nominees: Abraham Conlon, Curtis Duffy, Iliana Regan, Jason Vincent, Lee Wolen
Finalists: Curtis Duffy, Lee Wolen, Iliana Regan
Winner: Curtis Duffy

So Hot Right Now
Nominees: The Dawson, Honey Butter Fried Chicken, Juno, Parson's Chicken & Fish, Tanta.
Finalists: Tanta, Honey Butter Fried Chicken, The Dawson.
Winner: Tanta

Bartender of the Year
Nominees: Justin Anderson, Alex Bachman, Charles Joly, Paul McGee, Mike Ryan.
Finalists: Mike Ryan, Paul McGee, Alex Bachman.
Winner: Paul McGee

Stone Cold Stunner
Nominees: The Boarding House, Brindille, Dillman's, Grace, Three Dots and a Dash.
Finalists: Brindille, Grace, The Boarding House.
Winner: Brindille

Saddest Closing of the Year
Winner: West Town Tavern

· All Coverage of the Eater Awards [~E~]