20 Best New Places to Dine

With 12-15% slump forecast in fine dining for '09, some close down, others plug deals

(NEWSER) - Lean times are perhaps leanest in the restaurant business, and fine-dining establishments are bracing for a particularly tough year while improvising strategies to remain afloat, the Wall Street Journal reports. Sales, $7 billion last year, are expected to plummet 12-15%; the industry could shed 12,000-18,000 restaurants, a 2-3% decline compared to usual growth of 1-2%. More»

Food & Wine takes a look at the freshest cooking talent the US has to offer

(NEWSER) - Food & Wine has posted its Best New Chef awards for 2008. Look for their profiles in the July issue, but take a peek at the winners here:

1. Jim Burke: owner of James, a modern Italian restaurant in Philadelphia's Bella Vista neighborhood.
2. Gerard Craft: owner and chef at Niche in St. Louis, where bacon and eggs sandwich and braised pork belly top the menu.

The country's hardest-to-get dinner reservation is in ... Pennsylvania?

(NEWSER) - Move over, French Laundry. The US' most in-demand dinner seat is in "flyspeck" Kennett Square, Pa., 35 miles from Philadelphia, Portfolio writes. Talula's Table takes reservations for its single, 12-seat table one year in advance. "My parents paid me $30 to stand out here," says one teen angling for a spot on a waiting list that commands an entire wall. More»

Restaurants with communal tables offer a great way to meet new people

(NEWSER) - Care for a cozy table for a 10 or more? More restaurants are embracing the idea of communal dining, in which strangers sit down to eat together at a big table. Dana Cowin of Food & Wine magazine tells USA Today her favorite spots:

1. Cibo, Austin, Texas
2. Resto, New York City
3. Nopa, San Francisco

10 best gut-stretching meals around the country

(NEWSER) - Tired of picking at salads and counting out almonds? Fill up your plate with the 10 "best-tasting, most gut-stretching" meals the Discovery Channel could find.

1. Lambert's Cafe, Sikeston, MO
2. Eagle's Deli, Brighton, MA
3. Seiad Valley Cafe, Seiad Valley, CA