MadParkNews.com, covering New York City's Madison Square Park & Flatiron

A big congratulations to all of the winners of your favorite food in the Flatiron and Madison Square Park areas for 2012!. (NOTE: These winners were by popular vote and not chosen by MadParknews).

Best spot for brunch near the Flatiron 2012? Winner: Almond (See the best of the rest)

Best Pizza in the Flatiron 2012? Winner was Eataly’s La Pizza (See the best of the rest)

Best Indian near the Flatiron 2012? Winner was Tamarind (See the best of the rest)

Best takeaway lunch spot? Winner was Melt Shop (See the best of the rest)

Best burger near the Flatiron 2012? Winner was Shake Shack (See the best of the rest)

Best coffee near the Flatiron 2012? Winner was Birch (See the best of the rest)

Best Italian in the Flatiron? Winner was A Voce (See the best of the rest)

Best Southern / BBQ near the Flatiron 2012? Winner was Blue Smoke (See the best of the rest)

Best new Restaurant near the Flatiron 2012? Winner was The Nomad (See the best of the rest)

Best Overall Restaurant near the Flatiron 2012? The winner by votes was Eleven Madison Park (See the best of the rest)

Final thoughts: When we look at all the nominees, it is an astounding group of restaurants within our neighborhood. Have fun with the results but don’t take them as the final word. Try them all for yourself. Every restaurant that was nominated serves great food. Enjoy!

Here were the 2011 Winners:

Best spot for brunch? Winner: The Breslin (2nd place Almond, 3rd place tie between Penelope and Friend of a Farmer)

Best Pizza in the neighborhood? Winner was Eataly’s La Pizza (2nd place tie between Grimaldis and Zero Otto Nove, 3rd place to Patsy’s)

Best Indian of 2011? Winner was Tamarind (Very close 2nd place by Junoon, 3rd place to Dhaba)

Best takeaway lunch spot? Winner was Shake Shack (Very close 2nd place to No 7 Sub, 3rd place to Shorty’s)

Best burger 2011? Winner was Shake Shack (2nd place The Breslin, 3rd place to Fresh N Fast)

Best coffee of 2011? Winner was Lavazza Cafe (2nd to Stumptown, 3rd to Birch Coffee)

Best Southern / BBQ? Winner was Blue Smoke (2nd to Hill Country BBQ Market, 3rd place to Hill Country Chicken)

Best new Restaurant of 2011? Winner was La Mar Cebicheria Peruana (2nd to Shorty’s, 3rd to Birriera)

Best Overall Restaurant of 2011? (Editor’s NOTE: We will re-think this category for next year as many of us have not had an opportunity to eat at all of these high-end spots such as Eleven Madison Park, so it’s not really a fair and even vote). With that said, the winner by votes was Craft (2nd was Manzo, 3rd was Tamarind)

Here were the 2010 Winners:

Best New Restaurant of 2010 – ABC Kitchen (runner-up was No.7 Sub and then the John Dory Oyster Bar)

Best Brunch of 2010 – The Breslin (runner-up was Penelope and then Almond)

Best Burger of 2010 – ABC Kitchen (runner-up was the Shake Shack and then the Breslin)

Best Coffee/Cafe of 2010 – Birch Coffee (runner-up was Stumptown and then Blue Dog Cafe)

Best Pizza of 2010 - A tie between Eataly’s La Pizza AND Patsy’s (followed by Waldy’s)

Best Indian of 2010 - Tamarind (runner up was Chennai Garden and then Dhaba)

Best Takeaway Lunch of 2010- No. 7 Sub (runner-up was Birch and then ‘wichcraft)

Best Overall Restaurant of 2010 – ABC Kitchen (runner-up Gramercy Tavern and then Eleven Madison Park)

Sometimes these surveys come down to who can rally their fans to vote for them, and there was certainly some of that evidenced in voting patterns. But overall, all of these restaurants are quite good, and definitely worth stopping by.

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