The Best of Silicon Valley 2011

Best Donuts

Psycho Donuts

2006 S. Winchester Blvd., Campbell, 408.378.4540; 288 S. Second St., San Jose, 408.378.4540. Lunatic chic is their shtick, but with an ever-multiplying variety of toppings and even specially designed tools for making donut shapes once considered impossible—not to mention the world's most delicious fritter—Psycho Donuts has come as close to re-inventing the donut as anyone short of Homer Simpson could dare to imagine. There's nothing crazy about that.

Stan's Donut Shop 2628 Homestead Road, Santa Clara; 408.296.5982

Manley's Multiple locations

Best New Restaurant

Pho 69

321 S. First St., San Jose; 408.289.8521. Open just a few months, Pho 69 scores with its fresh approach to Vietnamese food, industrial-chic decor and friendly staff.

Bluefin 754 The Alameda, San Jose; 408.931.6875

Treatbot (Karaoke Ice Cream Truck) San Jose; 408.548.7328

Best Restaurant (Culinary Excellence)

Alexander's

10330 N. Wolfe Road, Cupertino; 408.446.2222. Alexander's Steakhouse is a recession-defying phenomenon. $100 steaks? $1,000 bottles of wine. Yes, please. Alexander's has become Silicon Valley's go-to spot for decadent dining and professional service.

Le Papillon 410 Saratoga Ave., San Jose; 408.296.3730

Manresa 320 Village Lane, Los Gatos; 408.354.4330

Best Chef

Scott Cooper

Le Papillon, 410 Saratoga Ave., San Jose; 408.296.3730. Chef Cooper's story is almost too good to be true. He started as a dishwasher in his family's restaurant and became one of Silicon Valley's culinary stars as an executive chef. Taste his food, and you'll become a believer.

Jeffrey Stout, Alexander's Steakhouse 10330 N. Wolfe Road, Cupertino; 408.446.2222

Matthew LeGentry, Grill on the Alley 172 S. Market St., San Jose; 408.294.2244

Best American Restaurant

Flames Downtown

88 S. Fourth St., San Jose; 408.971.1960. Because we are a nation of immigrants, defining American food can be a challenge. Flames makes as good a stab at a definition as any: hearty, satisfying plates of burgers, sandwiches, french fries, sprawling breakfasts with Bloody Marys on the side and lots and lots of cakes all served in the comfort of a plush booth.

Los Gatos Brewing Company 130G N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos, 408.395.9929; 163 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose, 408.292.9928

Sonoma Chicken Multiple locations

Best Seafood Restaurant

Race Street Seafood Kitchen

247 Race St., San Jose; 408.287.6280.

You've gotta love a seafood restaurant that also has its own seafood market. Race Street Seafood Kitchen serves right-off-the-boat seafood that you know is fresh because you can look at it right there in the display case.

McCormick and Schmick's 170 S. Market St., San Jose; 408.283.7200

Scott's Seafood Grill & Bar 855 El Camino Real #1, Palo Alto, 650.323.1553; 185 Park Ave., San Jose, 408.971.1700.

Best Cajun Restaurant

Poor House Bistro

91 S. Autumn St., San Jose; 408.292.5837. Cajun food is one of America's most celebrated regional cuisines and San Jose's Poor House Bistro serves up a delicious homage to the food. Po' boy sandwiches, jambalaya, gumbo, live music and cold glasses of Abita beer—this is the place.

Nola 535 Ramona St., Palo Alto; 650.328.2722

Roux Louisiana Kitchen 3055 Olin Ave., San Jose; 408.249.8000

Best Chinese Restaurant

Taiwan Restaurant

1306 Lincoln Ave., San Jose; 408.289.8800. Year after year, Taiwan Restaurant gets a top-three nod from Metro readers for best Chinese food. And why not? The Willow Glen location, comprehensive menu and attentive staff make it easy to love.

Mandarin Gourmet 10145 N. De Anza Blvd., Cupertino, 408.725.8168; 420 Ramona St., Palo Alto, 650.328.8898; 5560 Santa Teresa Blvd., San Jose, 408.281.8898.

Chef Chu's 1067 N. San Antonio Road, Los Altos; 650.948.2696

Best Japanese Restaurant

Kazoo

250 Jackson St., San Jose, 408.288.9611; 1165 Lincoln Ave. #110, San Jose, 408.971.7755. All aboard the sushi boat express. Japantown's Kazoo delivers what Metro readers want: generous portions of sushi, sashimi and other Japanese food in a friendly, good-times setting.

Gombei 1438 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, 650.329.1799; 193 E. Jackson St., San Jose, 408.279.4311; 3533 Homestead Road, Santa Clara, 408.260.0880; 155 E. Maude Ave., Sunnyvale, 408.735.7777

House of Genji 1335 N. First St., San Jose; 407.453.8120

Best Business Lunch

Original Joe's

301 S. First St., San Jose; 408.292.7030. Original Joe's oozes authenticity and stability. That's probably why, when it comes to talking business over lunch, the restaurant is the favorite of the suit-and-tie crowd. Of course a satisfying menu of Italian-American food helps, too.

Billy Berk's 99 S. First St., San Jose; 408.292.4300

Blue Rock BBQ 3001 Meridian Avenue, San Jose; 408.978.2583

Best Small Restaurant

Nick's on Main

35 E. Main St., Los Gatos; 408.399.6457. Nick's on Main is Metro readers' pick for best small restaurant, but there's nothing small about chef/owner Nick Difu's cuisine. Look for big and bold plates of inspired new American cuisine served in an intimate setting.

71 St. Peter 71 N. San Pedro St., San Jose; 408.971.8523

Restaurant James Randall 303 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos; 408.395.4441

Best Korean Restaurant

Omogari

154 Jackson St., San Jose; 408.288.8134. While most of Silicon Valley's Korean restaurants are clustered on El Camino Real in Santa Clara, Omogari is a standout in San Jose—in Japantown, no less. For those not yet fans of Omogari, the menu includes pictures of many dishes to help give you a better idea of what you're ordering.

Korean BBQ Buffet 1783 W. San Carlos St., San Jose; 408.280.1866

Sunny Bowl 1477 Plymouth St. #C, Mountain View; 650.625.0361

Best Dim Sum

Dynasty

1001 Story Road, San Jose, 408.286.6668; 10123 N. Wolfe Road, Cupertino, 408.996.1680. With locations in San Jose and Cupertino, Dynasty has the South Bay covered. Come lunchtime, the dining room is as crowded as 280 at rush hour with little carts wheeling a parade of dim sum. Park yourself a while and enjoy one of Silicon Valley's premier purveyors of the Hong Kongstyle tea snack.

ABC Seafood 768 Barber Lane #206, Milpitas; 408.435.8887

Mayflower 1080 Saratoga Ave. #5, San Jose; 408.246.9550

Best Latin American Restaurant

Cascal

400 Castro St., Mountain View; 650.940.9500. Irresistibly tempting to our voters is Cascal's delicious menu, which ranges from Spain to Latin America, with the wine and cocktails to match.

Azucar Latin Bistro & Mojito Bar 71 E. San Fernando St., San Jose; 408.293.8482

La Costa Del Sol 2951 Monterey Road, San Jose; 408.226.5300

Best Cuban Restaurant

La Habana Cuba

238 Race St., San Jose; 408.998.2822. San Jose's La Habana Cuba has long been an outpost of Cuban culture and cuisine, and the restaurant continues to serve the hearty, satisfying flavors of the island nation. Ropa vieja, zarzuela de mariscos, lechon a la Cubana, it's all here.

La Bodeguita del Medio 463 S. California Ave., Palo Alto; 650.326.7762

Los Cubanos Restaurant 22 N. Almaden Ave., San Jose; 408.279.0134

Best Mexican Restaurant

El Burro

Pruneyard Shopping Center, 1875 S. Bascom Ave. #570, Campbell; 408.371.5800. Metro readers like some American in their Mexican food, and El Burro delivers with hulking burritos, heavy-on-the-cheese enchiladas and big frosty margaritas.

Tlaquepaque 2222 Lincoln Ave., San Jose, 408.978.3665; 721 Willow St., San Jose, 408.287.9777; 699 Curtner Ave., San Jose, 408.448.1230

La Victoria 5015 Almaden Expwy., San Jose, 408.978.7666; 140 E. San Carlos St., San Jose, 408.298.5335; 131 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose, 408.993.8230

Best Indian Restaurant

Amber India

2290 El Camino Real #9, Mountain View, 650.968.7511; 600 W. El Camino Real, Mountain View, 650.968.1751; 377 Santana Row #1140, San Jose; 408.248.5400. Amber India owns the fine-Indian-dining category with a refined but still 100 percent authentic spin on Indian food. The stylish dining room and delicious cocktails only add to the experience.

Rangoli 3695 Union Ave., San Jose; 408.377.2222

Tandoori Oven Pruneyard Shopping Center, 1875 S. Bascom Ave., Campbell, 408.559.3885; 133 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos, 408.395.1784; 365 California Ave., Palo Alto, 650.324.2111; 150 S. First St. #107, San Jose, 408.292.7222

Best French Restaurant

Le Papillon

410 Saratoga Ave., San Jose; 408.296.3730. Le Papillon isn't a strictly French restaurant. Chef Scott Cooper draws inspiration from Japan, America and elsewhere. But the fundamentals of the food are decidedly French, and the result is some very fine food indeed.

La Fondue 14550 Big Basin Way #3, Saratoga; 408.867.3332

Left Bank Brasserie 635 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park, 650.473.6543; 377 Santana Row, San Jose, 408.984.3500

Best Italian Fine Dining

Original Joe's

301 S. First St., San Jose; 408.292.7030. Some of Original Joe's famously gruff waiters might dispute whether the restaurant is really fine dining, but Metro readers don't. Those tuxedoed waiters serve heaping plates of satisfying Italian-American food backed by a full service bar and a dining room with a great big city vibe.

Il Fornaio 520 Cowper St., Palo Alto, 650.853.3888; 302 S. Market St., San Jose, 408.271.3366

Bella Mia 58 S. First St., San Jose; 408.280.1993

Best Moderately Priced Italian Food

Frankie, Johnnie & Luigi Too

939 W. El Camino Real, Mountain View, 650.967.5384; 5245 Prospect Road, San Jose, 408.446.9644. At one point Italian food ceased to be ethnic food and became American food. Frankie, Johnnie & Luigi Too celebrates the big flavors of one of America's favorite foods with this easy-to-love (and easy-to-overeat at) restaurant.

Giorgio's 643 E. Calaveras Blvd., Milpitas, 408.942.1292; 1445 Foxworthy Ave., San Jose, 408.264.5781

Mio Vicino 1290 Benton St., Santa Clara; 408.241.9414

Best Mediterranean

Dishdash

190 S. Murphy St., Sunnyvale; 408.774.1889. Mediterranean food goes well beyond falafels and hummus. Dishdash celebrates the delicious complexity of Mediterranean food with a menu that leans heaviest on the Middle East in unexpected but always tasty ways.

Thea Mediterranean 3090 Olsen Dr., San Jose; 408.260.1444

Cafe Artemis Pruneyard Shopping Center, 1875 S. Bascom Ave., Campbell; 408.626.8100

Best Middle Eastern Restaurant

Falafel's Drive-In

2301 Stevens Creek Blvd., San Jose; 408.294.7886. So far no restaurant has been able to dethrone the mighty Falafel's Drive-In. Yes, they serve great falafels, but Metro readers love the whole package: chicken sandwiches, hummus, gyros and, of course, the banana shakes.

Morocco's 86 N. Market St., San Jose; 408.998.1509

Dishdash 190 S. Murphy St., Sunnyvale; 408.774.1889

Best Greek Restaurant

Opa!

27 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos, 408.399.7417; 1384 Lincoln Ave., San Jose, 408.998.8704. The exclamation point is fitting for such an exuberant, easy-to-love Greek restaurant. Opa! serves a crowd-pleasing menu of Greek-American classics that begin with feta-topped Opa! fries.

Dio Deka 210 E. Main St., Los Gatos; 408.354.7700

Yiassoo 2180 S. Bascom Ave., Campbell, 408.559.0312; 10660 S. De Anza Blvd., Cupertino, 408.253.5544

Best Thai Restaurant

Krungthai

580 N. Winchester Blvd., San Jose, 408.248.3435; 640 S. Winchester Blvd., San Jose, 408.260.8224. Thai restaurants abound in Silicon Valley but Krungthai stands apart with its expansive, ever-fresh menu of Thai standards like pad thai and green curry along with lesser-known dishes that delve deeper into Thai cuisine. And they're not afraid to make it hot.

Blue Mango 635 Coleman Ave., San Jose, 408.885.9222; 4996 Stevens Creek Blvd., San Jose, 408.248.7191

House of Siam 151 S. Second St., San Jose; 408.295.3397

Best Pho

Pho 69

321 S. First St., San Jose; 408.289.8521. Beef noodle soup sounds simple but it's easy to go astray. Newcomer Pho 69 get it right: deep, aromatic broth, springy noodles and fresh beef and vegetables.

Pho Hoa Multiple locations

Pho Y #1 1660 E. Capitol Expwy., San Jose, 408.274.1769; 2050 Concourse Dr., San Jose, 408.526.0880

Best Malaysian Restaurant

E & O

96 S. First St., San Jose; 408.938.4100. Malaysian food combines the best of several cuisines to create food that's altogether different and altogether delicious. E & O Trading Co. brings all the different flavors and influences together to serve fresh-tasting, exotic food to an adoring Silicon Valley clientele.

Banana Leaf 182 Ranch Dr., Milpitas; 408.719.9811

Layang Layang 181 W. Calaveras Blvd., Mipitas, 408.263.6788; 1480 S. De Anza Blvd., San Jose, 408.777.8897

Best Taqueria

La Victoria

140 E. San Carlos St., San Jose, 408.298.5335; 5015 Almaden Expwy., San Jose, 408.978.7666; 131 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose, 408.993.8230. Isn't it kind of ironic that a taqueria with the name La Victoria is the perennial victor in the Best Taqueria category? Or maybe it's a self-fulfilling prophecy. Whatever. Metro readers know what they like, and they like La Vic a lot, with extra orange sauce on the side.

Super Taqueria Multiple locations

Taqueria Tlaquepaque 2222 Lincoln Ave., San Jose, 408.978.3665; 721 Willow St., San Jose, 408.287.9777; 699 Curtner Ave., San Jose, 408.448.1230

Best Steakhouse

Alexander's

10330 N. Wolfe Road, Cupertino; 408.446.2222. How can you top a steakhouse that not only dry-ages its own beef, but serves real, Japanese-raised Kobe beef, grass-fed beef and American beef along with an encyclopedic wine list, a great staff and opulent surroundings? Well, apparently you can't.

Henry's Hi-Life 301 W. St. John St., San Jose; 408.295.5414

Forbes Mill Steakhouse 206 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos; 408.395.6434

Best Breakfast

Bill's Cafe

2089 The Alameda, San Jose, 408.244.9085; 302 N. Bascom Ave., San Jose, 408.287.2455; 5631 Cottle Road, San Jose, 408.629.2400; 1115 Willow St., San Jose, 408.294.1125. Looking for an atypical meat-and-eggs combo? Bill's serves it. Pancakes in pretty much any form? It's on the menu. Want more than a handful of omelette options? Bill's has 16. Recognize.

Hobee's Multiple locations

Stacks 139 E. Campbell Ave., Campbell; 408.376.3516

Best Hawaiian

Hukilau

230 Jackson St., San Jose; 408.279.4888. Metro readers know the Hawaiian isles are practically at their fingertips at Hukilau, which sits smack dab in the middle of Japantown. The restaurant sports the slogan, "Aloha served here," meaning leis, ukuleles, bamboo and tiki torches are merely background noise to support the island flavors dished out in short ribs, teriyaki chicken, various pokes, chicken katsu and more.

J&J Hawaiian BBQ 20950 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, 408.973.9168; 1170 Alma St., Menlo Park, 650.323.6137

Hawaiian Drive Inn 1755 N. First St., San Jose;, 408.441.1234

Best Barbecue

Henry's Hi-Life

301 W. St. John St., San Jose; 408.295.5414. Since opening in 1960, Henry's Hi-Life has served up ribs, chops, steaks and chicken, along with its famed garlic bread, to eager diners in the South Bay. The eatery was featured on season 1 of Man v. Food, and the episode reruns Wednesday, March 9 at 8pm on the Travel Channel.

Sam's BBQ 1110 S. Bascom Ave., San Jose; 408.297.9151

Armadillo Willy's Multiple locations

Best Asian Fusion

Straits Santana Row

333 Santana Row, San Jose; 408.246.6320. Straits takes the spices and culinary traditions of Singapore, India, China, Thailand and other Asian countries and marries them together to create flavorful plates—curries, samosas, stir fries and satays, all in one place.

E & O Trading Company 96 S. First St., San Jose; 408.938.4100

Elephant Bar 499 E. Hamilton Ave., Campbell, 408.871.8401; 19780 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, 408.865.0701; 39233 Fremont Blvd., Fremont, 510.742.6221

Best Asian Vegetarian

Happy Bamboo

1711 Branham Lane, #A9, San Jose; 408.684.0740. The Asian vegetarian food at Happy Bamboo goes well beyond rice and tofu. There's mock chicken, vegetarian pho and, incongruously, Hungarian goulash.

Blue Mango 635 Coleman Ave., San Jose, 408.885.9222; 4996 Stevens Creek Blvd., San Jose, 408.248.7191

Tofoo Com Chay 388 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose; 408.286.6335

Best Vietnamese

Green Papaya

137 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos; 408.395.9115. This classy Los Gatos eatery serves traditional and contemporary Vietnamese food with care to the details, adding touches of unexpected flair and beauty to every plate.

Khanh's Restaurant 335 S. Winchester Blvd., San Jose; 408.241.4940

Dakao 72 S. Abel St., Milpitas; 408.946.3668; 98 E. San Salvador St., San Jose, 408.286.7260

Best Vegetarian Overall

Good Karma

37 S. First St., San Jose; 408.294.2694. Besides offering an array of flavors (curries, pork buns, dahl, chile verde—all made without meat products), Good Karma also displays works of local artists and occasionally hosts live music. And there's beer on tap, such as hemp ale, which is cutely priced at $4.20.

Falafel's Drive-In 2301 Stevens Creek Blvd., San Jose; 408.294.7886

Tofoo Com Chay 388 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose; 408.286.6335

Best Restaurant Patio

Aqui Willow Glen

1145 Lincoln Ave., San Jose; 408.995.0381. Even in winter, Aqui's Willow Glen location has Metro readers wanting to eat outside. The restaurant boasts a beautiful patio with heat lamps and a softly flowing water fountain, and there's plenty of people watching to be had in Willow Glen.

Gordon Biersch 640 Emerson St., Palo Alto, 650.323.7723; 33 E. San Fernando St., San Jose, 408.294.6785

Left Bank Brasserie 635 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park, 650.473.6543; 377 Santana Row, San Jose, 408.984.3500

Best Independent Coffeehouse

Barefoot

5237 Stevens Creek Blvd., Santa Clara; 408.248.4500. Barefoot does a lot of things right. It sources its own beans from small, artisanal growers committed to ecologically sound farming. It roasts each batch of beans with care and craftsmanship. And it brews those beans with the same reverence. Now that's a cup of coffee.

Philz Coffee 3191 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, 650.251.9798; 118 Paso de San Antonio, San Jose, 408.971.4212

Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company 101 W. Main St., Los Gatos; 408.354.3263

Best Bakery

Dick's Bakery

1593 Meridian Ave., San Jose; 408.269.5212. Mention Dick's Bakery and those in the know immediately say, "Burnt-almond cake." The bakery's staple confection takes light, fluffy cake to new heights, coating it with buttery, creamy frosting liberally sprinkled with glitterlike almond slivers.

Icing on the Cake 50 W. Main St., Los Gatos; 408.354.2464

Peters' Bakery 3108 Alum Rock Ave., San Jose; 408.258.3529

Best Desserts

Icing on the Cake

50 W. Main St., Los Gatos; 408.354.2464. How sweet it is. Since 1985 this small but mighty and mighty delicious bakery has been creating good things in the oven. Cakes, of course, but also cream puffs, cookies, pies and even vegan desserts. Icing on the Cake does it all.

Psycho Donuts 2006 S. Winchester Blvd., Campbell, 408.378.4540; 288 S. Second St., San Jose, 408.378.4540

Peters' Bakery 3108 Alum Rock Ave., San Jose; 408.258.3529

Best Pizza—Regional Chains

Pizza My Heart

Multiple locations. It's an unfortunate truism of the food business that the more locations a restaurant creates the more quality erodes. But Pizza My Heart has avoided that fate with consistently good pizzas with toppings and combinations to satisfy any taste.

Amici's 10310 S. De Anza Blvd., Cupertino, 408.252.3333; 880 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park, 650.329.8888; 790 Castro St., Mountain View, 650.961.6666; 225 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose, 408.289.9000

Willow Street Wood-Fired Pizza 20 S. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos, 408.354.5566; 1072 Willow St., San Jose, 408.971.7080; 1554 Saratoga Ave., San Jose, 408.871.0400

Best Pizza— Independent

A Slice of New York

3443 Stevens Creek Blvd., San Jose, 408.247.5423; 1253 W. El Camino Real, Sunnyvale, 650.938.6969. A Slice of New York became an instant Silicon Valley favorite for its thin-crust, New Yorkstyle pizza that stands apart for its expertly made dough and judiciously applied toppings. Now with a second location on El Camino Real, there's more to love.

Jake's 1074 Lincoln Ave., San Jose, 408.287.7960; 12175 Saratoga Sunnyvale Road, Saratoga, 408.257.5858; 174 E. Fremont Ave., Sunnyvale, 408.720.8884

Giorgio's 643 E. Calaveras Blvd., Milpitas, 408.942.1292; 1445 Foxworthy Ave., San Jose, 408.264.5781

Best Burger

Mojo Burger

1411 Bird Ave., San Jose, 408.924.0595; 1401 Foxworthy Ave., San Jose, 408.448.1992; 6041 Snell Ave., San Jose, 408.281.1345. Fast food burger joints usually put the emphasis on the fast part and tend to forget about the food bit but locally owned Mojo Burger rises above with its dependably delicious burgers that manage to be fast and really good at the same time. Now with three locations.

Kirk's 2388 S. Bascom Ave., Campbell, 408.371.3565; Town and Country Village, 855 El Camino Real #75, Palo Alto, 650.326.6159; 2605 Homestead Road, Santa Clara, 408.241.5475

Clarke's Charcoal Broiler 615 W. El Camino Real, Mountain View; 650.967.0851

Best Ice Cream/Gelato

Dolce Spazio

221 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos, 408.395.1335. Ice cream is good. Gelato is better. Dolce Spain knows this and long ago cornered the market in chewy, wonderfully dense gelato. Dolce Spazio remains the team to beat. Best not to try. Just eat and be happy.

Gelato Classico 191 E. Campbell Ave., Campbell, 408.370.9020; 241 Castro St., Mountain View, 650.969.2900; 435 Emerson St., Palo Alto, 650.327.1317

Palo Alto Creamery 566 Emerson St., Palo Alto; 650.323.3131

Best Frozen Yogurt

Willow Glen Frozen Yogurt

267 E. Campbell Ave., Campbell, 408.370.3272; 1104 Lincoln Ave., San Jose, 408.292.5961. Thick, yet light. Delicious, but not fattening. Satisfying, but not filling. WGFY delivers swirly cups full of yin and yang frozen yogurty goodness.

Yumi Yogurt 3955 S. El Camino Real, San Mateo, 650.341.0939; 3787 Stevens Creek Blvd., Santa Clara, 408.248.3400; 947 El Camino Real, Redwood City, 650.366.6630

Sweet Retreat 15545 Union Ave., Los Gatos, 408.377.4884; 6061 Cahalan Ave., San Jose, 408.629.8139

Best Burrito

La Victoria

5015 Almaden Expwy., San Jose, 408.978.7666; 140 E. San Carlos St., San Jose, 408.298.5335; 131 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose, 408.993.8230. Here's another irony about La Victoria: It's a taqueria, but it's best loved for it burritos. Why not call it a burriteria? I don't know. I just know Metro readers love their La Vic burritos.

Iguana's 330 S. Third St., San Jose, 408.271.9772; 4848 San Felipe Road, San Jose, 408.239.0107

Super Tacqueria Multiple locations

Best Sushi

Yuki Sushi

1827 Pruneridge Ave., Santa Clara, 408.248.9144; 1140 Lincoln Ave., San Jose, 408.287.8854 Family-owned and operated for more than 20 years, Yuki Sushi was Metro readers' pick for best sushi in Silicon Valley in 2010 and they got the nod this year as well.

Blowfish Sushi to Die For 355 Santana Row, Ste. 1010, San Jose; 408.345.3848

Michi Sushi 2220 Winchester Blvd., Campbell; 408.378.8000

Best Deli/Sandwich Shop

Erik's Deli

Multiple locations. A good sandwich and bowl of soup are simple pleasures and Erik's delivers with a dependably delicious lineup of deli fare.

Zanotto's 1421 Foxworthy Ave., San Jose, 408.264.0103; 1970 Naglee Ave., San Jose, 408.294.9151; 38 S. Second St., San Jose, 408.977.1333

La Villa 1319 Lincoln Ave., San Jose; 408.295.7851

Best Late-Night Eats

La Victoria

140 E. San Carlos St., San Jose, 408.298.5335; 5015 Almaden Expwy., San Jose, 408.978.7666; 131 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose, 408.993.8230. And the winner is: La Victoria. OK, not much suspense there. La Vic already owns the Best Taqueria and Best Burrito categories, and everybody knows Mexican food tastes best at about 11:45pm after a few beers, so it's only logical that the restaurant would snag the Best Late-Night Eats category, too.

Original Joe's 301 S. First St., San Jose; 408.292.7030

Taco Bravo 1950 S. Bascom Ave., Campbell; 408.371.5611

Best Microbrewery Food

Gordon Biersch

33 E. San Fernando St., San Jose; 408.294.6785. Yes, Gordon Biersch changed the world of beer snacks with its garlic fries, but it didn't stop there. The brewpub takes its food as seriously as it does its beer and serves a menu that rises above the typical lineup of brewery fare.

Rock Bottom Brewery Pruneyard Shopping Center, 1875 S. Bascom Ave., Ste. 700, Campbell; 408.377.0707

BJ's Brewery 925 Blossom Hill Road, San Jose, 408.284.4260; 10690 N. De Anza Blvd., Cupertino, 408.865.6970

Best Dining Value

Sonoma Chicken

Multiple locations. Cheap food need not taste like it. Sonoma Chicken delivers internationally inspired comfort food (tri-tip sandwiches, grilled salmon, enchiladas) that won't bust your budget.

Aqui 201 E. Campbell Ave., Campbell, 408.374.2784; 10630 S. De Anza Blvd., Cupertino, 408.996.1443; 1145 Lincoln Ave., San Jose, 408.995.0381; 5679 Snell Ave., San Jose, 408.362.3456

Willow Street Wood-Fired Pizza 20 S. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos, 408.354.5566; 1072 Willow St., San Jose, 408.971.7080; 1554 Saratoga Ave., San Jose, 408.871.0400

Best Caterer

Crunch

1721 Rogers Ave., Ste. S, San Jose; 408.834.6059. Catering newcomer Crunch wins top honors with its inspired menus, cooking classes and effort to source its food from local farms and purveyors. Chew on that.

The Party Helpers 780 Montague Expwy. #707, San Jose; 408.435.7337

Parsley Sage Rosemary & Thyme 795 S. Second St., San Jose; 408.798.8388

Best Family Restaurant

Sonoma Chicken

Multiple locations. A family restaurant must do several things. It has to serve healthy, reasonably priced food. It has to allow diners to get a little loud and even a little messy. And it has to serve good food. Sonoma Chicken checks all the boxes.

Bill's Cafe 2089 The Alameda, San Jose, 408.244.9085; 302 N. Bascom Ave., San Jose, 408.287.2455; 5631 Cottle Road, San Jose, 408.629.2400; 1115 Willow St., San Jose, 408.294.1125

Hobee's Multiple locations