That's Tianjin Food and Drink Awards 2014 winners

As we prepare for our upcoming Beijing restuarant awards (voting site now live here) we take a look at our recent Tianjin food and drink awards.

That’s magazine has been in the business of uncovering China’s leading eateries for over a decade. In what has become an established tradition across Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, we gather together to pay tribute to the very best bars, clubs, restaurants and chefs that each city has to offer – and so it comes to the turn of Tianjin.

For our first ever Tianjin Food and Drink Awards, we enlisted the help of over 20 respected local experts – chefs, restaurant owners, hotel general managers, and barmen among others, to help us in the job of selecting their favorite restaurant and bars in over 18 different categories. The results of their votes, along with our own editors’ selection can be found here, in what we hope we become a definite guide to the city’s very best restaurant and bars.

Thanks to our sponsors:

VICS Tianjin --- The St. Regis Tianjin --- Stella Artois --- J.C. Le Roux --- Infina --- Cuccina --- Laurent Falcon --- The Astor Hotel Tianjin --- Sheraton Tianjin Binhai

To vote for our upcoming Beijing Golden Fork awards and to see pictures and video from the event in Tianjin click the image below:

WINNERS:

RESTAURANTS

Brasserie Flo

Restaurant of the Year (Editors’ Pick)

Best European (Editors’ Pick)

French dining is an art and Brasserie Flo executes it with all the sophistication it deserves. As well as picking up plaudits for Best European, our editors also bestowed the top honor – Restaurant of the Year – to the establishment. More intimate than its grander, bigger brother in Beijing, Tianjin’s Flo exudes a subtle class, from the striking decor to the impeccable table service. It feels like stepping back to another era (and another continent, for that matter).

The food is stunning in both taste and presentation. Oysters, escargots, truffles and everything else one would expect of a fine French restaurant are made to perfection. And this is not only the case for its evening offering – there’s also a number of value-for-money lunch sets (from RMB108) and Parisian-style high tea (RMB198 for two). If you want to find a restaurant to impress, or simply to enjoy food of a genuinely high quality, Brasserie Flo is just the spot.

Rivera – The St. Regis Tianjin

Restaurant of the Year (Judges’ Pick)

Best Al Fresco Dining (Editors’ Pick)

Rivera is among China’s very best contemporary restaurants – a deserved winner, with genuine pedigree. From the luxurious decor, to the expertly prepared Mediterranean cuisine – everything about this elegant eatery is worth savouring. Boasting one of the city’s most enviable views on the banks of the beautiful Hai river, Rivera is the perfect location for a romantic diner for two. Executive chef Frank Koppelkamm brings over 25-years international experience to the kitchen – and it shows. The expertly seared beef tenderloin, with fresh mushrooms, spinach cream and pumpkin purèe (RMB288) is a particular standout, while the caramelized pineapple with curry crème brûlée (RMB88) remains a magazine favorite – and must-try for visiting gourmands.

Maxim’s de Paris

Best New Restaurant (Judges’ Pick)

Best New Restaurant (Editors’ Pick）

A clean sweep for the Parisian import, winning both judges’ and editors’ pick for best new restaurant. Hardly surprising, as the brand is a global icon for French haute cuisine. And with only a handful of chains around the world, Tianjin should feel blessed to have one. Our city’s chain, housed in a fabulously renovated former concession building in Wu Da Dao, has set a new standard for European dining, bringing to Tianjin escargots, lobster bique, foie gras terrine and all manner of indulgent desserts. As well as the food (and a fabulous wine list), a dinner at Maxim’s encapsulates the entire Parisian dining, from its grand, art nouveau interiors, to the lively French music… even the attentive bow-tie wearing staff. Less a restaurant, more an institution, Maxim’s is easily one of the most exciting restaurant additions to the city in recent years.

In & Out

Best Chinese (Editors’ Pick)

We’ve come to believe that the name In & Out is, in actual fact, a ploy on the part the owners to hurry up clientele – so tempting is it to spend several hours enjoying the wide variety of authentic Yuannese dishes on offer. Exceedingly popular, and with good reason too – our choice of best Chinese restaurant was never really in doubt. It wins extra points for its superb value for money (try the excellent fried coral mushrooms RMB48) and fail-safe friendly service.  

Din Tai Fung

Best Chinese (Judges’ Pick)

Having already been recognized by the New York Times, Zagat guide and Michelin guide (the latter even supplying their Hong Kong branch with a famed star), it is no surprise that Din Tai Fung is our judges pick for best Chinese. Since opening its first small store in Taiwan, to now having braches around the world, the famous dumpling recipe has changed little – a testament to its enduring success.

Geba Geba

Best Japanese (Editors’ Pick)

Tucked away in the Minyuan Terrace, Geba Geba serves up some of the city’s finest sushi and sashimi, in addition to an impressive array of other delicately crafted Japanese dishes. The food is undoubtedly excellent but what really swings it for us is the open teppanyaki grill – pull up a chair and watch the masterful chefs in action.

Benkay - Hotel Nikko Tianjin

Best Japanese (Judges’ Pick)

Given that Nikko is one of Japan’s most popular hotel chains, it is only to be expected that its chefs know how to put on some frankly spectacular Japanese cuisine. Whether you’re sat at the sushi bar or hidden away in one of ten tranquilly decorated private rooms, the food here never fails to impress. Our judges agree.

YY Beer House

Best SE Asian (Judges’ Pick)

What’s been the secret of YY’s success as the leading Thai in town? Some of the best fresh spring rolls, green curries and shrimp cakes in town – that’s how. (Putting ‘beer house’ in the name probably doesn’t hurt either.) As a result there is always a great atmosphere in YY’s vibrant and decorative little venue – long may it continue.

Pattaya Thai Cuisine

Best SE Asian (Editors’ Pick)

Perhaps there’s something odd about one of our favorite restaurants in the Italian-style town actually serving Thai food. We care not. Pattaya’s authentic rice and noodle dishes – and, in particular, curries – are better than any spaghetti bolognese found in the surrounding restaurants. The slightly chaotic, museum-like interior only adds to its charm.

Bai Yun – Banyan Tree Tianjin Riverside

Best Fine Dining (Judges’ Pick)

Chinese fine dining, if done right, can exceed the expectations of even the most exacting of food critics. Bai Yun does just that with its creative Tianjin-meets-Cantonese style cuisine, a bold fusion of strong northern flavors and delicate southern zest. The sauteed snow beef with garlic and spring onion is a particular standout, though special mention must also go to the exquisite black truffle with sea snail.

Pizza Bianca

Best Casual Dining (Judges’ Pick)

With two locations in the city, Pizza Bianca has built a reputation for serving up the most consistently delicious pizzas around. With excellent service (and English-speaking staff for those linguistically challenged among us), the judges’ clearly fell for the restaurants’ seemingly supernatural ability to get a perfect pizza base every time.

Cholito

Best Casual Dining (Editors’ Pick)

Mexican food’s first known foothold north of Beijing, Cholito is the perfect Sunday dining spot. Located in a renovated colonial home, the warm minimalist space is great choice for families or friends looking to for a relaxed setting and easy staples, such as the excellent Spanish burger (RMB128).

Qing Wang Fu

Best Al Fresco (Judge’s Pick)

Qing Wang Fu is a gloriously elegant affair. But it isn’t even the splendid interior that won our judges’ hearts. Picking up an award in the al fresco category, Qing Wang Fu’s outdoor offering sees diners eating out on the lawn, surrounded by trees and in the shadow of the regal mansion (in the summer at least).

Yue - Sheraton Tianjin Binhai Hotel

Best Family Dining (Editors’ Pick)

Yue at the Sheraton Tianjin Binhai Hotel serves upmarket Chinese classics and excellent Cantonese food. But its dim sum proves particularly popular with kids – the bite-size treats are just perfect for hungry little mouths. The extra-attentive service and solid wine selection for the grown-ups caught the eyes of our editors while venturing out to Binhai. Worth the trip.

Prego - The Westin Tianjin

Best Family Dining (Judges’ Pick)

Pastas, pizzas and everything else you’d expect of a great Italian restaurant are present and perfectly cooked every time. But what makes Prego the judges’ choice for all the family? Perhaps it’s the fact that the brightly decorated restaurant benefits from the unique humor of restaurant manager Julian, who’s known for his pranks, wigs and rubber noses.

Seasonal Tastes, The Westin

Best Buffet (Judges’ Pick)

Every meal we have at Seasonal Tastes, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner, is a delight and it’s no surprise it picked up the judges’ pick for best buffet in Tianjin. Blessed with a bright, breezy dining room, there’s enough of a range of international and Asian fare to keep us coming back time and again. Bonus: hands-down some of the friendliest waiting staff to be found in town.

SoU, Tangla Hotel

Best Buffet (Editors’ Pick)

When it comes to buffets, many are inclined to house never-ending tables offering every kind of cuisine under the sun. There’s nothing wrong with that, but we think SoU’s more refined selection offers something a bit special. With a heavy focus on Japanese cuisine, we’ve found its sashimi and teppanyaki to be standouts, while its position on the 49^th floor of the Tangla Hotel gives it one of the best views in town.

Astor 1863 Bistro & Terrace

Best European (Judges’ Pick)

Whenever friends visit Tianjin, top of our list of places to visit is the Astor 1863 Bistro & Terrace. A true Tianjin experience – this elegant, classic eatery has been serving guests (as the name suggests) since the mid-to-late 19th century – and the experience shows. Its historic menu (RMB268-688 for a set, must be booked in advance), which recreates European dishes from throughout the hotel’s illustrious past, is a particular highlight.

BARS

Le Procope

Best Bar (Editors’ Pick)

Best Bar (Judges’ Pick)

Surely the city’s hippest bar, Le Procope is the place to see (and be seen) in Tianjin. From our first visit, we were won over by the combination of sleek decor and well-crafted cocktails, for which credit must go to bartender Kevin Wang, who learned the ropes at Beijing’s top cocktail lounge Twilight. Le Procope is always buzzing. Whether its pre-drinks, an afterparty or (now we come to think of it) any time of the evening at all, the place always seems busy.

Not only does this bar get our editors’ pick (and our livers) but the learned judges agree. In fact, we’re guaranteed to bump into at least one of the judging panel every time we go. There can be no better seal of approval.

O’Hara’s, The Astor Hotel

Best Sports Bar (Judges’ Pick)

Best Lounge Bar (Editors’ Pick)

O’Hara’s was one of the first bars we ever set foot in when first arriving in Tianjin. Why? Because it’s consistently recommended as a must-visit destination – popular with both tourists and locals alike. It works equally well as spot for a quiet whisky, some live jazz or a raucous shindig with friends and colleagues, which is why we chose it as our best lounge bar. It’s a great place to crowd round the bar when the football is on, which is probably why our judges chose it as best sports bar.

DK1308

Best Beer (Editors’ Pick)

Best Beer (Judges’ Pick)

The finest beer in Tianjin by some margin, this authentic Bavarian-style brauhaus is famed throughout the city for its great-tasting, crisp and clean German beer – brewed fresh on-site in accordance with Germany’s strict purification laws. Always packed and always fun – the bar gets extra points for its excellent service and friendly staff.

Churchill

Best Atmosphere (Editors’ Pick)

From art-deco inspired, gilded-age interior to its statesman-like name, the Churchill Cigar Lounge strikes a claim for the grandest drawing room in Tianjin – but it's the atmosphere that really marks it out from competitors. Calm and refined – and with a quite excellent selection of single malt whiskeys, this lounge is the perfect place to relax after a hard day’s work.

China Bleu – Tangla Hotel Tianjin

Best Atmosphere (Judges’ Pick)

A side of Tianjin rarely seen by visitors to the city – China Bleu is Tianjin at its most cosmopolitan and stylish. Located on the top floor of the Tangla Hotel, this hip cocktail lounge boasts stunning panoramic views of the downtown area. It’s especially good at weekends, thanks to the live jazz and the impeccable music taste of resident DJ, Yoga.

QBa, The Westin

Best Cocktail Bar (Editors’ Pick)

One of the reasons we’ve always considered QBa the best in town is its fun, easygoing vibe. In a world where affected sophistication rules supreme for most hotel bars, unwinding after work in a colorful Caribbean style makes for a pleasant change of scene. And don’t forget the cocktails. The Cuban styling means that the Mojito is the perfect drink to enjoy at QBa – it’s up there with the best of them.

Flair, The Ritz Carlton

Best Cocktail Bar (Judges’ Pick)

Our judges chose wisely with Flair, a bar with a drinks list that strikes a good balance between tried-and-true classics and more experimental cocktails. The interior is downright ostentatious – this is the bar to bring that date you want to impress.

Tianjin Cloudy Bay Hostel

Best Al Fresco Drinks (Editors’ Pick)

Al Fresco drinks are all about the view. And views of Tianjin don’t get much better than from the rooftop of Cloudy Bay. Given that it shares its name with a sauvignon blanc winery in New Zealand, it seems fitting that Cloudy Bay probably has the best wine selection we have ever seen at a hostel.

River Lounge, The St. Regis Tianjin

Best Alfresco Drinks (Judges’ Pick)

Few terraces in Tianjin offer views like the River Lounge’s and few of our judging panel, it seems, would select any better place for al fresco drinks in this city. It’s easy to get distracted by the setting – spacious, comfortable and with unbeatable skyline views – but let’s not neglect what’s behind the bar: classic cocktails, including the exclusive Jin Mary, which is Bloody Mary tailored with a unique Tianjin recipe.

Dublin Irish Pub

Best Sports Bar (Editors’ Pick)

Sports bars are about more than just watching sport (otherwise we’d just stay at home, right?). You need atmosphere, a great draft beer selection, food to keep you going through the full 90 minutes and a pool table to keep you busy at half time. Dublin has all these and more – an easy choice as our favorite sports bar in Tianjin.

Le Loft

Best Lounge Bar (Judges’ Pick)

Although the wonderful French food made Le Loft a hot contender in our European dining category, our esteemed panel of judges commended its other role – a lounge bar. And rightly so, as the three floor space oozes cool. It’s got the drink selection to match, replete with wonderfully crafted cocktails, and plenty of great spots to recline in.