It’s official: The best meal in the U.S. can be found in Philadelphia. The prestigious James Beard Foundation’s awards were announced Monday night, and Israeli dining spot Zahav was named 2019’s outstanding restaurant in America. Zahav is no stranger to awards—owner Michael Solomonov won outstanding chef in 2017, and pastry chef Camille Cogswell won rising star last year. It describes itself as a “modern Israeli restaurant that brings the authentic flavors of Israel’s cultural heritage to Philadelphia.” Other winners at Monday night’s ceremony included Frenchette in New York City, which was named the best new restaurant, and Ashley Christensen of Poole’s Diner in Raleigh, North Carolina, who was named America’s outstanding chef. More than 600 restaurant-industry pros voted on the winners across 23 categories.
