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Zagat r eleases 2008 America's Top Restaurants Survey showing U.S. dining is getting greener, healthier and more casual

 Zagat Survey has released the results of its 2008 America's Top Restaurants survey. The guide, covering 1,416 eateries in 42 major markets, is based on 23 million meals experienced by over 132,000 surveyors.

The average surveyor ate out 3.3 times per week and spent an average $33.29 for a typical dinner, a 2.3% increase over last year. Other notable dining trends this year can be summarized in three words, "green", "healthy" and "casual."

What's Inside: From listings of top food and most popular eateries to helpful tips on meal costs and the latest dining trends, the 2008 guide covers 42 major markets around the country from Atlanta to Washington, DC. The guide also shows increasing consumer interest in small-plates, service and casual dining, going so far as to make neckties museum pieces.

According to Zagat Survey CEO Tim Zagat, "Prices have remained quite reasonable at the nation's better restaurants, however, diners everywhere are looking for fresh, healthy and sustainably raised options and say that they are willing to pay more for them. Even at fine dining establishments, diners are insisting on casual dress and mien."

America's Tops: Eleven restaurants in this year's survey earned a near perfect 29 out of a possible 30 for food, including: Atlanta - Bacchanalia; Charlotte - Barrington's; Chicago - Carlos'; Cincinnati - Jean-Robert at Pigall's; Connecticut - Thomas Henkelmann; Dallas/Ft. Worth - French Room; Milwaukee - Sanford; New Jersey - Nicholas; San Francisco - Gary Danko; Washington, DC - Inn at Little Washington; Westchester/Hudson Valley, NY - Xaviar's at Piermont. Zagat includes the top five places for food and popularity in each of the 42 cities it covers in this year's guide. In New York and Los Angeles, where diners tend to be tougher graders, the following ten restaurants earned food scores of 28:

  Daniel (NY)                    Jean Georges (NY)eorges (NY)

  Sushi Yasuda (NY)              Bouley (NY)

  Le Bernardin (NY)              Melisse (LA)

  Per Se (NY)                    Nobu Malibu (LA)

  Peter Luger (NY)               Asanebo (LA)

Going Greener: Reflecting the growing interest in sustainably raised foods, an overwhelming majority of West Coast residents -Portland (80%), Seattle (72%) and San Francisco (67%) - say they are willing to pay more for it. Countrywide, nearly three out of five diners say they would pay more for sustainably raised food, and 55% say they'd pay more for organic food. As further sign of increasing concern about health, 65% of surveyors favor totally banning trans fats in restaurants. And 69% say they consider it important for restaurants to make heart healthy items available on their menus. The verdict on smoking is overwhelming with 77% of diners saying they'd eat out less if smoking were permitted in local restaurants, and only 2% saying they'd dine out more.

Eating Out Across America: Sixty-seven percent of surveyors say they are spending more per meal than two years ago, while only 5% say less. While Americans on average eat out 3.3 times per week Texas' cities lead the nation with Houston at 4.2 meals per week and Austin and Dallas/Ft. Worth both at 4.0 meals per week. Running close behind tied at 3.8 times are Las Vegas and Los Angeles, and hot on their heels are Atlanta, Miami and San Antonio (each at 3.7). New York trails at 3.3 times, but when combined with takeout the percent of meals eaten/taken out by New Yorkers is a national high of 7.5 times per week.

Dollars and Cents: No change this year, New York City continues to lead the way as the most costly U.S. city to dine out in, with an average tab of $39.46, while Long Island comes in a close second at $39.03. By comparison, Zagat's national average is $33.29, while New Orleans ($26.18) and Austin ($25.30) are the least expensive cities. What may surprise Americans is that US restaurants cost roughly half of what their peers do in cities such as London ($79.46), Paris ($74.24) and Tokyo ($69.58). At the most expensive venues in each city, the average dinner cost rose 3.8% to $72.08.

Tipping: Among the nation's most generous tippers are Denver (19.5%), Detroit and Philadelphia (19.4%), all exceeding Zagat's national average of (19%). West coast diners in San Francisco and Los Angeles are among the least generous at 18.4%, while Honolulu averages a desultory 18% tip.

Slighting Service: Service, cited by 70% of surveyors, is still the most common grievance among restaurant-goers across the country. All other irritants, i.e. smoking, crowding, noise, parking, prices and food quality aggregate only 30% of complaints. Ironically, food is cited as a problem by only 5% of Zagat's U.S. surveyors. In New York City, issues like noise/crowds (34%) and prices (11%) significantly exceed Zagat's national norms.

Favorite Cuisines: Italian remains the nation's favorite cuisine with 27% of surveyors naming it. American fare comes in second at 16% and French and Japanese tie for third with 11%. Although individual Asian cuisines score low, when combined, Japanese, Chinese, Thai and Indian reach 30%.

Online Reservations: An overwhelming 77% of American diners still telephone ahead to make reservations at the restaurant of their choice. Only 11% reserve online. However, this is changing fast with tech savvy diners in San Francisco (43%) and Minneapolis (30%) using the Internet to make their restaurant reservations, and more and more diners elsewhere are using services such as Open Table in other cities.

The 2008 America's Top Restaurants guide ($15.95) was edited by Shelley Gallagher and Robert Seixas and is available at bookstores and other retail outlets, through Zagat.com or by calling 888-371-5440.

About Zagat Survey, LLC

Known as the "wildly popular" "burgundy bible", Zagat Survey is the world's most trusted source for information about where to eat, drink, stay and play. With more than 300,000 surveyors, Zagat Survey rates and reviews restaurants, hotels, nightlife, movies, music, golf, shopping and a range of other entertainment categories and is lauded as the "most up-to-date", "comprehensive" and "reliable" guide ever published.