Last updated January 2025

At SpotOn, we love to see restaurants and breweries succeed at what they do best. While we supply the restaurant tech to make the job easier, it’s not about us. Restaurant operators and staff are the ones out there doing the impossible, giving it their all until the very last guest leaves through the door feeling satisfied.

That’s why we put together a list of the award-winning restaurants using SpotOn tech in their operations. We're here to celebrate their accomplishments and successes in doing what they love—creating great cuisine and perfecting dining experiences for every guest.

Great Lakes

National

Chicago Culinary Kitchen. Chicago, Illinois.

  • To some people, BBQ might seem like a simple cooking job: toss some steak onto the grill and flip it over at the right time. However, as all BBQ aficionados know, a finely cooked prime rib is as artful as the Mona Lisa. At Chicago Culinary Kitchen, the chefs and restaurant staff proudly serve their art to each guest since they know you can't rush good food made well. That's why Chicago Culinary Kitchen was nominated as the best BBQ in Chicago by Money Magazine, as well as one of the best suburban restaurants in Chicago by Eater.com

Joe Vicari Restaurants. Detroit, Michigan.

  • Joe Vicari first entered the hospitality industry in 1989. His wanted to create a variety of restaurants that would appeal to every type of palate. Now, with 10 different types of restaurants located all over the country, the Joe Vicari Restaurant Group is proud to see five-star dining and family friendly meals everywhere. As a result of all this hard work for authentic eats, Joe Vicari Restaurants recently gained a spot as one of the top 25 restaurant groups in the United States by the Nation’s Restaurant News.

Thunderdome Restaurant Group. Cincinnati, Ohio.

  • In 2012, the Thunderdome Restaurant Group was established by three experienced individuals in the hospitality industry - two brothers and their best friend. Their debut restaurant, Currito, gained immense popularity and expanded to 23 locations nationwide. The Thunderdome Restaurant Group expanded its offerings by introducing eight more concepts, which now have over 40 locations across the country. Recently, the Nation's Restaurant News recognized the Thunderdome Restaurant Group as the sixth-best restaurant group in the United States.

Regional

Majani Soulful Vegan Cuisine. Chicago, Illinois.

  • While Chicago has plenty of unique food options, Chefs Tsadakeeyah and Nasya Emmanuel wanted to bring an entirely different experience that they weren’t finding in their town. That’s why they started Majani, a soulful and vegan comfort food inspired by their Swahili upbringing. Eater.com recently placed Majani as one of the best vegan/vegetarian restaurants in Chicago.

Mid-Atlantic

James Beard Awards

John's Roast Beef. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

  • It's hard to pin down a classic meal at times. There's so much that goes into knowing a food's history and legacy for food lovers and American cuisine in general. However, John's Roast Pork has surpassed the odds by establishing itself as one of those pillars of American cuisine in Philadelphia, which explains why the James Beard foundation called it an American classic. There's a reason people still love their Philly Cheesesteak's after 94 years of service.

Regional

Grandma’s Philly. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

  • Everybody loves their grandma’s cooking. That’s why Chef Locket was motivated to bring her favorite Thai food to the city of brotherly love. Her restaurant, Grandma’s Philly, proudly claims it is the first to bring Thai Tapas to Philadelphia. Thrillest.com recently ranked Grandma’s Philly as one of the best restaurants in Philadelphia.

Antique Bar & Bakery. Hoboken, New Jersey.

  • A New Jersey staple, Antique Bar & Bakery has been serving up fresh bread, meals and drinks to locals and travelers alike. With a 30-ton brick oven and passion, they’re especially proud to have made Frank Sinatra’s favorite bread he’d allegedly take with him everywhere. Their birria burger, which places Mexican birria style meat into a bun, was recently featured on nj.com, the largest digital news in all of New Jersey.

Midwest

Regional Awards

Gates Bar-B-Q. Kansas City, Missouri.

  • Gates Bar-B-Q is often considered one of the oldest BBQ joints in all of Kansas City, serving great meals and memories across their different locations. You can even buy a bottle of their BBQ sauce for your own adventures back home by the grill. Eater.com recently rated Gates Bar-B-Q as an essential Kansas City restaurant.

Northeast

National Award

Ilis. New York City, New York.

  • On the surface, Ilis might seem too good to be true as a restaurant concept. Mads Refslund, cofounder of Noma, conceptualized Ilis nearly a year ago. He wanted a place where great chefs could use local ingredients to make an unforgettable dining experience. Guests are seated, given a 10-12 meal course that lasts at least two hours. Thanks to Refslund’s hard work and genius perspective on Nordic cuisine, Ilis was recently named one of the best restaurants of the year by Esquire.

Michelin Star

Aquavit. New York City, New York.

  • Offering Nordic cuisine with an emphasis on style, Aquavit has a strong reputation for maintaining traditional cuisine alongside experimentations with new techniques and experiences. After winning two Michelin stars, the Michelin website highlights how Aquavit takes a special care in noticing every single detail in their cuisine.

Cote. New York City, New York.

Dirt Candy. New York City, New York.

  • This Lower East Side flagship restaurant has one goal in mind—to break past misconceptions surrounding ethical and vegetable based food options. Their menus are seasonal, crafted for anyone craving a fine dining experience and delicious food. The Michelin Star website puts a strong emphasis on Dirt Candy’s ability to make every guest leave feeling nourished.

Masa. New York City, New York.

  • Having won three Michelin Stars, Masa is a New York sushi restaurant with a unique philosophy for the dining experience. The restaurant emphasizes a purity of food as it relates to traditional Japanese dining expectations. Guests are even asked to not wear as much perfume to maintain an untarnished dining experience.

Northwest & Pacific

James Beard Awards

Kann. Portland, Oregon.

  • After being a contestant on Top Chef, Gregory Gourdet decided to take his passion for Haitian food to the next level by opening up his restaurant, Kann. Inspired by his own memories of Haitian cuisine as a child, Chef Gregory treats every meal as a love letter to his home. Both Esquire and Eater recently ranked Kann as one of the best new restaurants of 2022. Bon Appétit even ranked Kann & Sousól as one of the best new restaurants of 2023. Gourdet recently received a 2024 James Beard Award for his excellent cooking as well.

National Awards

Sousòl. Portland Oregon.

  • After his success with Kann, Gregory Gourdet decided to boost his guest’s dining experience by opening up a bar right beneath the restaurant itself. Sousòl, which is Haitian-Creole for basement, provides the perfect ambiance for anyone waiting for a reservation or wanting to unwind with a beer or mocktail. Esquire even ranked Sousòl as one of the best bars in America for 2023.

South

Regional Awards

Old Hickory Whiskey Bar. Pensacola, Florida.

  • A good bar is hard to find nowadays. There's too much noise and pretentiousness used to make a bar feel like a real bar. Thankfully, The Old Hickory Whiskey Bar (named after Andrew Jackson himself) in Pensacola doesn't play around with its drinks, nor its patrons. That's why the Bourbon Review acknowledged Old Hickory as one of the best bourbon bars in the South. 

Southeast

Michelin Star Awards

Poor Hendrix. Atlanta, Georgia.

  • Poor Hendrix started out as a dream between Aaron and Jamie Russell, who first met as teenagers working in a small Italian restaurant. As they grew older and Aaron pocketed a few James Beard Awards for his amazing skills as a pastry chef, the couple decided to venture off and open a restaurant named after their rescue pitbull, Poor Hendrix. As a result of their hard work and love of food, Poor Hendrix recently won a Michelin Star Award for their delicious mix of Southern and Asian flavors.

Regional Awards

Bon Ton. Atlanta, Georgia.

  • This powerful fusion of Cajun Louisiana style food with a Vietnamese twist dares to be bold and proud. Bon Ton is the perfect place for locals and tourists alike looking to experience a late night drink or meal, which explains why they’re considered one of the top 50 restaurants in the Atlanta area.

Heirloom Market BBQ. Atlanta, Georgia.

  • Heirloom Market BBQ is a roadside eatery run by husband and wife, Cody Taylor and Jiyeon Lee. The couple started the restaurant to combine two amazing culinary traditions—Korean and Southern Style BBQ—into one amazing sensation for the soul. Their hard work has earned them a spot as one of the top 50 restaurants in Atlanta, alongside a Michelin star for their amazing food.

Southwest

Regional Awards

Pondicheri. Houston, Texas.

  • Located in the heart of Houston, Pondicheri is most well known for its Mumbai style menu. They offer a ton of healthy vegetarian options that bring a robust flavor profile for every eager guest. Their great food is why they’re considered one of the best vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Houston.

West Coast

World's 50 Best Restaurants

Mina Restaurant Group. San Francisco, CA.

  • Michael Mina, an acclaimed chef and winner of the James Beard award, established the Mina Restaurant Group in 2003. His vision was to provide guests with a memorable dining experience coupled with excellent hotel accommodations. Today, the Mina Group boasts over 30 restaurants across the US, offering the finest wine, food, and dining experiences to guests. Their commitment to excellence has earned them recognition as one of the top 20 restaurant groups in the United States by the Nation's Restaurant News. Michael Mina was also recognized as one of the 50 most powerful people working in American fine dining as well.

SingleThread. Healdsburg, California.

  • SingleThread is more than just a farm with a restaurant attached to its side. The tour-de-force establishment is a combination of Japanese style dining experience, including an inn and the farm itself, to meet the needs of every guest. There’s a good reason why SingleThread is named one of the world’s 50 best restaurants, alongside its three Michelin stars and a 2023 James Beard nomination for Kyle and Katina Connaughton in the Best Chef category. Kyle and Katina were also recently named one of the 50 most powerful people working in American fine dining today.

Regional Awards

Base Camp Pizza. Lake Tahoe, California.

  • Of course, everyone knows the basic ingredients to a pizza, but Base Camp Pizza knows there’s a fine art in making a solid pie. Thanks to their own secret dough recipe they’re able to craft unique pizza recipes you wouldn’t find at most local pizzerias, like their thai chicken curry pizza or their pear and gorgonzola pizza. Those bold flavors explain why Yelp Elites recently named Base Camp Pizza as one of the top 100 pizza spots.

China Live. San Francisco, California.

  • Founded with the intention to show San Francisco the true power of Chinese cuisine, China Live is a mix of different casual and fine dining restaurants and shops. Touting a ton of authenticity and epic proportions, this dining establishment was recently listed as one of the top 100 independent restaurants of the year by Restaurant Business Online for the second year in a row.

COLD Coast Brewing Company. Lompoc, California.

  • As newcomers to the brewing scene, the COLD Coast Brewing Co. isn’t afraid to put their best beer forward. Despite opening in April of 2022, COLD Coast stepped up to the plate at the Great American Beer Festival and won a bronze medal. In their short time brewing craft beers, the company is proud to have accomplished so much with, what co-founder Eric Oviatt considers, a little 3BBL system.

Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company. Buellton, California.

  • Father and son duo, Jim and Jaime Dietenhofer, founded the Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. in 2010 as a way of paying homage to the surrounding Santa Ynez Valley. Since then, the company has grown thanks to a ton of new staff and locations all over the country. The company has recently won gold and silver medals at the 2024 Great American Beer Foundation awards. That makes it the brewery’s 33rd and 34th accolades at the festival. They hold 14 consecutive years of medal triumphs since its inception.

House of Prime Rib. San Francisco, California.

Little Saint. Healdsburg, California.

  • While this plant-based restaurant opened in April 2022, it’s already leaving a big impact on the national food scene. The New York Times recently dubbed Little Saint as one of the best restaurants in United States for 2022, which makes sense once you realize it was started by the same geniuses behind SingleThread.

Mela Bistro. Oakland, California.

  • At this intimate downtown Oakland restaurant, it doesn’t matter whether you’re familiar with Ethiopian food or trying it for the first time. Chef Adiam Tsegaye blends the modern and traditional, creating a dining experience that brings people together and showcasing Ethiopian cuisine. Heralded as one of the Top Ethiopian Restaurants in the Bay Area, it’s the perfect spot to set aside the knife and fork for some authentic injera.

Scoma's Restaurant. San Francisco, California.

  • For nearly 60 years, Soma's Restaurant has proudly served sea-food fresh with a rare authenticity that's hard to find nowadays. While they started out as a humble little restaurant with six-stools, one for each fisherman who loved their chowder, Scoma soon became a hidden gem. Where else could you find the freshest crabs of the season, or drink an iconic 1965 Manhattan? With Scoma now being an irreplaceable establishment of the Fisherman's Wharf, the restaurant was recently listed as one of the top 100 independent restaurants of the year by Restaurant Business Online.

The Hideout Kitchen. Lafayette, California.

  • Brunch becomes more than a specialty at The Hideout Kitchen, which offers a delicious wave of California comfort cuisine to every customer. As a result of making some of the best cocktails and breakfast food around (such as their waffle sandwich and honey fried chicken), Yelp recently listed The Hideout Kitchen as one of the top 100 brunch spots in California.

Viewpoint Brewing. Del Mar, California.

  • Viewpoint Brewing, named as one of the best breweries in San Diego by Thrillest, places a strong emphasis on the collaborative experience of good beer. With a great view of the San Dieguito Lagoon and an outdoor patio, the brewery offers a rotation of craft beer alongside some amazing food options for any party size.

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