Brunch menu at No 7. Photo: Arthurohm, Flickr

Bon Appétit's September issue has hit newsstands with its annual list of the nation's Top 10 Best New Restaurants. Featuring mouthwatering top dishes from Cleveland to Decatur, Ga., there are some interesting picks in the mix.

If you're located in -- or traveling to -- any of the cities mentioned, keep in mind that in this era of seasonally shifting cuisine, the dishes Bon App editors loved back when the issue was being put together might not be available right now.

We called Tyler Kord, chef and co-owner of No. 7, in Brooklyn, N.Y., to inquire about his pumpkin-seed-encrusted tofu, which editors sampled last winter and adored. A different rendition of tofu is on his current menu, but the pumpkin-seed version is gone. "I've never repeated anything," Kord says. Will he consider putting it back on? "Maybe."

Was Kord -- a fellow whose menu has featured luxe choices like bavette steak and grilled arctic char -- surprised by the editors' choice? "Yeah, definitely. I mean, they picked tofu. It's a delicious dish, but it was a little surprising."

The top 10 new eateries and dishes are after the jump.

Few things, aside from tax cuts and the eyesight of ballpark umpires, incite more passionate debate among Americans than pizza.

Deep-dish versus thin-crust, canned tomato sauce versus fresh -- no detail is too small to merit an opinion or, in some cases, a heated diatribe. So GQ's list of the 25 best pizzas in America is bound to flame the (wood-burning) fires of controversy.

The list's creator, Alan Richman, is well aware that plenty of people won't be happy with his picks, but stands firm by his favorites, which were culled from pizzerias across the nation, from the grilled pie at Providence (R.I.)'s Il Forno Pizzeria Bianco's prosciutto-topped, coal-fired number in Phoenix, Ariz.

See who won after the jump.

Mamma mia! This morning's pasta pic has us stuck in noodle-craving mode. Comforting, hearty Italian eats never get old for us Slashfoodies, so we put together a list of our unforgettable, lick-the-plate clean faves from red-sauce trattorias to fancy-pancy eateries.

As with our sandwich post and followup (in which you continue to comment, nominating your beloved sub shops) we want your vote. What'd we miss? Which chicken parm or scallopine di vitelo should we be booking plane tickets to feast upon? Hit us up in the comments, and in a few days we'll post a master list of Slashfoodies' favorites.

Savelli's, Knoxville, Tenn.
Blink and you'll drive right past the hole-in-the-wall where Mama Savelli's Chicken Surprise, bursting with artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes and a creamy lemon sauce, will take up permanent residence in your best food memories bank. We really amore the BYOB policy. -- Gretchen Roberts
Vetri, Philadelphia, Pa.
Marc Vetri's cozy 40-seater has its share of naysayers, but with impeccable service and amazing food in a warm, intimate setting there's no better spot to celebrate a special occasion. -- Mike Pomranz
Franny's, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Known for its thin-crusted tomato, mozzarella and sausage pizza, this petite Brooklyn joint also whips up silky pastas with natural local ingredients like spinach and farm fresh eggs. -- Max Shrem
Augustino's, Hoboken, N.J.
Double-thick sautéed pork chops topped with hot and sweet peppers cause jaws to hit tables. We didn't come up for air until our plates were spotless. -- Sarah Christine (aka The Hungry Bride)
Convivio, New York, N.Y.
A well-crafted love letter to Southern Italy that is refined without being fussy with dishes like expertly charred octopus and malloreddus -- a weird, wonderful marriage of sea urchin, crab and gnocchi. -- Rebecca Flint Marx

...the final three after the jump!

A few weeks ago, I wrote about my top 10 favorite sandwiches in America, and asked you to share your picks. We got more than 50 responses, from shrimp po'boys in New Orleans to cheesesteaks in Philadelphia to Vietnamese bahn mi in Portland to something called the "Sloppy Irishman" in Ohio. I compiled the picks into this list, grouped very loosely by type (Italian next to Italian, seafood with seafood etc). So thanks for all the awesome suggestions! I don't know about you, but I feel a cross-country sandwich road trip coming on...

1. Cheesesteak from Primanti Brothers in Pittsburgh, PA
2. Cheesesteak from Pat's King of Steaks in Philadelphia, PA
3. Steak Chacarero, spicy, at Chacarero in Boston, MA
4. Pambazo at Autentica in Portland, OR
5. Cemita at Cemitas Pueblo in Chicago, IL
6. Midnight Cuban at Paseo in Seattle, WA (two votes)
7. Cuban from Dave's Fresh Pasta in Somerville, MA
8. Milano from The Italian Store in Arlington, VA
9. The Otto at Fraboni's in Madison, WI (two votes)
10. Porchetta sandwich from Porchetta in New York, NY
11. Italian Beef, wet, at Al's Beef in Chicago, IL
12. Godmother from Bay Cities Italian Deli and Bakery in Santa Monica, CA
13. Veal and Pepper at California Sandwiches in Toronto, ON
14. The Special at Gandel's Liquors in Washington, DC
15. Muffaletta at Napoleon House in New Orleans, LA
16. Oyster or Shrimp (or Oyster and Shrimp) Po-Boy at Domilese's Po-Boys in New Orleans, LA
17. Shrimp Po-Boy at The Galley, Metairie, LA
18. Ipswich Clam Burger at Bigelow's in Rockville Centre, NY
19. Lobster Roll at The Red Barn in Ghent, NY (two votes, not counting mine)
20. Grilled Grouper at Harbor Docks in Destin, FL
21. Tuna Niçoise at the Bread Peddler in Olympia, WA
22. Jambon Beurre from Farmstead Lunch in Providence, RI
23. Monte Cristo from Milton's in Del Mar, CA
24. Monte Cristo from the HMS Bounty in Los Angeles, CA
25. Pork Bun from Momofuku Ssam Bar in New York, NY
26. Baoguette Bahn Mi at Baoguette in New York, NY
27. Saigon Bacon Banh Mi at Best Baguette in Portland, OR
28. BLT on Rye at Zingerman's Delicatessen in Ann Arbor, MI
29. BLB at Meat Cheese Bread in Portland, OR
30. The Fat Darrell, various locations around Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ
31. Sloppy Irishman at The Irish Pub in Massillon, OH
32. Parmageddon at Melt Bar and Grilled in Lakewood, OH
33. Beef on Weck at All Star Sandwich Bar, Cambridge, MA
34. Maid Rite at various locations in Wisconsin and Iowa
35. Roast Pork at DiNic's in Philadelphia, PA
36. Pork Shoulder at Smoky Jon's in Madison, WI
37. Pork and Fries at Earl's Sandwiches in Arlington, VA
38. Pork and Beef BBQ at LC's BBQ in Kansas City, MO
39. Burnt Ends at Blue Ribbon BBQ in Newton, MA
40. Garlic and Thyme Roasted Pork at Watershed in Decatur, GA
41. Fried Chicken Sandwich at Bakesale Betty in Oakland, CA
42. Coney Dog with cheese and onions at Skyline Chili in Cincinnati, OH
43. Patty Melt at Mic Duck's, Chicago, IL
44. Crown Burger at Crown Burgers in Salt Lake City, UT
45. Reuben Sliders at Kenny and Zuke's in Portland, OR
46. Pastrami on Rye at Katz's Delicatessen in New York, NY (four votes)
47. Jewish Hoagie at Koch's Deli in Philadelphia, PA
48. Corned Beef Special at Hymie's Deli in Philadelphia, PA
49. The Natte at Hungarian Deli in New York, NY
50. Market Fried Egg sandwich at Gateway Market in Des Moines, IA
51. Grilled Vegetable at Village Baker in Bend, OR
52. Five Easy Pieces at Littlejohn's in Charlottesville, VA
53. Chicken Salad Sandwich at Tomato Jam Cafe in Asheville, NC
54. Fern's Problem Solver at Hi Rise in Cambridge, MA

Details has named a dozen 'cue shacks and rib joints to its "Best Barbecue in America" list, out in the May issue. The list tries to cover its ground well, listing establishments specializing in ribs and sandwiches, cowboy-style brisket and whole-hog pulled pork.

But given the vast regional variation in the definition of 'barbecue' and the near-religious emotionality surrounding issues like "tomato-based or non-tomato-based sauce," a "Best Barbecue" list seems a risky endeavor. I mean, blood has been shed over this stuff. If I were the author of this list, I might not sleep at night, fearing a meat fork in the eye from a furious pitmaster.

I mean, what kind of "Best Barbecue" list doesn't include Allen & Son in Chapel Hill, or Jim Neely's Interstate in Memphis!? What's your favorite barbecue joint that didn't make the list?

One of my guilty pleasures about the end of the year are all the 'Best Of' lists that pop up. I don't know why, but I always find it really entertaining to watch a year of pop culture, media, politics and (of course) food boiled down to an assortment of Top Ten lists. If you also find it fascinating and want to put your $.02 into the process, then I suggest you navigate yourself over to Yumsugar, where they are giving their readers an opportunity to cast votes on a variety of food-related topics.

The image above is nabbed from their poll about who is the Best Food Reality Judge of 2007.

The Independent Food Festival and Awards is an online event dedicated to the idea that people should share their favorite foods and food experiences to help rekindle a love of and interest in food in general. Judging by the fact that the event seems to be several times the size of last year's festival, this second annual event seems to be a success so far. 

You may have seen their logo on some of your favorite food blogs last year, when 30 well-known blogs were selected to act as jury members and contribute a favorite food-related thing to the online festival. Every jury member creates their own award and awards it as they see fit. The bloggers' awards are being announced over the course of five days, since there are quite a few more participants than last year. Since all the categories and awards are independently generated, it is difficult to say what you might expect to find amongst the nominees, but it is certain to be something delicious judging from the entries so far.

We may have covered most of the "best of 2005" lists, with topics from MMMM to NNNNN, but funny food videos is one we missed. Fortunately, Saute Wednesday didn't miss this important topic in their slightly belated Best of 2005 List. They picked out a Flambe Disaster! clip, which really shows the value of having a fire extinguisher in your kitchen, in addition to being funny. Incidentally, the apartment kitchen in which it takes place looks shockingly like my college apartment. I kept my extinguisher under the sink, guys!

The best clip of the year was definitely from an episode of Saturday Night Live, where they paid tribute to Magnolia Bakery's cupcakes in the most highly esteemed of media: a rap song.

But first, my hunger pangs are sticking like duct tape
Let's hit up magnolia and mack on some cupcakes
No doubt, that bakery's got all the bomb frosting.
I love those cupcakes like McAdams loves Gosling
2 no 6 no 12, bakers dozen!
I told you that I'm crazy for these cupcakes, cousin!

Update: The YouTube video (above) was removed, but you can hear the song here.