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It’s that time of year again — it’s time for the Forward Food Awards, where we celebrate food as an essential part of Jewish life and ask you, our readers, to pick their favorite places to fress.

The nominees were chosen by Forward staff, but the choice of winners is entirely up to our readers.

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Here are the nominees for Best Cafe:

Freds at Barney’s

This glitzy cafe, situated in one of the most expensive department stores in the world, does Shabbat dinners for the who’s who of Jewish Hollywood on Friday nights, boasts a chicken soup that takes three whole days to create and a Jewish legacy that Queens-born Chef Mark Strausman continues to honor. Come to Freds to see and be seen, to eat and be nourished.

A post shared by F R E D S (@fredsatbarneys) on Aug 10, 2018 at 10:21am PDT

Russ and Daughters

For over 100 years, Russ and Daughters has been a jewel on the crown of New York Jewish eateries. From its knishes to its kippered salmon plates, it continues to make Jewish food trendy, relevant and delicious, with a menu that is reliably fresh, colorful and appetizing.

A post shared by Jen Lover (@jenniferlover) on Aug 13, 2018 at 1:59pm PDT

Sadelle’s

A New York brasserie with an emphasis on fish, located in the heart of SoHo, Sadelle’s offers salmon, sturgeon and french toast, all in one place. Its trendy (check out its inverted grilled cheese sandwich) without ever losing focus on the classics that people keep coming back for, like its sesame topped bagels. It’s a restaurant with an eye trained on the future – and the past.

A post shared by Sadelle’s (@sadelles) on Aug 6, 2018 at 9:19am PDT

Barney Greengrass

Some of the best things don’t ever change, and they shouldn’t. The 100-year-old family owned Barney Greengrass is one of them. From their Nova Scotia Salmon and Whitefish Salad to their House Cured Gravlox, no trip to New York would be complete without a trip to everyone’s favorite place to grab omelet with a side of sturgeon.

A post shared by New York Magazine (@nymag) on May 17, 2016 at 2:55pm PDT

Taam Tov

Taam Tov means good taste in Hebrew, and if you’re looking for Bukharian food that falls under that category, with Taam Tov you’ve come to the right place. This underappreciated, no-frills Uzbeki restaurant situated in the heart of the Diamond District is the perfect place to grab an affordable, unexpected meal. Get some borscht soup with Uzbek pilaf and polish it off with a Bonratino or a Turkish cafe for an added flourish. You’ll leave stuffed, wondering how you’ve gone so long without knowing about Taam Tov.

A post shared by Taam Tov (@taamtovnyc) on Jul 28, 2018 at 2:40pm PDT

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