Now that all the glitter has settled after the awards, we take a more in-depth look at the restaurants you picked as the best of the year.

Restaurant of the Year

Mr and Mrs Bund
In the two years that it’s been open, Mr & Mrs Bund has won five awards–two Best French, one Best Newcomer, one Best Restaurant runner-up and now, finally, it’s taken home the big prize as Restaurant of the Year. User american sums up nicely. “After reading so many rave reviews I had to see for myself ... and fantastic it was! The lobster steamed in a glass jar: amazing! Oysters: perfect! By far the tastiest dish we sampled were the signature frog legs. Wow. Combine all this with lots of great wine, attentive service and a nice outdoor patio section and WOW. All the previous positive reviews are totally warranted. We’ll be heading back for more, soon! Now officially one of my (if not THE) favorite restaurants in Shanghai.”

Best Newcomer

Goga
Goga burst onto the scene and looks like it’s here to stay. Their City Weekend listing has turned into a full-on lovefest, with commenters throwing around compliments like rice at a wedding. Credit goes to gregarious chef Brad Turley, who really makes the place come alive. As user epeter03 tells us, “I was very happy with my meal at Goga. Brad was very accommodating for me and my guest, making small talk and telling us about the dishes we were eating. For ¥400 a head my guest and I just about sampled every single dish on the small menu, from lobster rolls to salmon. Go eat and be happy.” He and Austin Hu of Editor’s Pick winner Madison have done a great job of breaking down the barriers between chef and diner, and customers have responded enthusiastically. Table No. 1 takes home the Honorable Mention award under the guidance of Jason Atherton, the rare celebrity chef who actually drops in regularly to work his magic in the kitchen.

Best Chef

Willy Trullas Moreno
2011 will go down as the year of the chef. Several longtime Shanghai chefs got the chance to run their own show this year and, judging by how the voting went, they’ve all found success. This was one of this year’s most tightly contested categories, with a spate of those rookies jumbled up respectably in the middle of the pack. In the end, Willy won out by just two votes. His trendy eatery is a go-to spot in town, and his quirky outfits, premium paellas and inventive tapas have made him a staple on the scene. How many other chefs in town are known by just one name? Paul Pairet follows in the Honorable Mention spot (with some long-awaited plans to open his ultra-fine-dining spot Ultraviolet), while chef Brad Turley gets an EP for his work this year: Goga just wouldn’t be Goga without the combination of kitchen skills, creativity and the outsized personality that he brings daily.

Best Service

Element Fresh
You love it for brunch, you love it for American grub and you love it for the service. Element Fresh wins the award for Best Service this year, and the chain’s well-trained staff definitely deserves it. Whether you’re looking for substitutions (can we have avocado instead of chicken, spinach instead of mixed greens and pesto instead of honey mustard?), coming in with a wild pack of kids or are dying for a table outside, they’ll take care of you. Drop your fork and they’ll come running with another. Spill a smoothie and they’re there with napkins. Encouragingly, the two other winners are both newcomers–perhaps a sign of changing tides? The waitstaff at The Waldorf Astoria’s Pelham’s provide service that matches the hotel’s exemplary American nouveau cuisine and the historically beautiful surroundings, while Madison gets the Editor’s Pick for its impeccably trained staff. Chef Austin Hu and his team take special care to remember who has allergies, who’s a vegetarian and which of their regulars have which (sometimes bizarre) food-related quirks.

Best Contemporary Chinese

Lost Heaven Yunnan Folk Cuisine
The voting was conclusive: nothing beats Lost Heaven, which got three-and-a-half times as many votes as its nearest competitor. Its Bund-side location is a great place to take guests, and their original spot hidden in the former French Concession has long been a favorite among Shanghailanders. User bevin keeps it short, but sweet: “Excellent dining experience. We were there on a Monday night and the restaurant was packed. Food and service was flawless.”

Best Spicy Chinese

Gu Yi
This spicy star edged out rival Di Shui Dong by just eight votes. As user johanv puts it, “I love spicy Hunan food, and Gu Yi is the place to get it. Two thumbs way up for this place.” They do all the Hunanese staples right, from the ribs to the ganguo dishes, a fact that is evident from the ever-present throngs that wait outside for tables, even on otherwise quiet weeknights. Runner-up Di Shui Dong remains popular, especially among those looking for a slightly cheaper meal, while Pin Chuan, last year’s winner, takes home the Editor’s Pick as the Sichuanese rep on this list. It’s especially acclaimed among those who enjoy Sichuan fare without the heat. They’re masters of using spice to enhance a dish rather than obliterate taste buds.

Best Southeast Asian

Simply Thai
This chain won this category for the third year in a row. In the words of user shfoodist, “Simply Thai has become a Shanghai institution.” We couldn't agree more. Each location offers something different, from Xintiandi’s dessert buffet to Dongping Lu’s tree-enclosed back patio to the family-friendly Jinqiao venue. But all offer the same quality Thai favorites, including a great, spicy tom yum soup.

Best Japanese

Haiku by Hatsune
Here’s a haiku for Haiku:

You have tasty rolls
Best Japanese five times straight
You win every year!

The Beijing import has had a total stranglehold on this award since opening its cozy location on Taojiang Lu, and all that success pushed it to expand to a ritzy new spot in the ifc Mall last fall. Sushi Oyama and Shintori repeat in their respective positions from 2010.

Best Hotel Dining

Jing'an Restaurant
If you’re of those who believe hotel dining is synonymous with uninspired and overpriced cuisine, the PuLi Hotel's restaurant will disavow you of that notion. The views of the park next door are great, the décor is immaculate and the food, put together by Kiwi chef Dane Clouston, is mouth-watering. Sink your teeth into dishes like fluffy gnocchi with Gorgonzola cheese and walnuts, cod with squid ink and chorizo and ox cheek with soy glaze and green tomato. This year’s Honorable Mention award goes to Tables, the Portman Ritz-Carl-ton’s all-day dining restaurant. The buffet-style, seasonal offerings and knowledgeable waitstaff make this worthy of a stop anytime. Sir Elly’s in The Peninsula, with its lovely terrace and no-expense-spared attitude, takes home our EP. The fare, ambiance and service are all what you’d expect from a Bund-side five-star hotel.

Best Steakhouse

Morton's Steakhouse
Steakhouses have been popping up all over Shanghai recently, but this newly opened, old-school steakhouse chain from Chicago absolutely dominated this category, raking in more than twice as many votes as its closest competitor. As meat-loving website user american puts it, “Expensive but worth every RMB–you absolutely get what you pay for. The salads, sides and steaks are, as you would expect, amazing. The attention to detail is wonderful and the staff treats you like royalty, respectfully calling you by your last name and even printing personalized best wishes on the menus.” JW’s California Grill and longtime favorite Roosevelt Prime repeat in their spots from last year.

Best Latin American

Latina
It’s meat-tastic–anyone who’s ever been knows that. Our pick of the buffet is the cheese beef, but you really can’t go wrong here. Unless you eat way, way, way too much and start getting the meat sweats (which we’ve done before). Mexican stalwart Cantina takes home the Honorable Mention award for the second year in a row, while perennial Readers’ Choice Award winner MAYA gets the Editor’s Pick.

Best Italian

Da Marco
This wallet-friendly Italian stallion is back in the top spot for an amazing fifth year in a row. Their thin-crust pizzas and huge portions of pasta are the main draws, and it’s even won Shanghai’s Italian population over. “What can I say?” asks commenter freeja. “My Italian ex says it’s as authentic as it gets. So, there you have it. Want a piece of Italy in Shanghai? Go to Da Marco!”

Best European

M on the Bund
Twelve years after opening up on the then-desolate Bund, Michelle Gaurnat’s namesake restaurant has garnered global attention and admirably defended its victory in this same category last year. User utensils1977 says: “Dining is an experience that requires a host of elements to make it truly amazing–location, views, service, food quality, drinks selection, the company, cutlery and obviously price. M on the Bund offers me an almost perfect juxtaposition of the above.”

Best Indian

Masala Art
The Dagu Lu staple unseated reigning champs Kebabs on the Grille, garnering almost a quarter of the total votes in this popular category. As frequent commenter schuchart tells us, “This is a good one. This restaurant has a great atmosphere, a nice menu, good service and most importantly, extremely delicious food for acceptable prices. Couldn’t find anything wrong with it. This is now me and my wife’s favorite Indian restaurant.”

Best Brunch

Element Fresh
Brunch may just be the most important meal of your weekend days. It sops up leftover alcohol from the night before and provides cushioning for the afternoon drinking you’re no doubt planning to do. Element Fresh took this one home with 20 percent of the votes, followed by five contestants finishing within 10 votes of each other. But the Honorable Mention award goes to Le Royal Meridien’s Le Bistrot All-Day Dining Restaurant, where brunch is a long, luxurious buffet session that includes caviar, foie gras, an enormous seafood station and smokin’ hot servers that dress up as nurses and squirt bloody Marys into your mouth.

Best American

Boxing Cat Brewery
Last year’s runner-up is this year’s winner. Boxing Cat Brewery just opened a new branch at Sinan Mansions last fall and will be celebrating the second anniversary of its original Fuxing Lu location with a barbecue of bacchanalic proportions on July 2. Element Fresh, last year’s winner, takes this year’s Honorable Mention award, giving it a total of three prizes this year. And our Editor’s Pick goes to Madison, where chef Austin Hu’s opulent Sunday Suppers (p. 43) often leave us in food comas with visions of mac and cheese and crème brûlée dancing in our heads.

Best French

Mr and Mrs Bund
Mr & Mrs Bund has become such a staple on the scene that it’s hard to believe that it’s only been around since 2009. This year it easily took down two challengers run by chefs with bigger international profiles and Michelin stars in their pocket. Paul Pairet’s Bund-side spot is a testament to just how good Shanghai’s dining scene is getting.

Best Mediterranean

el Willy
Willy’s namesake restaurant got three times as many votes as the runner up and by now is on everyone’s can’t-miss list. Says uber-foodie bill_greyskull, “I went to el Willy with great anticipation and high standards in mind. Seldom would I call a dining experience ‘exciting’ as this was. Thank you Willy and team.” Words like “outstanding,” “fantastic,” “amazing” and “orgasmic” are frequently used, and we couldn’t agree more. We absolutely love the decadently fatty foie gras, the delicious angel hair pasta paellas and the melt-in-your-mouth lamb. Cristal, last year’s winner, takes home the Honorable Mention, while chef Craig Willis gets recognized for simple, cozy and comfortable dining experiences to be had daily at his namesake restaurant.

Best Café

Wagas
The slick operation that is the Wagas Group has done well for itself this year–more than 55 percent of the votes in this category went to either its namesake restaurant or Baker & Spice. Wagas’ fare is known around town for being comforting, clean, fresh and fast, and substitutions are understood and taken care of. Best, though, is that you feel like you’re being kind to your body by eating there and, in a booze-fueled city like Shanghai, that’s a big relief. User frani agrees: “This place serves food for the soul. The dishes are fantastic, so are their soups. Their roasted root Wagas salad is the best I’ve ever had.” Baker & Spice, which once had its sole, cozy location on Anfu Lu, got so popular in one year that it's already expanded with a second, larger branch in Shanghai Centre that seems always to be full. And last but not least, the little guy: this year’s EP goes to Stormy Café. You love the friendly owners and resident puppy and so do we.

Best Desserts

hoF
Brian Tan’s hoF, which has a magnetic pull so strong it drags girls out of H&M and down Sinan Lu, takes home the gold for the second year in a row, and with good reason: Tan’s sumptuous truffles, salty sweet orange mud cakes and thick, creamy hot chocolate are the stuff cacao bean dreams are made of. Props, too, go to Whisk Choco Café, which won in this category in 2009. And to Strictly Cookies and its proprietor Lexie Comstock, we give our EP; their cookies are confection perfection.

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See also:
Shanghai's best bars and clubs of 2011
Shanghai's best Restaurants of 2010
Shanghai's best bars and clubs of 2010
Shanghai's best Restaurants of 2009
Shanghai's best bars and clubs of 2009