ASTORIA, Queens (PIX11) -- A restaurant and wine bar in New York City was crowned top honors in a national competition.
Tootles & French in Astoria, Queens, was named the best new restaurant in the United States in USA Today's 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards.
Whether it's a reimagined twist on a New York staple such as the chopped cheese, Moroccan shrimp infused with 25 spices, or pesto burrata with house-made pasta, Tootles & French on Ditmars Boulevard is already leaving its mark.
"Everything is either made in house, with the exception of the charcuterie that gets imported. Our bread is from a local bakery down the street. Our meat comes from local butchers. So we try to do everything within community or in house if possible," said co-owner Chad Goldsmith.
When it comes to cocktails and wine, you'll be hard-pressed to find a drink that is mass-produced. All the alcohol is small batch or family-produced recipes.
The menu changes seasonally. Goldsmith said it is important to him to support local.
"We are not in a time where small businesses are thriving. Post-pandemic, buying on the internet, buying food delivery services, going out to dine and have a cocktail isn't what it used to be, so working together is the only way we see our success happening," Goldsmith said.
Goldsmith, a lifelong New Yorker who has lived the last 10 years in Astoria, opened the bar in April 2023. The wine lover went to school for culinary management and has always dreamed of opening up his own bar.
"When I was a kid, I thought bars were a giant chemistry set. I was one of those kids. Turns out they really are," Goldsmith said.
All the hard work is paying off. Last week, USA Today named Tootles & French the best new restaurant in the country. A panel of experts made the nominations, then readers had a month to vote for the best of 20 establishments.
"It's incredible. It's incredible," Goldsmith said.
A humble Goldsmith doesn't know who nominated his pride and joy, but he can't say enough thanks to the community that rallied together to vote Astoria to the top.
"It's important for the entire neighborhood to get some national publicity," Goldsmith said. "It's building the community ... bringing in people we know and don't know and introducing it to the world."
Goldsmith said that while it's been a challenge running a new restaurant, he comes in every day with a smile, new ideas for innovation and creativity to make the business stand out.
"It's been a wild ride. We went from being a bar to being a restaurant to being a place that teaches wine and cocktail classes in the back to having winemakers flying in and hosting wine pairing almost monthly," Goldsmith said. "If you can think of it, we're trying it."
Tootles & French offers comedy on the weekends, live music during Sunday brunch, and a happy hour.
"Every day is a new experience when we walk in for us, and we hope we translate that excitement to everyone who walks in. We feel like we do," Goldsmith said.
Goldsmith hopes all of it translates into making the restaurant a household name.
