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virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 13h

Industry friends, restaurants, bars, etc:

It's open call until November 21, 11:59pm ET, to submit your recommendations for nominee consideration for the 2026 James Beard Awards.

Submit your own business/person or your recommends here: jamesbeardawards.awardsplatform.com

James Beard Awards

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jamesbeardawards.awardsplatform.com

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virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 23h

Chinatown magic, SF light on these gorgeous October days and nights...

#Chinatown #Ileftmyheartinsanfrancisco

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virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 1d

N. America's 50 Best awards at @wynnlasvegas.bsky.social: grateful to chefs' #50BestTalks of family, feeding the hungry, brave immigrant stories...& to ALL industry who serve & feed us:
www.theworlds50best.com/stories/News/50besttalks-north-american-dream-north-americas-50-best-restaurants-2025.html

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virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 1d

September Vegas heat for inspiring 1st N. America's 50 Best Restaurants awards:
www.theworlds50best.com/northamerica/en/voting/the-academy.html

www.eater.com/dining-out/913638/north-america-50-best-restaurants-list-matters

(+ new Vegas eat/drink recommends ASAP: theperfectspotsf.com/tag/las-vegas)

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virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 1d

#BookoftheWeek: Just dining at James Beard-nom chef Steve McHugh's Cured at Pearl San Antonio, appreciating McHugh's lovely cookbook.

As I survive recent shock/removal of cancer, inspired by McHugh's lymphoma recovery:
www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/709644/cured-by-steve-mchugh-with-paula-forbes

virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 1d

Chef Matthew Accarrino+sous chef Delaney Bennett make Mattina the ideal, all-day neighborhood restaurant (for gourmands!) w/ handmade pastas, creative bruschettas, weeknight prix fixe, spot-on arancini+irresistible salsa rossa.

7 standout restaurants now:
virginiamiller.substack.com/p/where-to-e...

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virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 2d

Been savoring stunningly beautiful Harvest Moon and full moons all week... here, from atop Twin Peaks

virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 2d

Tina & Eric Vildgaard’s hospitality is the soul of World's 50 Best, 3 Michelin Jordnaer. I dined in chef’s kitchen by extensive champagne fridges, while a soothing dining room & vinyl playlist enhance their authenticity. Then, Scandinavian seafood glories: virginiamiller.substack.com/p/copenhagen...

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virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 3d

Head to Flr 8 of 25hours Hotel Paper Island to Victory Bar, one of CPH’s best cocktail bars. Stunning views, pro bar vets & refreshing twists on classics, like a play on a Pisco Sour: pisco, fig leaf, lemon, pear eau de vie, amaretto.

My Copenhagen guide:
virginiamiller.substack.com/p/copenhagen...

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virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 3d

The tiny neighborhood Lao-Thai spot I can't get enough of (yes, there is my beloved rice ball "salad" and chef-owner Mimi Pohn cooks the Lao food of her roots from scratch)... meet Chaa Roen Pohn.

Where to eat in SF now:

virginiamiller.substack.com/p/where-to-e...

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virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 4d

A few favorite moments & people from pre- & post-celebrations for all the amazing restaurants on the 1st North America's 50 Best Restaurants' awards late Sept. Honored to be a part of this & celebrate some of the very best in the business.You could feel the love & support.

@wynnlasvegas.bsky.social

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virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 5d

Two of the best dishes at new Nopa Fish (from the great Nopa #SF) in the SF Ferry Building:

1) Smoked rainbow trout, corn & shellfish chowder
2) “Pristine fish" over Luna koshihikari organic sushi rice grown in the Sacramento Delta.

My full review:
virginiamiller.substack.com/p/sfs-best-n...

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virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 7d

Yes, the fish is pristine at brand new Nopa Fish (from the great Nopa) in San Francisco Ferry Building... but so are the salads, as you can see here. Standout dishes & elements of the new counter service seafood destination:

virginiamiller.substack.com/p/sfs-best-n...

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virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 8d

At a N. America's 50 Best Restaurants collab dinner w/ #1 Restaurant Atomix NYC's Junghyun Park & Sarah Thompson of Casa Playa at @wynnlasvegas.bsky.social.

The dish I won't forget is JP's King crab & nuruk kohlrabi "noodles" topped with caviar.

www.theworlds50best.com/.../en/the-list/atomix.html

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virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 8d

This weekend through Sunday at Tony's Pizza Napoletana, a collab pizza w/ nearby legend House of Nanking. An ideal mashup between SF's Chinatown & North Beach.

With Tony Gemignani & Kathy Fang+savory-sweet lap cheong sausage, pickled mustard greens, ricotta, mozzarella, chili crisp, scallion pizza.

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virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 9d

Mild SF nights... the bathroom at Shuggie's Trash Pie + Natural Wine, Dolores Park at night.

#IleftmyheartinSanFrancisco

virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 9d

Mattina (+SPQR) chef Matt Accarrino is a competitive cyclist & pasta master. Mattina's seasonal joys include caramelle ricotta pasta. But it’s rare Germanic Italian canederli dumplings that win my heart, upped w/ buttermilk, Wisconsin chedda & meat scraps:
virginiamiller.substack.com/p/where-to-e...

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virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 9d

2) Modern Korean to Mexican, it flowed seamlessly from Hokkaido sea urchin over gim bugak (fried seaweed) marigold rice to osetra caviar and madai (sea bream) tostadas in serrano kosho. Deliciousness at @wynnlasvegas.bsky.social with NYC's Atomix.

theworlds50best.com/northamerica...

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virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 9d

1) What a collaboration dinner on 9.23.25 for North America's 50 Best Restaurants week at @wynnlasvegas.bsky.social! #1 Restaurant in North America Atomix NYC chef Junghyun Park with chef Sarah Thompson of Vegas' special Casa Playa.

theworlds50best.com/northamerica...

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virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 9d

Ha ha! Exactly. But more fun.

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virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 10d

Eating eyeballs, brains, butterflies and out of heads under a massive, ever-changing dome...? My unreal experience over a 6-hour meal at Alchemist in Copenhagen:

virginiamiller.substack.com/p/copenhagen...

#rasmusmunk

virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 10d

Exactly! Similarly but different, my Sicilian grandpa would also eat that part, too, and just loved sucking out the creamy insides of the crab "guts." Learning to eat all parts... ;-)

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virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 11d

“Wow” moments abound at Japanese-American restaurant Nisei, like Dungeness crab salad in crab head emulsion served in a crab head, laced with miso, trout roe, K&J Orchards pomelos & mitsuba (Japanese parsley).

5 restaurants/chefs creatively killing it:
virginiamiller.substack.com/p/fine-dinin...

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virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 11d

Debuting 7.25, Starlight Distillery’s first 10-Year Bourbon is a tribute to the southern Indiana farm/distillery where I first judged spirits back in the aughts. Reviewing 3 of the Huber family's latest whiskies in my Distiller Magazine column:

distilling.com/distillermag...

virginiamiller.bsky.social @virginiamiller.bsky.social · 11d

2) Proud of my city #SF & its strong showing at the first North America's 50 Best Restaurants awards. But proud of all, from Nola to LA, Canada to the Caribbean.

What a special group honored in the glow of camaraderie & support w/ standing ovations & heartfelt tears.

eater.com/dining-out/9...

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