Restaurants with a Check Average of More Than $30 per Person

First Place: 811, Cleveland

Photos courtesy of Allison Waltz, Photographer

Specifying Team: Julie Eisenberg, Showroom Specialist, TriMark SS Kemp; Bill Immke, Sales Representative, TriMark SS Kemp; Anne Ladd, Director of Tabletop and Merchandising TriMark SS Kemp; Katie Lewis, Marketing Coordinator, TriMark SS Kemp; Kelsey Miloy, Customer Service & Sales Support Team, TriMark SS Kemp

• China: Dudson (Evolution), Front of the House (Kiln)
• Flatware: Walco (Semi)
• Glassware: Anchor/Oneida (New York, Stolzle), Libbey, Steelite (Minners, Nick & Nora)
• Accessories: Fletchers' Mill, Front of the House, Libbey, Service Ideas

Why It Won: The chairs and the china match so well and that helps the tabletop connect to the decor. This minimalist installation's reserved use of red adds some well-placed pops of color. The various tabletop items assembled here work together to create a nice landscape on the table. The installation is flexible enough that it easily transitions from Asian cuisine to burgers and fries.

First Place: The Hewing Hotel: Tullibee Restaurant, Minneapolis

Photos courtesy of Jeanna Saunder, Photographer

Specifying Team: Elle Harbeck, Director of Food and Beverage, Hewing Hotel; Mike Henson, Sales Representative, TriMark SS Kemp; Patrick Sylla, Sales Representative, TriMark Strategic; Angela Kuzma, Director of Food and Beverage, Aparium Hotel Group; Anne Ladd, Director of Tabletop and Merchandising, TriMark SS Kemp

• China: Cardinal (Geode), Amazon.com
• Flatware: Cardinal, Walco (Frosted Vogue)
• Glassware: Anchor/Oneida (Glencairin), Bauscher (Duralex, Prism), Cardinal (Excaliber), Hospitality Glass Brands (Nude Miami), Libbey
• Accessories: Hollowick, Hospitality Glass, Libbey, Peugeot, Service Ideas

Why It Won: This tabletop's very unique selections integrate well into the restaurant's design. The design team wanted to pick up on the restaurant's Nordic/Scanadavian theme. That theme becomes evident in various plates and food presentations. The overall color palette works well with the menu. The tabletop is elegant in a rustic sort of way and the restaurant's ambiance gives the warmth of home. The pocket napkin holding the flatware is unique. It really looks like handmade pottery.

Honorable Mention: The Hourly, Cambridge, Mass.

Photo courtesy of Jesse Starr Photography

The Specifying Team: Mark Goldberg, Corporate Chef, Grafton Group; Pat Lee, Owner, Grafton Group; Peter Lee, Owner, Grafton Group; Taryn Mohan, Executive Chef, The Hourly; Tyler Titherington, General Manager, Grafton Group; Marc Zimmerman, DSR, Boston Showcase

• China: Bauscher, Diversified Ceramics, Front of the House, Hall, Steelite, Syracuse
• Flatware: Walco
• Glassware: Anchor, Cardinal, Libbey
• Accessories: American Metalcraft, Chef Specialties, Lodge, Tablecraft

Worth Mentioning: The dark wood tabletop serves as a canvas for the menu. And the judges lauded the blue and white stripe napkin and the way it works with the blue/gray plate that features the entree.

Honorable Mention: El Nido, Tesuque, N.M.

Photo courtesy of Kate Russell Photography

Specifying Team: Enrique Guerrero, Chef, El Nido; Larry and Maggi Hill, Principles, Hill & Associates; David Hutchinson, Territory Manager, TRC Marketing; Wendy Hill, NM Territory Manager, Desert Peak Marketing; Pam Shields, DSR, The Wasserstrom Company; Pam Bernardi, Sales Manager, The Wasserstrom Company

• China: Cardinal
• Flatware: Cardinal, Degrenne North America
• Glassware: Cardinal, Hospitality Glass (Finesse, Mirage, Vintage), Orion Trading
• Accessories: American Metalcraft, Casa Rovea, Hospitality Glass, Lodge, Tableware Solutions

Worth Mentioning: This is a great use of color plates, which really complement the food in this application and make the menu items pop. Nice use of the slate to showcase wine flights. Overall, this tabletop really fits in with the restaurant's Santa Fe theme.

Honorable Mention: Island Creek Oyster Bar, Burlington, Mass.

Photos courtesy of Jesse Starr Photography

Specifying Team: Skip Bennet, Owner, Island Creek Oyster Bar; Jackson Cannon, Beverage Director, Island Creek Oyster Bar; Erin Dinatale, General Manager, Island Creek Oyster Bar; Shore Gregory, Owner, Island Creek Oyster Bar; Garrett Harker, Owner, Island Creek Oyster Bar; Seth Iadarola, Business Development Manager, Oneida; Jeremy Sewall, Executive Chef & Owner, Island Creek Oyster Bar; Matthew Starr, Brand Manager, Boston Showcase Company

• China: Homer Laughlin (Indigo), Oneida (Sant' Andrea)
• Flatware: Oneida
• Glassware: Cardinal, Libbey, Spiegelau, Steelite, Stolzle,
• Accessories: American Metalcraft, BIA Cordon Bleu, Fletchers' Mill, International Tableware, New England Stainess Steel, Orion, Tablecraft, Vertex

Worth Mentioning: Our judges were charmed by the use of the berry basket to serve the bread. The water glass also caught their eye because it is the same style glass but with different textures on the outside of each glass. The bare tabletop highlights the china. Overall, this well-appointed tabletop resists the temptation to be overdone.