Diablo Mag Awards East Bay's Best Eateries

The new November issue of Diablo magazine is devoted to the 2012 Food Awards, and it looks like there's a lot for East Bay denizens to be excited about: from the gourmetification of downtown Berkeley with newcomers like Comal and Belli, to the resurgence of Old Oakland with District and Borgo Italia, to the surprisingly awesome-sounding dining destinations in places like Livermore and Danville.

Diablo awards perennial favorites as well as new restaurants, then singles out the best chefs and signature dishes. While there are some obvious winners, there are plenty of out-of-nowhere surprises, too--that long BART ride is looking more and more tempting.

While the list of "Perennials" mainly stays in the old-school white-tablecloth realm, the list of best new restaurants shakes things up by honoring Comal's communal Mexican dining experience, Hopscotch's Japanese-tinged American diner vibe, and the beer, bourbon, and BBQ-focused Sauced.

The Perennials: Esin (Danville), Oliveto (Oakland), Prima (Walnut Creek), The Restaurant at Wente (Livermore), Va de Vi (Walnut Creek)

New Restaurants: Comal (Berkeley), Corners Tavern (Walnut Creek), Hopscotch (Oakland), Lokanta (Pleasanton), Sauced (Livermore)

Top Chefs: Sunhui Chang (FuseBox), Kim Alter (Haven), Steve Jaramillo (Metro) [Diablo]