The votes are in and the public has spoken! After a month of close competition and thousands of votes, Tablespoon.com reveals the most delicious food experiences America has to offer. The Munchies served up 20 categories of Terrific Tastemakers, Best Bites and Delicious Destinations, and fan favorites such as Bobby Flay, Food Network Magazine and the TV show "Top Chef" bested the competition by taking home The Munchies awards in the Favorite Food TV Personality, Favorite Food Related Magazine and Favorite Food Reality TV Show categories.

In its inaugural year, The Munchies: People's Choice Food Awards were hosted by James Beard Award-Winning TV Personality and Chef Andrew Zimmern. Zimmern and an expert panel of celebrity chowhounds developed the list of nominees, which were then put to popular vote on Tablespoon.com/themunchies.

"It's been so fun to see people who are passionate about food debate and support their favorite restaurants, media, and chefs," says The Munchies lead panelist Andrew Zimmern. "These awards are a celebration of the food experience across America, and I congratulate each of the winners."

Reigning food capital of the world, New York City, showed well in The Munchies by winning numerous categories, including Best Pizza (Grimaldi's Pizzeria), Best Cookie (Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip, Levain Bakery), and Favorite Coffee Shop (Café Grumpy).

Other regions weren't left in the cold, however, with the Best Taco award going to Torchy's Tacos in Austin, the Best Ice Cream award going to Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams in Columbus, and the Best Local Farmers Market award going to Pike Place Market in Seattle. Fast-food joint In-N-Out Burger's Double-Double Animal Style won for Most Iconic Burger. Other notable winners include American Public Media's "The Splendid Table" for Best Podcast/Radio Show and Tony Luke's Cheesesteak at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia for Favorite Stadium Eats.

The Munchies recipients will receive their awards in the coming weeks, but they're not the only winners: a donation was made to Feeding America on behalf of the panelists and voters who participated in selecting the Terrific Tastemakers, Best Bites and Delicious Destinations that are being honored today.

The full list of The Munchies award winners includes:

Terrific Tastemakers

  • Favorite Food Reality TV Show
    • "Top Chef" (Bravo)
  • Favorite Food TV Personality
    • Bobby Flay, "Food Network Star" (Food Network)
  • Favorite Food Related Magazine
    • Food Network Magazine (Hearst)
  • Favorite Food Blog
    • The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond
  • Most Newsworthy Cookbook
    • Food52 Cookbook, Amanda Hesser & Merrill Stubbs (Harper Collins)
  • Best Food Podcast or Radio Show
    • "The Splendid Table" (American Public Media)
  • Best Chef
    • April Bloomfield, The Spotted Pig, New York, NY
  • Most Inspiring Food Visionary
    • Jamie Oliver, Food Revolution

Best Bites

  • Most Iconic Burger
    • Double Double Animal Style, In-N-Out Burger, Irvine, CA
  • Best Pizza
    • Grimaldi's Pizzeria, Brooklyn, NY
  • Best Taco
    • Torchy's Tacos, Austin, TX
  • Best Cookie
    • Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookie, Levain Bakery, New York, NY
  • Best Ice Cream
    • Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, Columbus, OH
  • Best Food Truck
    • Wafels & Dinges, New York, NY

Delicious Destinations

  • Best Local Farmers Market
    • Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA
  • Favorite Stadium Eats
    • Tony Luke's Cheesesteak, Citizen's Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
  • Coolest Coffee Shop
    • Café Grumpy, New York, NY
  • Best Craft Brewery
    • Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE
  • Most Intriguing Cocktail Bar
    • Monkey Bar, New York, NY
  • Favorite Gluten-Free Bakery
    • BabyCakes NYC, New York, NY

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50265866&lang=en

For General Mills:
Exley PR
Mary Jo Exley
952-835-1306
mj@exleyPR.com
or
Rogers & Cowan
Claire Heath
310-854-8150
CHeath@rogersandcowan.com