Tootles & French, 36-15 Ditmars Blvd. Photo courtesy of Tootles & French
Dec. 18, 2024 By Shane O’Brien
Popular Astoria wine bar and café Tootles & French has been nominated for USA Today’s Best New Restaurant for 2025.
The restaurant, opened by Chad Goldsmith at 36-15 Ditmars Blvd. in 2023, is among 20 nominees from around the country and is the only Queens-based establishment competing for the award.
Although Tootles & French opened more than a year ago, the wine bar and restaurant qualified for the award because USA Today considers any establishment that opened within the past 18 months to be a “new restaurant.”
“Known for its refined dishes and elegant ambiance, Tootles & French is a wine bar and cafe located in the heart of Astoria, New York, featuring a carefully curated selection of wines,” USA Today said of the popular Astoria wine bar. “Food pairings feature charcuterie boards, small plates, and paninis, resulting in a sophisticated and classic French dining experience.”
The froont room at Tootles & French Photo provided by Tottles & French
Goldsmith said Tootles & French’s nomination for the award came as a “complete surprise.” He stated that voting had already been ongoing for about two weeks by the time he found out that the restaurant was in contention for the award.
He said he chanced upon the USA Today article and saw Tootles & French in 18th position out of 20 at the time. Once the restaurant started promoting the vote, Tootles & French rocketed into the top three.
“We were all completely sideswiped,” Goldsmith said. “We are not 100% sure how we ended up there or who put us forward, but we’re really proud to have made it.”
USA Today has now made the rankings private, meaning people cannot see where individual rankings are ranked during the final week of voting. Anyone wishing to vote can do so once again until the poll closes at noon on Monday, Dec. 23, while the winners will be announced at noon on Thursday, Jan. 2.
(Photo provided by Tootles & French)
Tootles & French will host a party on Jan. 2 to celebrate the wine bar’s nomination and potential victory, with every guest receiving a complimentary glass of sparkling wine on arrival.
“Whether we win or not, it was a huge accomplishment for us and we’re really proud that we’re even on the list,” Goldsmith said. “So we’re celebrating that day no matter what, and the entire community is welcome to come. We urge everyone to come have a drink with us.”
Goldsmith added that he proudly represents Astoria as the only Queens-based restaurant on the list.
“We want Queens to vote for us, but we want Queens to vote for Queens,” Goldsmith said. “We’re a strong community and any excuse we have to show that is always going to be great.
“I think a lot of people just really want to see Queens win and see Astoria win,” he added. “Everyone thinks the neighborhood deserves a little more publicity, and at the top of that list, they say Astoria, New York, just as large as they say our name.”
Photo provided by Tootles & French
Goldsmith said Tootles & French has evolved since opening around 18 months ago, expanding from a wine-specific establishment into a 50/50 wine bar and cocktail bar.
He noted that the restaurant has introduced several specials, including lunch specials, such as $15 sandwiches and $5 glasses of wine, and date night specials, such as a three-course meal for $34.
Tootles & French has expanded its offerings to cater to things that have played well among its customer base, adding fresh pasta made daily in-house and expanding the number of wine and cocktail classes at the bar.
The wine bar also hosts several events, pairing specific wines with cuisines from around the world. Goldsmith said that whenever it receives positive feedback about a certain dish at an event, it almost always offers that dish as a special in the following weeks.
“Usually, things hitting our new menu have been tested through our guest experience at least a few times,” Goldsmith said.
Click here to vote for Tootles & French in the ongoing poll.
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