DIVISION III | Circulation 200,000 and up

Finest in Features Sweepstakes awards

This award honors three publications in each circulation category that garner the most awards in the other 22 categories.
First place: The Washington Post
Eighteen awards, including four firsts (Narrative Storytelling, Sports Feature, Headline Writing Portfolio and Special Section), eight seconds (Best Section, Features Digital Presence, Food Writing Portfolio, Arts & Entertainment Commentary Portfolio, Headline Writing Portfolio, Video Storytelling, Integrated Storytelling and Special Section), four thirds (Arts & Entertainment Feature, Food Feature, Feature Specialty Writing Portfolio and Niche Product) one honorable mention (Food Criticism).
Second place: Los Angeles Times
Nine awards, including four firsts (Best Section, Food Criticism, Integrated Storytelling and Diversity in Digital Features), one second (Features Series or Project) and four thirds (Features Series or Project, General Commentary Portfolio, Arts & Entertainment Commentary Portfolio and Sports Feature).
Third place: Newsday
Four awards, including two firsts (Features Digital Presence and Niche Product), one second (Food Criticism) and one third (Special Section).

Best section

The best regularly occurring printed features sections that focus on A&E, lifestyles or other features coverage.
First place: Los Angeles Times
Judge’s comments: Wow. Readers of the LA Times get a wow with every section from this paper's features department so it appears. From the Oscars to a new food section to the 50 songs that best represent LA. Oh, and there's even a special section all about sneakers - an ode to fashion, footwear and basketball. Even if the full-page, sometimes two full-page, illustrations and photos didn't capture attention, the witty headlines draw you in. Examples: "New Feats of Creativity" of the sneaker issue and "Unexpected 'favourite'" and "Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? (It's real)" from the Oscar issue. The writing shows the staff's expertise without being pretentious. There's so much to love, whether it's learning about pastrami fried rice, the 88,224 olives served a year in martinis at the Hollywood restaurant institution turning 100 or what was said backstage on Oscar night. And now a few tears, after the 2019 launch of a$1 billion cruise ship that won't be sailing anytime soon.
Second place: The Washington Post
Judge’s comments: Build a better mousetrap? No, but you can build a better sandwich and the Post shows you how from the basics including how to protect your bread by toasting one side to adding upscale ingredients such as sriracha to a BLT and mango to your curry chicken salad. The lunch issue has other great info including a taste test of potato chips (Lay's Kettle wins) and what wines go best with fast food. For travel, you can dog sit in Ecuador and sip wine at the National Portrait Gallery. The sections include excerpts from online discussions with staff and readers. Tips on where to have your first date and your last along with advice on how to get your adult children to financial independence can improve readers' lives. There's a reference to a video to help you repot our plants and who doesn't want to know more about Sally Field, Linda Ronstadt and Sesame Street before the Kennedy Center Honor? I sure did.
Third place: Houston Chronicle
Judge’s comments: The Houston Chronicle gives readers what they need and more. The Renew section introduces them to a fitness club owned by a woman who specializes in weight training, renegade row pushups and where in Houston to kayak or canoe. The section promises a focus on mental health as well. Spend a day with Dexter, a facility dog at a children's hospital. Learn about the aboriginal art exhibit at the Menil and a great way to cook a steak. The Chronicle's food and entertainment writing excels. And it is Texas: you can watch a BBQ state of mind podcast and read about how those long lines aren't a marketing ploy.

Best features digital presence

The best your publication has to offer in digital A&E, features and lifestyle coverage.
First place: Erica Marcus, Scott Vogel, Corin Hirsch—Newsday, “FeedMe”
Judge’s comments: Comprehensive coverage of a local scene using all the media available in our digital world, from stories to Instagram to an online TV show. That alone would be impressive. Throughout all the content is such a strong sense of place. You feel like you are in the community and can almost taste the flavors (my mouth is still watering from the pastrami story -- what lively and evocative writing). Well served!
Second place: Staff—The Washington Post, “Lifestyle”
Judge’s comments: The depth and breadth are hard to match these days. So many topics and takes–you can spend hours reading through Washington Post coverage and never get to it all.

General feature

Feature treatment of any A&E, lifestyles or news topic.
First place: Barbara Laker, David Gambacorta, William Bender—The Philadelphia Inquirer, “The Untouchables: Carl Holmes’ alleged sexual misdeeds were well known by Philadelphia police and city officials, but a flawed system shielded him for 15 years.”
Judge’s comments: The Philadelphia Inquirer has done it again: Told a deeply investigated piece (police department higher-ups allegedly sexually abusing multiple younger, female cops) through human storytelling. The interviews and documented evidence alone would have made this worth the read, but hearing much of the story told through the alleged abused women was haunting.
Second place: Tyrone Beason, Erika Schultz, Corinne Chin—The Seattle Times, “Beyond the Border: Asylum seekers in Tijuana”
Judge’s comments: The border wall has been an oft-reported subject in the last several years, but this team of reporters found a way to tell it through another character: Tijuana. The almost-poetic writing, along with the grabbing images and videography, makes this a worthy package.
Third place: Marc Ramirez—The Dallas Morning News, "Half a world away, chance connects strangers linked by an iconic Dallas photo taken the day JFK died"
Judge’s comments: The absolute kismet of this story would have gone viral by itself: The daughter of a woman, the subject of a famed photo after the Kennedy assassination, directing a cruise on which the photographer was vacationing. But the story goes beyond that meeting to tell such a beautiful human story.
Honorable mention: Bill Glauber—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “It’s a struggle … Something is wrong”

Arts & Entertainment feature

Feature treatment of an arts andFeature treatment of an arts and entertainment topic–such as architecture, art, books, dance, movies, music, opera, television or theater.entertainment topic.
First place: Vernon Silver—Bloomberg Businessweek, “Rock Riff Rip-Off”
Judge’s comments: This story went from a couple of sentences in a court transcript to a visit to the U.S. Copyright Office to a jam sesh with a colleague. That is some research, and I was glad to be along for the ride.
Second place: Ellie Silverman—The Philadelphia Inquirer, “Bathrooms at ‘Hamilton’: Can 200 women make it through 16 stalls in a 20-minute intermission?”
Judge’s comments: One of those stories that could only be told by someone on the ground. Thank you for finding the characters off "Hamilton's" well-known stage.
Third place: Emily Yahr—The Washington Post, “Taylor & Kanye: How two superstars, four words and 15 seconds of TV influenced a decade of pop culture”
Judge’s comments: It took smarts to acknowledge the 10-year anniversary of this viral moment. And it took skill to turn that moment into a deep look at a decade of pop culture ups and downs.
Honorable mention: Amy S. Rosenberg—The Philadelphia Inquirer, “A Philly artist created a giant sculpture of his father’s head that disappears with the tides. Imagine his father’s surprise.”

Short feature

Tight, bright writing of fewer than 1,000 words.
First place: Jen Reeder—Today.com, “Meet the man who fills his home with senior and special needs pets”
Judge’s comments: Great, feel-good story. At only 617 words, it was a joy to read, and the writer did a fantastic job getting in those little details – Tofu the turkey loves Madonna's music – that give the story depth. Delightful.
Second place: Jessica Goodheart—Capital & Main, “Detroit Women Push Back from the Margins”
Judge’s comments: This is a constituency that goes unheard all too often. The writer brought us into this woman's world, providing insight and understanding to an all-too-real problem.
Third place: Laura Coffey—Today.com, “Devoted 'dance dads' do it all — even makeup! — to support daughters”
Judge’s comments: OMG. Dads and daughters are always a reader favorite, and the writer did a wonderful job giving us a peek into how these manly men carry on in a girls' world.
Honorable mention: Tim Teeman—The Daily Beast, “George Kent and His Bow Tie: The Unlikely Winners of Trump's Impeachment Hearing”

Food feature

A single story focusing on food, not including reviews or commentary. Can be a trend story, personality profile, narrative piece, how-to or other feature treatment of a food topic.
First place: Chris Ip—Engadget, “Impossible Foods’ rising empire of almost-meat”
Judge’s comments: Painstakingly researched, broadly sourced and deeply engaging look at the way our food landscape is rapidly changing in an era of disruption.
Second place: Debra Utacia Krol—High Country News, Roads & Kingdoms, and the Economic Hardship Reporting Project, “California's Forage Wars”
Judge’s comments: A perfect examination of how food, history, politics and sustainability collide in a single community.
Third place: Tim Carman, Shelly Tan—The Washington Post, “Made in America”
Judge’s comments: The salve for our fractious time. This virtual hug of comfort food for all Americans is beautifully supported with superb photography, video and web design.
Honorable mention: Craig LaBan—The Philadelphia Inquirer, “George Washington’s enslaved chef, who cooked in Philadelphia, disappears from painting, but may have reappeared in New York”

Food criticism

A single story, such as a restaurant review, that offers opinions about a topic or restaurant in the food industry.
First place: Lucas Kwan Peterson—Los Angeles Times, “Review: The Cheesecake Factory is the restaurant America wants, deserves”
Judge’s comments: It’s a bold restaurant critic who ventures into a Cheesecake Factory, made bolder still by the fact that this one is in swank Beverly Hills. And then Lucas Kwan Peterson couches it all in “the 1986 seminal work ‘The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Birthday.’” This clear front-runner is laugh-out-loud funny, insightful and just a whole lotta fun. I read it three times just because I liked it so much. A triumph!
Second place: Scott Vogel—Newsday, “Mi Viejito Pueblito”
Judge’s comments: Wonderful. A story and a review, with sly descriptions such as this one, about the quality of a tortilla, "with the softness and spring of Memory Foam." Or the burrito that " reacted to my plastic knife as it might a scalpel." Vogel proves here that he is a true wordsmith.
Third place: Devra First—The Boston Globe, “What is fancy? Who is rich? Zuma blurs the lines”
Judge’s comments: In this review of an uber-upscale chain Asian restaurant, Devra First uses humor, at times self-deprecating, and throughout devises clever, original descriptions of food that transcend the thesaurus-sourced fodder of many a restaurant review. For example, to describe perfectly-sized bites of nigiri, First writes that they avoid the sensation of "a bear-trying-to-eat-a-whole salmon." Such a pleasure to read from beginning to end.
Honorable mention: Tim Carman—The Washington Post, “Guy Fieri’s fried chicken stand at FedEx Field is a mess. A tasty mess.”  

Features series or project

Feature treatment of any lifestyle, A&E or news topic that has multiple parts.
First place: Staff—The Trace, Miami Herald and McClatchy, “Since Parkland”
Judge’s comments: This vast, in-depth, ambitious entry details the lives of each of 1,200 gun violence victims 18 and under in the one year since the Parkland school killings. The project offers the micro details—and the faces—of each slain child. It also covers the macro details of gun laws across the nation, efforts to make them stricter, and moves that have hampered those efforts. The readers come away heartbroken, enraged, dismayed and far more knowledgeable about the facts.
Second place: Paige St. John—Los Angeles Times, “Man in the Window”
Judge’s comments: This is the fascinating story of the Golden State Killer who terrorized several neighborhoods with killings, rapes and assaults over decades. It digs deep into the history of the suspect, his early relationships, his wanderings and his eventual arrest. The series includes interviews with witnesses, police officers, and victims still facing trauma from the attacks. It details each brutal attack tied to the suspect and offers a surprising review of how the crime of rape has changed. Each part of the series is riveting.
Third place: Thomas Curwen—Los Angeles Times, “After 9 years on L.A.’s streets, Big Mama needed a home. But it wasn’t that easy”
Judge’s comments: This long-term investigation focuses on a handful of homeless Los Angeles people who, after snags and waiting, are each given a new start. The reporter spent 18 months getting to know the people relegated to the streets and following their path to gaining shelter. The details are stark and real. Readers are left with hope at some outcomes and frustration at others.
Honorable mention: Stephanie Farr—The Philadelphia Inquirer, “We the People”

Narrative storytelling

A single story told in a narrative style, using techniques such as character development, use of dialogue, sense of place, scene building, narrative arc and adherence to theme.
First place: Stephanie McCrummen—The Washington Post, “The keeper of the secret”
Judge’s comments: "The Keeper of the Secret" details the quest of 80-year-old John Johnson to identify those responsible for the lynching of an African-American man in Wytheville, Va., in 1926. In this riveting story, Johnson meets with – among other people – a white woman who gives him names, but swears him to secrecy. Johnson, pursuing what Washington Post reporter Stephanie McCrummen calls "his own version of racial reconciliation," has a quandary. "I'm the keeper of the secret," Johnson says. "I've got the names, and I don't ... know what to do with them before I die." McCrummen skillfully employs the tools of narrative writing to draw the reader through the story of not only the victim's brutal murder, but the subtle and overt racism that Johnson has faced in his own life.
Second place: Nestor Ramos—The Boston Globe, “At the Edge of a Warming World”
Judge’s comments: A subject as broad and as polarizing as climate change is difficult to tell in a way that educates as well as engages the reader. Nestor Ramos of the Boston Globe succeeds in turning the subject into a compelling read by focusing on the personal stories of those along Cape Cod who are dealing with climate change, and adding the science in simple, easy-to-understand language. Readers meet the man who has recorded ocean changes for decades by peering down his arm at his thumb; the scientist who studies the ecological web of the Earth from a marsh on the Massachusetts coastline; the restaurant owner whose livelihood washed away during a storm that years ago would never have touched it; the fishermen, the tourists, the homeowners, and a small shorebird whose journeys are tracked by satellite. Ramos notes, in beautiful words and sentences, the wide scope of climate change, then focuses in on details, such as how building seawalls and jetties to protect individual properties is leading to destruction of the greater area, and gentrification of Cape Cod. "The projects proceed, property by property, pushing the problem downstream, each preserving a small part of the Cape by ruining it, just a little bit, until there's no beach left." The simple truth conveyed by this engaging story is, Ramos writes, "The ocean does not negotiate."
Third place: Doug Bock Clark—GQ, “The American Missionary and the Uncontacted Tribe”
Judge’s comments: It is hard to beat, for a natural narrative arc, the story of a Christian missionary attempting to convert islanders who live primitive lives protected from the outside world by the government of India. The news was full of John Chau's illegal visits to Sentinel Island after his body was spotted on the beach. But Doug Bock Clark produced a fascinating, detailed story for GQ that delves into 26-year-old Chau's motivation and background. Chau survived one attempt to reach the islanders when his waterproof Bible blocked an arrow. The rest of his story is just as dramatic.
Honorable mention: Deborah Barfield Berry, Kelley Benham French—USA Today, “1619: Searching for Answers”

Feature specialty writing portfolio

Three stories by the same writer on one features specialty topic, such as arts and entertainment, fashion, food, health, religion, technology or travel.
First place: Sam Kestenbaum—The New York Times
Judge’s comments: Deeply reported and well-written profiles of fascinating religious figures. As a collection, they reveal as much about American spirituality as the individuals.
Second place: Jason Nark—The Philadelphia Inquirer
Judge’s comments: Three stories that paint a vivid picture of a place, and the quirky characters within. These are memorable stories, rich in detail and dialogue.
Third place: Andrea Sachs—The Washington Post
Judge’s comments: A range of travel stories that are informative and entertaining.

Food writing portfolio

Three stories, columns or reviews by the same writer on any food topic.
First place: Helen Freund—Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times
Judge’s comments: An interesting mix of topics. Clear, concise writing.
Second place: Tim Carman—The Washington Post
Judge’s comments: I love the diversity of this portfolio. It’s filled with thought-provoking topics.
Third place: Alison Cook—Houston Chronicle
Judge’s comments: Colorful descriptions make these reviews appealing.
Honorable mention: Megan Giller—Engadget  

General commentary portfolio

A collection of three columns or essays by the same writer on any human interest or specialty topic, excluding editorials.
First place: Jeneé Osterheldt—The Boston Globe
Judge’s comments: Jenee Osterheldt's voice is unique, powerful and much needed. She uses her lens and platform to move conversations forward and amplify voices and viewpoints that are too-often overlooked or not considered widely. She is able to paint pictures with her words while weaving in lots of details.
Second place (tie): Mark Lamster—The Dallas Morning News
Judge’s comments: Beautiful writing and context elevate these far-from-typical architecture stories. Our favorite reads like a short novel.
Second place (tie): Robin Abcarian—The Los Angeles Times
Judge’s comments: A gut-punch in words. Robin Abcarian shares intimate details of her life that feel both personal and universal.
Third place: Andrew Dansby—Houston Chronicle
Judge’s comments: Andrew Dansby writes about music and our heroes with grace and feeling, making the personal universal in stories about the life and death of Daniel Johnston and a Willie Nelson concert. He also makes us (almost) wish to be stuck in traffic for hours, for the collective experience and growth, if nothing else.

Arts & entertainment commentary portfolio

A collection of three columns, essays or reviews by the same writer on any arts and entertainment topic, including dining reviews but excluding editorials.
First place: Jeneé Osterheldt—The Boston Globe
Judge’s comments: In a competitive category, Jenee Osterheldt gets the nod. This is writing from the heart. It's both painful and poetic, weaving current events, relevant history and the writer's own unique voice into a final product loaded with passion and power (that doesn't turn strident). So many lines stick with you: "We dance in the dark between the rhythm of life and the blues of death. We love."
Second place: Ann Hornaday—The Washington Post
Judge’s comments: A close, close second. Hornaday writes with authority and precision. Her topics push boundaries that need to be explored, going far beyond the typical movie criticism fare.
Third place: Justin Chang—Los Angeles Times
Judge’s comments: "Cats" review was an absolute hoot, even though the movie didn't meet the same high standards. Strong and decisive writing throughout the three stories.
Honorable mention: Howard Fishman—The New Yorker, Artforum

Sports feature

Feature treatment of any sports topic.
First place: Kent Babb—The Washington Post, “Driven to the End”
Judge’s comments: An engrossing account of an elite athlete driven through life – and ultimately to death. The writer, with meticulous care, paints a devastating picture of a life ended far too prematurely with crushing details of how it all went wrong. Hard to read, but impossible to put down.
Second place: Bill Reader—The Seattle Times, “Pilots shortstop Ray Oyler played only one season in Seattle and batted .165. Why was he so popular?”
Judge’s comments: This was indeed a blast from the past. Digging 50 years into the annals of Seattle baseball, the writer uncovered a sweet tale of one city's appreciation for one player. It's a fond reminder of kinder, simpler times.
Third place: Kurtis Lee—Los Angeles Times, “In a neglected cemetery lie black jockeys who helped create the Kentucky Derby”
Judge’s comments: The kind of story that needs to be told. The writer deftly takes readers to an essential site of horse racing's past, shining a light on an era that's too often been ignored.

Video storytelling

The coverage of any A&E, lifestyle or specialty topic using a single video of not more than 8 minutes in length.
First place: Staff—Today.com, “‘Like a dream’: Mom with metastatic breast cancer on outliving her prognosis”
Judge’s comments: Lushly shot, incredibly intimate portrait of a woman with terminal breast cancer who specializes in nipple tattoos for women with breast reconstructions. Heartbreaking and hopeful – like the best stories always are.
Second place: Allie Caren, Jon Gerberg, Nicki DeMarco—The Washington Post, “One year later: Three generations rooted in Tree of Life”
Judge’s comments: An engaging and fascinating look at three generations of a family impacted by the synagogue shooting. Great sourcing and clip selection.
Third place: Niki Budnick, Danielle Banks, William Jauregui—The Weather Channel Digital, “When Memory Fails”
Judge’s comments: Incredible sourcing on this story – both the experts and the family in the center – make this a jaw-dropping look at the phenomenon of children accidentally left to die in hot cars.
Honorable mention: Staff—Today.com, “Modern Motherhood”

Integrated storytelling

The coverage of any A&E, features or lifestyle topic told through the integrated use of print, online, social media, video and any other platform.
First place: Paige St. John, Andrea Roberson, Jessica Perez—Los Angeles Times, “Man in the Window”
Judge’s comments: A comprehensive look at the Golden State Killer that left no multimedia element out – but critically told the most gripping story of an extremely competitive category.
Second place: Staff—The Washington Post, “Altamont ended the ’60s with chaos and death.”
Judge’s comments: Incredible graphics and multimedia elements combined to make this a show-stopper—a deep dive into a well-known but perhaps not well-understood event in history.
Third place: Staff—Erica Pearson—(Minneapolis) Star Tribune News, “The 28-Day Sugar-Free Challenge”
Judge’s comments: What landed this piece in the winner's circle was its commitment to creating and sustaining a community outside of its newsroom. While other entries had accompanying podcasts or more sophisticated graphics, this package reached outside of traditional journalistic walls in ways we should all emulate.
Honorable mention: Staff—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and USA Today Network-Wisconsin, “Dairyland in Distress”

Diversity in digital features

The coverage of any A&E, features or lifestyle topic that highlights the diversity within a publication’s audience.
First place: Jaweed Kaleem—Los Angeles Times, “Sikh drivers are transforming U.S. trucking. Take a ride along the Punjabi American highway”
Judge’s comments: There’s no better metaphor for possibility than driving down the open road, and Jaweed Kaleem captures this brilliantly in his package on Sikh truck drivers and small business owners whose stories are creating vibrant new narratives of American life. This package of stories about life on the interstate–and the tastes of home that drivers get to indulge in along the way–are a reminder of why features storytelling is so vital. Jaweed invites a wider audience to peek inside the heart and soul of this Punjabi American community. In reading this series, we are reminded of our shared humanity.   
Second place: Brian Goldstone—California Sunday Magazine & The Economic Hardship Reporting Project, “3 kids. 2 paychecks. No home.”
Judge’s comments: Amid a housing crisis that is all too often reported through trends and figures, one thing’s for certain: the human toll of this particular pandemic is best understood through stories like the one of Frankie and his brother and baby sister. Brian Goldstone tenderly narrates this family’s journey with compassion and detail, revealing an honest story about love, sacrifice, and the determination to provide for one’s family. This is the kind of story that shouts for change in a system slanted toward economic inequity, but it does so through adept and masterful storytelling. Paired with Alessandra Sanguinetti’s unwavering photos, "3 kids, 2 paychecks, no home" is an American portrait of our era.
Third place: Ashley Luthern, Angela Peterson—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “Cycles of Violence”
Judge’s comments: This deeply reported feature is a testament to the power of local reporting and storytelling. It is a gut wrenching journey for DeAndre Allen’s mother, and for the families of the men and women whose murders have gone unsolved. Ashley Luthern is skillful at tenderly weaving Allen’s story with the larger issue at play in Milwaukee and its criminal justice system. Angela Peterson’s photos and video are a powerful portrait of grief and hope.
Honorable mention: Staff—Today.com, “Flint residents still reeling from water crisis, 5 years later”

Best special section

The best your publication has to offer in printed A&E, features and lifestyle coverage.
First place: Staff—The Washington Post, “Prison issue of The Washington Post Magazine”
Judge’s comments:  Important topic with some compelling stories that I simply couldn't stop reading. Good mix of photos and intriguing artwork.
Second place: Staff—The Washington Post, “The Apollo II: 50th Anniversary Commemorative Section”
Judge’s comments: The writers' voices on the narrative stories carried this section.
Third place: Staff—Newsday, “Billy Joel at 70”
Judge’s comments: I loved the four-page spread layout and simultaneously was perplexed by how difficult it was to handle physically. In the end, I enjoyed this display and the summary of the Piano Man's career.
Honorable mention: Tim Campbell, L.A. Johnson—(Minneapolis) Star Tribune News, “Fall Arts: The Changemakers”

Best niche product

The best examples of a niche product – such as a magazine or special section – published at least two times a year.
First place: Staff—Newsday, FeedMe
Judge’s comments: FeedMe fed me until I was stuffed with reasons to explore the culinary attractions of Long Island—a place your humble judge had heretofore not associated with culinary attractions. It fills the definition of a niche like a dark cherry pie fills the need for dessert. This is the issue that ends up dog-earred and drawn-butter stained from road trips to oyster bars, farms and clam shacks. Or just pull out the handy guides to ice cream shops or—I believe they're pronounced "cawffee"—shops. Smart story selection, wonderful photography and layout. I'm not sure how to pronounce "niche'' on Long Island—but FeedMe knows how to fill one. Congratulations to Editor Jane Lear and staff.
Second place: Melissa Aguilar, Julie Garcia, Maggie Gordon—Houston Chronicle, Renew Houston
Judges comments: Renew makes you want to get up and do something. Now! C’mon, People! Maybe something you've never tried before – maybe something you'd never dreamed of trying before you read it. Get fit, detox, find your purpose, fast your way to fitness, eat your way to fitness. There are profiles and places to go to pursue your newfound passions, recipes - and how to disinfect from floodwaters. Your judge is humbled by your effort, producing this broadsheet every Thursday!
Third place: Staff—The Washington Post, “Dining Guides”
Judges comments: Tom Sietsema offers a bento box of writerly delights in these guides to Washington, D.C., dining. Full credit—in a literal sense—for his intestinal fortitude, reviewing 79(!) restaurants in the October issue alone. (Not to mention more than 9,000 restaurants over 20 years). Here's hoping the cover's entered for Best Cover, too, because the image of grilled lobster by Deb Lindsey, styling by Lisa Cherkasky and production by Jennifer Beeson Gregory, made certifiably full people in the judge's household hungry.

Correction: An earlier reference in the Food Writing Portfolio was incorrect and has been updated to show that Alison Cook (Houston Chronicle) is the sole third place winner.

Notice an error on this page? Email Margaret Myers, mmyers@atlantic57.com, for a correction.