There has never been a timein the restaurant world quite like today. Food is huge. Customers are more educated and passionate than ever. Farmers and ranchers are working in concert with chefs, growers are like superstars in some kitchens, backyard tomato growers and heirloom preservationists are getting the kind of recognition once reserved solely for boutique winemakers and purveyors of rare or pricey product. And the sheer number of chefs backed by well-trained and dedicated crews is astounding. Out in the wider world, revolutions are following revolutions. The traditional systems of canon and cuisine are breaking down everywhere, and, rather than being replaced by mere culinary anarchy, have been superseded by hyper-regionalism, by arch-modernism, by beautiful, border-skipping mashups of ahistorical influences, and by some of the best chefs on the planet tossing aside their Bragard jackets and Riedel stemware to go make cheeseburgers down by the beach.

Here in Seattle, we’ve got it all. We’ve got the talent. We’ve got the product in spades. Revolutionary spirit? In some neighborhoods in this town, you can’t chuck a rock without hitting some white-jacket with grill scars on his arms and a new restaurant opening in a former gas station or converted Airstream trailer.

All of which is why, this year, Seattle Weekly has decided to dispense with categorization and just give you our list of favorite restaurants alphabetically. This issue is devoted to everything and everywhere we love to eat right now in and around Seattle. This is where we go before work, after work, on Friday nights and Tuesday afternoons when we really should be doing something more productive than stuffing our faces. This is where we recover from our hangovers (and where we’ve earned a few), where we go when we’re looking for comfort or consolation, or to celebrate any damn thing worth lifting glasses to.

Next Wednesday evening, at the Paramount Theatre, we’ll announce the winners of the Angelo Pellegrini and Seattle Weekly Food Awards, which will honor some of the city’s best chefs, restaurants, and food personalities. (For information, visit microapp.seattleweekly.com/voracious/2010.) But right now, it’s all about our favorite places. So get out on the streets with this guide under your arm. There’s never been a better time to be an adventurous eater with a few bucks and a powerful hunger—so don’t let a single moment, a single dime, or a single bite go to waste.

Click here for the writeups of Seattle Weekly‘s Favorite Restaurants 2010.