Newcity’s annual Best of Chicago issue came out yesterday, and among the winners are several South Side stalwarts that have previously appeared in our pages. Abuelo’s won Newcity’s Best reason to avoid the long lines at Xoco award. For Best Amerindian-African food, Newcity chose Garifuna Flava, a family restaurant in Marquette Park serving food from Honduras and Belize. Nightwood, a trendy new Pilsen eatery, was the audience’s choice for Best new restaurant. For Best new bar or club, Newcity’s pick was the Shrine, Joe Russo’s African-themed venue in the South Loop, which we covered just last week. And in the only non-food-and-drink pick,  the Smart Museum’s “Heartland” exhibit won Newcity’s Best art exhibit award.

Update: The Chicago Reader’s Food Issue also came out last Thursday, and it named several South Side restaurants as Best New Restaurants of 2009, including Han 202, Nightwood, and, in an Honorable Mention, Abuelo’s Mexican Grill.