This could go down as the year when chefs finally embraced California cuisine.

That may seem like a strange thing to say since Alice Waters led the "local and seasonal" charge decades ago, but even the queen of California cuisine never embraced the title. Chez Panisse started as a French place, then began to refer to itself as Mediterranean. However, this year even that changed; it now calls itself Northern California/Mediterranean.

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Even as the farm-to-table movement swept the Bay Area -- and then the nation -- chefs were reluctant to use the "C" word. Now that's changing and the term is gaining a newfound respect. At least five other restaurants returning to the Top 100 this year have switched their allegiance from American to Californian: Solbar, Bar Agricole, Canteen, Gary Danko and Manresa.

Wondering why, I e-mailed David Kinch, the chef-owner of the four-star Manresa in Los Gatos. He said that for years he struggled with the term and thought of himself as an American chef, but over the years the food has become more focused and local.

"It has become apparent that there is a generational shift in California Cuisine, all this young talent around us, happily doing their own thing," he wrote in an e-mail.

"NorCal is finally getting its due. We are maturing as a regional cuisine, a great one, no less. And it's going to get even better. I think because of this we are not afraid of that hazy label of California Cuisine any more. Folks now have a grasp of what one says when they describe themselves as California."

You could also say that this year high-end restaurants like Manresa are back in fashion. Prices of the increasingly popular fixed-price menus are rising, whether it's the 17-course for $180 at Benu, $198 for 10 courses at Saison or $225 for eight to nine courses at the Restaurant at Meadowood in St. Helena.

A few years ago it seemed that these involved menus were on life support, but younger chefs are embracing them, even in casual surroundings such as Commonwealth and Sons & Daughters.

Food is at the core of who we are. Restaurants are one of San Francisco's main attractions, drawing people not only from around the Bay Area, but from around the world. A recent travel industry report revealed that most visitors surveyed mention food as a major reason for their visit.

Yet, it's natural that dining out would become enmeshed in politics. The passive-aggressive protests continue to show up on some San Francisco menus in the form of surcharges added to the check, generally 3 to 4 percent on the entire bill. The reason: Businesses have more taxes and fees than in other cities in the Bay Area and beyond, plus the highest minimum wage with no tip-credit relief on payroll taxes.

San Francisco has the highest minimum wage in the country. Restaurants are required to pay into a city-run insurance plan so every employee is covered; and there's no tip-credit relief from payroll taxes. That makes the cost of doing business here among the highest, if not the highest, in the country.

But, then again, restaurants are one of San Francisco's main attractions, drawing people not only from around the Bay Area, but from around the world. A recent travel industry report revealed that most visitors surveyed mention food as a major reason for their visit.

Since the surcharge adds to the bottom-line price of dining out, I've indicated which restaurants add the charges, and how much they add. This may continue to evolve over the next year. In the past few months, La Folie, Marlowe, Park Tavern and other restaurants have jettisoned the charges and compensated by raising menu prices slightly. Others no doubt will follow.

In other political news: Foie gras protests continue as the July ban approaches. A few years after the California law was passed in 2003, many restaurants removed foie gras from the menu; in the last few months it's reappeared on dozens of menus all over the Bay Area. Many restaurants are taking on the issue more aggressively by hosting special foie gras dinners, which often attract a gaggle of protesters.

As far as openings, it was an average year, but the quality was high. Notable debuts included Park Tavern, AQ, Nojo and State Bird Provisions.

There are 15 new restaurants on this year's Top 100 list; last year there were 26. Actually, there are 17 -- I've cheated a little by folding the new Ragazza into the same listing as its sibling, Gialina, since the menus are very similar; and I incorporated Bar Terra into the listing with its big sister Terra since they share a space.

The list, which I've compiled for 17 years, continues to change and evolve, in print and online. Throughout the year I will update the list on SFGate.com, adding places that will probably make an appearance next year, and pointing out changes to current restaurants.

And as always, I look forward to your feedback and comments.

Michael Bauer is The San Francisco Chronicle's restaurant critic. Find his blog daily at insidescoopsf.com, and go to www.sfgate.com/food to read his previous reviews. Twitter: @michaelbauer1. email: mbauer@sfchronicle.com