Savory Gets High Honor from Zagat

Malibu is best-known for its miles of unspoiled beaches, massively gorgeous homes overlooking the ocean and a selection of elegantly scrumptious restaurants, but one is about to set itself apart from the pack. If you haven't yet, please meet , named by Zagat as "Top Newcomer for 2012."

"It feels like a real accomplishment to be recognized by them," owner and executive chef Paul Shoemaker said. "I'm really proud of the staff and our team. It's wonderful to be noticed for doing what we love doing—living off the land, cooking simple food and feeding people."

Shoemaker and his staff recently received the Zagat award at Wolfgang Puck's WP24 during a gala event that celebrated the top restaurants in the Los Angeles area.

Savory opened just over a year ago in Malibu's , adhering to a mandate of sourcing directly from the beachside town's fertile lands.

"We don't work with anything that's outsourced—not that Italian truffles aren't great, but it’s not what we're about," Shoemaker said. "It's very different and special out here. Both the community and our restaurant are taking a stance by sustaining off our own land. We don't plant gardens; we work with what's growing naturally right now. Our watercress comes from local creeks, our walnuts from wild walnut trees in the area, our chanterelles are local … it's beyond organic. It’s wild and sustainable."