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Yes, we know: we take food a bit too seriously here in New York. Add to it the fact that our jobs revolve around discovering the new, the most delicious, the creative and the exciting and you've got yourself a group of people—that would be us, your trusty Time Out New York editors—that really take pride in their recommendations, especially when it comes to the culinary.
That is all to say, when tasked with listing our selections for the very best dishes we’ve had the honor of tasting throughout the past 12 months, we took our time in crafting our choices. After all, we consider the list below—a ranking of the best food we’ve had at NYC restaurants in 2024—sort of like an end-of-the-year to-do list, a compilation of dishes that have defined the city’s culinary character throughout the past few seasons.
If you're familiar with any of the mentions below, consider this your sign that you should taste the combination of ingredients once more before year's end. Haven't had the pleasure of trying out any of these dishes? Well, there's no time like the present.
As they say in Italy, buon appetito!
Crispy rice salad at Little Grenjai in Bed-Stuy
"Little Grenjai first came into my orbit with the call of Thai smash burgers via a roaming pop-up. While the pop-up moved into a permanent Bed Stuy residence late last year, the gas was finally turned on this January, allowing chef/owners Trevor Lombaer and Sutathip Aiemsaard to showcase the breadth of their Thai cookery under the guise of a diner. One such dish is the crispy rice salad. Fatty and sour fermented pork. A tangy lime dressing. And bits of crispy rice to tie it all together? It’s all I could want in a dish." —Morgan Carter, Food and Drink Editor
Bun Dau Hu Cha Gio at Di An Di in Greenpoint
“On a chilly fall day, I stumbled into Di An Di while between assignments in Greenpoint, looking for a very late lunch. I didn’t know what to expect—just that it was a Vietnamese restaurant Google promised had tofu for my vegetarian preferences. I was met with the best meal I had in NYC this year. It’s hard to get tofu just right, that perfect balance of well-seasoned, crisp all around and still silky. Di An Di nails it. The tofu pairs with pillowy noodles, fresh cucumber, an herbaceous punch, and a nice crunch from the peanut topping. A crisp spring roll perches atop the bowl, a delightful treat that elevated the whole experience.” —Rossilynne Skena Culgan, Things to do Editor
Pie crust cookie at Janie's Life Changing Baked Goods in the West Village (also Upper West Side and East Harlem)
"'Life changing' is a bold claim for a bakery to make, but Janie’s has at least changed the way I think about cookies—and I think about cookies a lot. This cozy neighborhood spot, which now has an outpost on Christopher Street to complement its East Harlem and Upper West Side locations, specializes in unique treats with a homemade feel that combine key features of pies—a flaky layer of crust at the bottom, crumbly streusel on top, delicious sweet filling between them—in the compact, caramelized form of a cookie. They come in four classic flavors (berry, apple, pecan and chocolate) plus a changing selection of special ones (such as pumpkin and s’mores). I’ll admit that I was skeptical when I first encountered these yummy little morsels, but that didn’t last long: it was love at first bite." —Adam Feldman, Chief Theater Critic
Chicken Gran Sasso at Café Carmellini in NoMad
"Café Carmellini is a special occasion restaurant that actually feels special thanks to its soaring ceilings, art deco design accents, larger-than-life indoor tree sculptures and attentive servers. The highlight of the menu is the chicken Gran Sasso, a bird-for-two that's brought out in two courses: first the white meat and then the dark. (It allows both types of meat to cook to the perfect temperature.) Both servings were delicious—and light years away from "dry"—but what put it over the top for me were the roasted potatoes served underneath the chicken soaking up all of the rich sauce from the meat above."—Will Gleason, Content Director, Americas
Dry spicy chicken rice noodles at Burp Bowl Cafe in midtown Manhattan
"Growing up with a Chinese mom who cooked us three meals a day doomed me to a life of searching for complex and comforting flavors that approximate her cooking. Nearly a year ago, as I ventured from Time Out’s office desperate for a meal with more character than a lukewarm CAVA bowl, I stumbled on a discrete, hole-in-the wall joint filled with diplomats taking their lunch breaks from the nearby UN Building. I ordered the dry spicy chicken rice noodles, packed with the perfect balance of peanut, cucumber and chili, and was teleported to childhood summers in Texas, where I took lunch in our kitchen while mom stared, since cooking was an easier means of saying she loved me than words ever were. As I enter my late twenties, I find myself searching more and more for signs of home wherever I can find them—I’m proud of the forces that shaped me—which is probably why you’ll find me at Burp Bowl every week, twice a week." —Ian Kumamoto, staff writer
The most famous Malka schnitzel at Malka on the Upper West Side and in Dumbo
"Whenever a restaurant names a dish after itself, you're going to have to try it. More often than not, unfortunately, the food and the eatery itself simply don't live up to the hype: that's not the case at Malka, the Tel Aviv import that wowed kosher palates in New York when it first debuted a year ago on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Now also operating a second location on a quiet corner in Dumbo, chef Eyal Shani proves that a name is worth a lot: the eponymous Malka schnitzel, a crispy chicken filled with golden mashed potatoes and served with a variety of tangy sauces, is the restaurant's culinary piece de resistance and an absolute must-order. The dish is delicious despite being kosher, and not because of it: which, as strictly kosher eaters know, means a whole lot." —Anna Rahmanan, Senior National News Editor
Short rib ravioli at Perrine in midtown Manhattan
"Sometimes, a little creativity goes a long way. Perrine, a French fine dining spot with an international twist, does something incredible with ravioli. I’m a sucker for dumplings of all kinds! Executive chef Michael Mignano and his team place braised short rib inside a delicate dough pocket, then smother the ravioli in Parmesan cream and sprinkle in some tender peas. When I tell you all my problems faded away when I tasted this plate, I mean it. It was both boldly flavorful and comforting—the short rib was so tender and the peas added a fresh pop of flavor to balance out the velvety cream. This was just a prelude (an appetizer) to our meal which was almost as delicious! I could’ve had five more.” —Shaye Weaver, Time Out New York Editor