A more recent version of this list has been published. You can find it and all previous editions of this list at:
Every time I test a new restaurant - and I anonymously visit hundreds every year - I’m hoping it will be good enough to land a spot on this list. It’s thrilling when that happens, but also a little bittersweet. If I add seven new loves, as is the case this time around, then I have to give the axe to seven former flames.
In most cases, we’ve just grown apart. Restaurants that haven’t been revisited recently, within the last two years, are most in danger of being replaced by something new. But I sometimes come back to them and fall in love all over again (Reyna).
These return visits compliment our research into new openings and keep this list from being dominated by fleeting trends. I think it’s important to include classic joints, but also to keep tabs on them over time. Restaurants go through phases, and I don’t want you wasting your time on something that seems to be going through a rough patch (L’Assiette). And I want to sound the trumpets when an old standby has a new chef and new energy (Quedubon).
Within each category (type of cuisine), our picks are organized by date - the most recent visits are first. You’ll find the date of my most recent visit under every photo. We’ve included only a short description for each restaurant, but you can click to read our full reviews. We’ll be rolling out full reviews for our new additions in the coming month, and we’ll be adding details about summer holiday closures next week.
Please continue to tell us in the comments (or in reply to this newsletter) what you’ve tried and loved, or what failed to hit the mark. We really do listen! And check out our archives to see past editions of this list, which we update quarterly.