The 10 Restaurants That Defined New York Dining in 2024
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We asked our contributors to the Resy Hit List to share their top dining experiences in their cities this year — to choose 10 restaurants that define the state of great dining right now. Welcome back our Best of The Hit List for 2024.
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New York seemed to just pile on the restaurant trends this year: seafood and more seafood; classic cocktails with a twist; a spotlight on Levantine cooking; a bounty of bistros and diners; more steakhouses; caviar on everything; third-culture cooking; the return of relatively affordable tasting menus; lots of sequels.
But the ones who really made a mark in 2024 took these trends and ran with them: There was pitch-perfect Penny, the embodiment of a new classic seafood bar. There was Sawa, with its reverence for Lebanese cooking, with some surprises. There was Corima, with its dual à la carte and tasting menus showcasing Northern Mexican cuisine through a modern lens.
It was a year where dining out was dominated by a longing for nostalgia, and yet also deeply personal cooking. It’s why we clamored for places like Borgo and Le Veau d’Or, but also sought out places like Bungalow and Radio Kwara. Both of those themes find themselves in the restaurants on this list; often, what separated these from others had to do with experience, and age.
With that, here’s a look at our 10 dining experiences that defined New York restaurants in 2024. Here’s to many more in the year ahead.
1. Penny East Village
Photo by Teddy Wolff, courtesy of Penny
At first glance, Penny certainly doesn’t strike you as groundbreaking. It’s a raw bar and seafood counter — emphasis on the counter part, which occupies most of its narrow space just above Chase Sinzer and Joshua Pinsky’s first critically acclaimed restaurant, Claud. But somehow, just as they did with Claud, Sinzer and Pinsky have given New Yorkers a new classic restaurant to treasure for years to come. Stuffed squid, a creamy potato salad with octopus, and confit oysters served with cream cheese and crackers have become new standards all their own. Who needs a seafood tower when you can have an “ice box” with, quite possibly, the Platonic ideal of shrimp cocktail? Of course, the wine list from Ellis Srubas-Giammanco is impeccable, but don’t overlook the Suntory on draft, and whatever you do, don’t skip the ice cream sandwich for dessert. To do all of this at a time when so many other seafood-centric spots opened this year was testament to the skill, intuition, and expertise of Sinzer, Pinsky, and their entire team. We can only wait to see what they’ve got planned next.
Photo by Teddy Wolff, courtesy of Penny
2. Bungalow East Village
In years past, London was the epicenter of Indian food outside of the country itself. But it’s ever clearer, especially this year, that New York is a contender poised to usurp that title, thanks to the work of the late chef Floyd Cardoz, chef Chintan Pandya and restaurateur Roni Mazumdar (Dhamaka and more), chef Vijay Kumar (Semma), and restaurateur Rajesh Bhardwaj (Junoon, Jazba). But Bungalow, from restaurateur Jimmy Rizvi (GupShup) and chef Vikas Khanna, was proof that the city has come not only to accept but to revere the multitude of regional cuisines in India. And Khanna proved to be a celebrity chef unlike most we’ve ever seen, blending star power with warm hospitality. Yes, his fame on the subcontinent far outpaces the celebrity of most chefs here, but his cooking thoughtfully represents India’s lesser-known regions. And the dishes stick in your memory: kebabs, crisp on the outside and filled with creamy hung yogurt inside, paired with a fermented purple cabbage puree; some of the city’s most exceptional daal. So do drinks, like the intricate Chai Pani cocktail, or wine service with a pleasantly retro tableside flourish. It’s no wonder why so many line up in droves for a chance to dine here.
3. Kisa Lower East Side
At their first restaurant, C as in Charlie, chef Eric JaeHo Choi, his brother and money manager Steve JaeWoo Choi, and best friend and operations guy David JoonWoo Yun, gave us a Southern-Korean tapas spot that played with traditions from both (think Seoul’sbury steak with gruyere grits and galbi jus). At their newest spot, however, they they circled back toward the canon of Korean staples: banchan, bulgogi, spicy pork, stir-fried squid, and vegetarian bibimbap. And yet the through line remains: Kisa is equally quirky, fun-loving, and deeply proud of its Korean roots. Dining there is a delight. First, you don’t overthink it: You’re limited to just four excellent entree choices (we’re partial to the pork and squid). Second, it’s arguably one of the best deals in town: $32 for a main course, endless refills of seasonally rotating banchan, plus soup and rice; lunch doesn’t top $20. Third, there’s the warmth of a dining room that charms with thoughtful details that nod to the restaurant’s namesake kisa sikdang: Korean taxi-driver restaurants. It’s a prime, full-circle example of the breadth and depth of Korean cooking that New York enjoys at the moment.
4. Sawa Park Slope
In a year that saw the debuts of many excellent Levantine restaurants — including Theodora and Huda — Sawa stood out. There was something about the light but expert touch to the Lebanese cooking there, combined with the light-filled dining room and expansive backyard patio; in short, Samaya Boueri Ziade and her brother, George Boueri, along with chef Soroosh Golbabae, created an elegant destination restaurant that doubles as a neighborhood spot. It’s contemporary yet deeply tied to Lebanese culinary traditions — a fitting tribute for a restaurant named for the Arabic word for “together.” That’s manifested in the hummus, with its optional wagyu beef cheeks. You also see it among meze like a refreshing gem lettuce salad sprinkled with bits of halloumi, savory rakakat cheese rolls, and octopus that’s cooked to perfection; as well as larger plates like a whole roasted fish. The freshly baked-to-order pita is made from a mix of whole wheat and white flours after a 48-hour fermentation process. Sawa is a neighborhood restaurant worth trekking to, no matter what part of the city you happen to live in.
5. Cafe Mado Prospect Heights
Photo by Chris Coe, courtesy of Cafe Mado
There was a bit of mourning when chef Nico Russell (Place des Fêtes) and his partners, director of operations Steve Wong and beverage director Piper Kristensen announced they would close their Michelin-starred Oxalis. (No need to fret; they promise to reopen Oxalis elsewhere soon.) But it was quickly replaced with Cafe Mado, which showed how restaurant talent can flex. Here’s a community space that caters to locals, ideal for grabbing items for a picnic in nearby Prospect Park, coffee and pastries in the morning, a leisurely weekday lunch, and a full spread of memorable small plates for dinner. The menus, which draw inspiration from France and Italy, change all the time, but dishes like the lion’s mane schnitzel, blackened yuba, and bone-in monkfish were of that bold, graceful sort of cooking that feels too rare in New York these days. And Kristensen’s drinks list has it all, from classic cocktails to a long list of exceptional zero-proof drinks (the Grand Fir is our personal favorite). All told, it showed how great restaurants today can manifest ambition without outgrowing neighborhood roots.
Photo by Chris Coe, courtesy of Cafe Mado
6. Kiko Hudson Square
Although it only opened in November, Kiko made a quick case for being on this list. Its third-culture ethos, expert cooking, and warm service galvanized all the ways we might reconsider the true meaning of “New American” cuisine. A big part has to do with chef Alex Chang, who infuses the menu with his personal heritage (Mexican and Chinese), his upbringing in California and Japan, and his global cooking experiences, from Mexico City (Pujol) and Los Angeles (Animal) to Miami (Paladar) and New York (Il Buco). Also because of his business partner and wife, Lina Goujjane, a seasoned sommelier and hospitality veteran (Sushi Noz, Majordomo) with a similarly global résumé. Together, they’ve built an inviting, lovely spot, with a beautiful menu that transforms and plays with familiar dishes. Start with Dungeness crab hand rolls with sushi rice and spicy crab fat mayonnaise, followed by the tahini-laced chicory and red cabbage salad. Mains like the roast duck served with a nabe of hand-torn noodles or the Maine lobster crispy rice with a Thai red curry sauce further prove the point.
7. Borgo Flatiron
More than two decades after restaurateur Andrew Tarlow forever changed the Brooklyn dining scene with Diner, followed by a slew of hits that include Roman’s, Marlow and Sons, and Achilles Heel, he’s now crossed the river into Manhattan. The result, Borgo, is a fitting testament to Tarlow’s oft-imitated style of hospitality and detailed commitment to craftsmanship — but here he reflects how Brooklyn has grown up. Everything is on a slightly grander scale, cozy wood-burning fireplace included. The food aims to comfort, and succeeds, from the fluffiest focaccia and creamy fava puree to savory beef heart spiedini offset with a Thomcord grape sauce. Don’t overlook the bagna cauda-style radishes and turnips, ravioli stuffed with hen of the woods and sunchokes, or the roasted leg of lamb. And to further prove the point, Tarlow’s longtime wine director, Lee Campbell, has returned to guide a stellar list. This is the culinary pioneering of the early 2000s come full circle.
8. Corima Chinatown
Mexican food in New York has seen an incredible evolution within the last decade, and Corima, from Contra alum Fidel Caballero, is a standout amid a generation of Mexican chefs pushing their cuisine and culture into uncharted territory. Corima is both thoroughly modern and very much Mexican in its roots, but its true strengths lie in Caballero’s ability to draw from so many different influences, especially Japan, and meld them beautifully with the cuisine of Northern Mexico, having spent most of his childhood between El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez. A duo of menus — à la carte and a tasting format — satisfy all manner of occasions and moods. Either way, the thing not to leave without is an order of the fresh, housemade flour tortillas — the perfect vehicle to accompany many dishes, also perfect when devoured with nothing more than the accompanying richly spiced recado negro butter. Pro tip: If you opt for the tasting, spring for the optional quesadilla just before dessert; you won’t regret it, we promise.
9. Radio Kwara Clinton Hill
When chef Ayo Balogun’s Dept. of Culture opened in 2022, it received critical acclaim for his deeply personal take on the food he grew up eating and cooking in the Nigerian state of Kwara. In 2023, he followed it up with Radio Kwara, which he describes as Dept. of Culture’s “Nigerian American cousin.” It’s been a sleeper hit ever since. But it’s also perhaps the bolder restaurant, in its ability to take the threads of Dept. of Culture and sew them into the community in a very third-culture way. Which is to say, it feels right at home just a few doors down from Speedy Romeo, but here you’ll find some of the city’s most satisfying dishes, from buttery, thick slices of toast topped with red pepper sauce and sautéed oyster mushrooms to a warming bowl of goat meat pepper soup with a generous twirl of angel hair noodles. The moi moi, a steamed bean pudding/dumpling served atop a savory spread of red pepper and mackerel is the kind of comfort food that makes you feel like Nigerian cooking was always meant to be a part of New York.
10. Le Veau d’Or Lenox Hill
Photo by Gentl + Hyers, courtesy of Le Veau d’Or
Nostalgia remained a powerful lure this year, but so did the hunt for something new. The reborn Le Veau d’Or satisfied both perfectly. Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson’s (Frenchette, Le Rock) long-awaited rebirth of the city’s oldest French bistro was everything you’d want it to be. Continuing the city’s long-held love affair with French food, it captured a certain timeless charm, including more than a few time-honored dishes that have largely shifted to past tense — including a pâté en croûte; fricassée chicken made with vin jaune; and an île flottante. (!!) These all come as part of a $125 prix fixe that extends to more than 30 dishes. Where the tweaks to tradition showed up most? The drinks, including a martini that generated its own weather, a list of low-intervention wines, and a digestive Trou Normand shot before dessert. It all gave us just enough nostalgia, without living in the past.
Photo by Gentl + Hyers, courtesy of Le Veau d’Or
