Best Places To Eat In NYC 2018
5 dishes you should go out of your way to try
Sometimes it's not just enough to add a restaurant to your bucket list—you want to know exactly what to order when you get there. These are the dishes we've tried recently and loved, and think you will, too.
Sweet Potato Bread with Burned Leaf Butter at Hemlock
I was strolling down Rivington with a friend on a warm June evening, heading to dinner at a too-hip-for-me restaurant, when the first item on the menu posted outside this pint-size LES spot caught my eye. After a few false starts ("But we're going to dinner!" "Well, we are 20 minutes ahead of schedule." "But it's just bread!"), curiosity won out. I walked in, declared "I'd like a table for two and the sweet potato bread, please," and watched with delight as we received two massive hunks of warm sourdough studded with white sweet potato. And the butter! It's spread on a plate like a welcome mat below the rolls and is speckled with flakes of burnt sweet potato leaves. (Leaves! From a potato! I think about sweet potatoes at least twice a day, but I've not once stopped to consider their foliage.) Let this be a lesson that in a world of GCal reminders and productivity apps, we could all use a bit of spontaneity. Plus, we were only eight minutes late to dinner. —Abby Reisner, Content Director
Minced Pork Rice at Ho Foods
Taiwanese beef noodle soup is the reason to visit this tiny, 10-seat East Village spot, mainly because that's essentially all they serve here. Ho Foods gives noodle slurpers some creative control, with the choice of either flat or wide noodles (go flat), and variations including "rich" and "spicy" (do both, of course). But on a recent visit, I was pleasantly surprised by the minced pork rice starter, a humble dish of braised Berkshire pork belly served atop rice that lands on the tongue with explosive complexity. Just don't forget to mix it all together first. —Michael Nolledo, Senior Editor
Brouillade at Frenchette
I perform my lazy weeknight routine of eggs for dinner way more than I'm proud to admit, but at this almost-impossible-to-get-into spot (it didn't help we showed up eight minutes late), eating eggs for dinner—more specifically, these soft scrambles with escargot and garlic butter—is a privilege and an honor. These aren't just any eggs: The pool of custardy, soft curds is stirred for 15 whole minutes before being topped with tender snails. The only thing left to do is dip a piece of crusty French bread, and, lucky for you, Frenchette's baguettes are just as good as the brouillade. —Erica Bonelli, Social Media Editor
Baby Cauliflower at Miznon
As a recent(ish) transplant to New York, I've quickly learned the first cardinal rule of the city: Avoid Chelsea Market's crowds at all cost. Two years later, I've just learned the second cardinal rule, which is to break rule number one if (and only if) you're going to Miznon to grab Eyal Shani's custard-like, olive-oil drenched, whole-roasted cauliflower that is indeed taking over the world. —Andrew Bui, Editor
Cardamom Lemon Jam Ice Cream at Morgenstern's Finest Ice Cream
When the high was 91 degrees this week, I knew braving the line that extended from inside Morgenstern's blue parlor and down the sidewalk was going to be worth it. Once inside, I forced myself to try a new flavor to top my usual burnt honey base scoop (because we can't all be daredevils) and opted for cardamom lemon jam. The James Bond-smooth vanilla base was studded with pea-size gobs of the jam and was tangy and pleasantly aromatic. Though, by the time I made it to the burnt honey part of my cone, I wished I'd just doubled up on that first flavor instead. —Aryelle Siclait, Editorial Intern
Photo: Morgernstern's NYC