Takeaways, Surprises, and Slights From the NYT ‘100 Best Restaurants’ List

Critic Pete Wells released his 100 Best Restaurants in New York City today for the New York Times, capturing the attention of just about everyone who cares about places to eat in New York. It’s the second year that he has compiled the list — and there are lots of takeaways.

Kicking things off: It’s also the second year that Tatiana is number one. Late last year, Eater asked if the hype train can keep on running at Kwame Onwuachi’s groundbreaking restaurant: Turns out, the answer is yes.

“You might as well learn Icelandic while you’re at it, because you’re going to be waiting a while,” Wells says of trying to get a table at the restaurant. He also points out that people’s handwringing over reservations for any restaurant but here may be a bit overblown, as “Tatiana remains among the very few places in town where reservations are truly hard to come by.”

Blanca, open since January, made the number two slot: The Bushwick tasting menu restaurant reopened by the Roberta’s crew is now helmed by Victoria Blamey: The talented chef has been a favorite of Pete Wells, who deemed her first solo restaurant, the now closed Mena, a critic’s pick. Before that, he awarded three stars to Gotham while she was head chef.

Among surprises, the restaurant from a Noma co-founder, Mads Refslund’s head-turning Ilis in Greenpoint, didn’t make the list. In addition, Wells did not include the well-regarded Raf’s from Mary Attea, pastry chef Camari Mick, Jennifer Vitagliano, and Nicole Vitagliano. He also dropped the team’s Michelin-starred Musket Room. On the heels of the sudden closing of respected newcomer, Mischa, Wells didn’t include Alex Stupak’s Empellon, which made the list last year. And while there are plenty of super casual restaurants to make the cut, Wells decided to name only one pizzeria — Anthony Mangieri’s Una Pizza Napoletana — and exactly zero New York-style pizzerias. Wells also did not include Scarr’s Pizza from Scarr Pimentel, despite its new location and long lines, though it made last year’s list.

Here are a few more takeaways from the Times’s 100 Best Restaurants picks, by the numbers. (Wells noted that he revisited all the restaurants on this list in the past 12 months except for La Piraña Lechonera and Queens Night Market).

• New restaurants: 21. Not all of them have opened within the year: #2 Blanca (2024), #8 Superiority Burger (2023), #13 Ci Siamo (2021), #18 Trinciti Roti Shop (2010); #24 Cafe Carmellini (2023), #25 Sailor (2023, #30 Atoboy (2016), #40 Okdongsik (2023), #46 Clover Hill (2019), #50 Shaw-naé’s House (2021), #53 Foul Witch (2023), #72 Hainanese Chicken House (2023), #77 Oiji Mi (2022), #81 Foxface Natural (2023), #84 Hakka Cuisine (2022), #87 Hav & Mar (2022), #88 Eulalie (2023), #89 Hamburger America (2023), #90 Laghman Express (2023), #93 Vendors at Junction Boulevard (various), #95 Hyderabadi Zaiqa (2023)
• Brooklyn spots: 18. #2 Blanca, #17 Four Horseman, #25 Sailor, #26 Eyval, #41 Misi, #44 Forever Jerk, #46 Clover Hill, #48 Gage & Tollner, #60 Village Cafe, #61 Aska, #65 Falafel Tanami, #67 Le Crocodile, #72 Hainanese Chicken House, #74 Ayat, #76 Llama Inn, #90 Laghman Express,#99 Ewe’s Delicious Treats, #100 Randazzo’s Clam Bar
• Queens spots: 14. #18 Trinciti Roti Shop, #23 Queens Night Market, #29 Zaab Zaab, #49 Don Peppe, #68 Chongqing Lao Zao, #69 Abu Qir Seafood, #70 Birria-Landia, #79 Mariscos El Submarino, #80 Temple Canteen, #83 M Wells, #91 Mapo Korean BBQ, #93 Vendors at Junction Boulevard, #96 Caleta 111, #97 Zum Stammtisch
• Bronx spots: 3. #6 La Piraña Lechonera, #86 188 Bakery Cuchifritos, #92 Cka Ka Qellu
• Staten Island spots: 2. #50 Shaw-naé’s House, #98 Lakruwana
• Manhattan spots: 63.
• Michelin-starred restaurants: Of the 102 New York Michelin-starred restaurants on the list, 20 made the New York Times list. They include: #3 Le Bernardin (3 stars), #4 Atomix (2 stars), #47 Aquavit (2 stars), #35 Daniel (2 stars), #19 Jean-Georges (2 stars), #61 Aska (2 stars), and the following one-star restaurants: #21 Casa Mono and Bar Jamon, #46 Clover Hill,#75 Dirt Candy, #11 Estela, #17 Four Horsemen, #33 Gramercy Tavern, #16 Jeju Noodle Bar, #28 Le Coucou, #77 Oiji Mi, #39 Rezdora, #7 Semma, #32 Shion 69 Leonard, #10 Torrisi, #9 Yoshino.
• Pizzerias: 1. Anthony Mangieri’s Neapolitan-style #12 Una Pizza Napoletana is the lone pizzeria this year; Scarr’s made last year’s list and was dropped in 2024. No New York-style pizzerias made the list.
• Bagels, deli items, and such: 2. #73 Mark’s Off Madison and #66 Barney Greengrass
• Mexican: 2. #70 Birria-Landia in Jackson Heights and #79 Mariscos El Submarino, also in Jackson Heights. Taqueria Ramirez in Greenpoint was dropped this year, though meanwhile, the team is plotting an East Village expansion.
• Chinese: 5. #15 CheLi, #36 Szechuan Mountain House, #59 Great NY Noodletown, #68 Chonging Lao Zao, #84 Hakka Cuisine
• Vegetarian: 3. #8 Superiority Burger, #14 AbcV, #75 Dirt Candy
• Japanese: 4. #9 Yoshino, #22 Kono, #32 Shion 69 Leonard, #45 Raku
• Indian: 4. #7 Semma, #54 Dhamaka, #80 Temple Canteen, #95 Hyderabadi Zaiqa
• Korean: 7. #4 Atomix, #16 Jeju Noodle Bar, #30 Atoboy, #40 Okdongsik, #52 Yoon Haeundae Galbi, #77 Oiji Mi, #91 Mapo Korean BBQ
• Italian: 9. #5 Via Carota, #10 Torrisi, #13 Ci Siamo, #34 I Sodi, #39 Rezdora, #41 Misi, #49 Don Peppe, #64 Lodi, #100 Randazzo’s Clam Bar
• Vietnamese: 1. #20 Mam
• Thai: 1. #29 Zaab Zaab
• Restaurant groups with more than one place on the list: 10. Major Food Group (#55 The Grill, #10 Torrisi); Rita Sodi and Jody Williams (#34 I Sodi, #5 Via Carota); Unapologetic Foods (#7 Semma, Dhamaka); Jean-Georges Vongerichten (#19 Jean-Georges, #14 AbcV); Ignacio Mattos (#11 Estela, #64 Lodi); Danny Meyer (#13 Ci Siamo, #33 Gramercy Tavern); Hand Hospitality (#30 Atoboy, #40 Okdongsik); Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr (#42 Frenchette, #58 Le Rock); Roberta’s team (#2 Blanca, #53 Foul Witch); Chinese sibling restaurants, #15 CheLi, #36 Szechuan Mountain House.