Chef Eric Tran took over this longstanding Bushwick restaurant during the pandemic and replaced its menu with an array of seasonal dishes that nod to Mexico and Vietnam, inspired by his heritage and a recent stint at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Although the a la carte menu might catch your eye, the dac biet section, Tran’s version of a tasting menu, is what the new restaurant has come to be known for.

This Bushwick newcomer has pulled off a rare hat trick by operating a cafe, a taqueria, and a “micro tortilleria” all under one roof. Its tortillas, made solely from imported heirloom grains, can be purchased from a small retail area at the front of the shop or ordered in taco form from a restaurant and bar in the back.

Operating out of a former tailor shop built in 1914, this Bushwick restaurant flies way under the radar. Otis may be overshadowed by its newer sibling Nura in Greenpoint, but its globe-trotting menu that pulls from India, Italy, and South America is a sleeper hit. Delicata squash with coconut chile, mussels with a chorizo broth, and chicken thighs with a pomegranate glaze make up the menu.

Bunna Cafe was started by Sam Saverance and Liyuw Ayalew as a pop-up to highlight the importance of coffee (bunna) in Ethiopian cuisine and culture through elaborate coffee ceremonies. It has since become a permanent fixture of the vegan food scene in the neighborhood. Perfect for sharing, the main attraction is the beyaynetu, a feast of injera and stewed side dishes that can be eaten solo or portioned for larger groups.

Ali Saboor, who worked at Sofreh in Prospect Heights, opened Eyval, a younger Brooklyn option for Iranian food last year. It was a sibling to his neighboring bakery, Sofreh Cafe, which has since closed, but Eyval continues on with its live-fire cooking. Find mushroom borani, lamb ribs with a tamarind glaze, and chicken kebab. Don’t skip dessert, which has included items like a saffron ice cream sandwich in the past.

With so much change in this neighborhood, Tina’s Place is still holding on after serving Bushwick for 80 years. The diner is a favorite among locals, and it’s one of the most affordable options on this list, serving classics like pancakes, sausage and egg plates, and diner coffee. The restaurant opens daily at 6 a.m.

It’s no secret that Bushwick is home to some of the city’s best taco spots, but Taqueria Al Pastor is a contender for the top slot. As the name suggests, the name of the game is the al pastor with succulent slices of pork and juicy, tart bites of pineapple. Order it in taco form, or atop a gringa (two corn or flour tortillas with melted cheese in between) or volcan (a crisp tortilla with griddled cheese).

This Caribbean American restaurant strives to be the type of place where customers can hang out for hours. Every dish is generously portioned for its price: Don’t sleep on the jerk chicken platter with sweet plantains, oxtail dumplings, and the duck confit mofongo.

Santa Ana has been serving up tacos in its bodega-slash-taqueria since it opened in the early aughts. Eater critic Robert Sietsema recommends the taco arabes with chipotle sauce and guacamole, or the namesake Santanero Burrito, which features sauces made to look like the flag of Mexicos. Dishes here are best consumed on-site with a Jarritos or Tecate from the fridge.

Former Jean-Georges cook Andrés Tonatiuh Galindo Maria opened Nene’s Deli Taqueria in honor of his family in Puebla. He serves up Mexican classics like a pork mulita alongside Los Angeles inventions like birria ramen. The birria, a meat stew made with guajillo chile and garlic, comes topped with onion, cheese, and cilantro and is served on homemade tortillas. These juicy tacos have quickly become the talk of the neighborhood and have inspired a legion of local imitators.

Mao Mao is unlike any other Thai restaurant in New York City. Husband-and-wife owners Jugkrwut Borin and chef Arada Moonroj modeled this bi-level space on some of the most storied movie theaters in Thailand such as the Siam Theatre in Bangkok. Patrons descend a winding staircase for a taste of what the couple describes as “cinema and drinking” food. There are small paper plates of beef larb, Laotian-style papaya salad, and other classic Thai snacks made for pairing with beers, cocktails, and a dozen or so varieties of ya dong, a traditional Thai medicinal libation that’s concocted by Borin.