clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

The 38 Essential New York Restaurants, January '11

View as Map

It's time to update the Eater 38, your answer and ours to any question that begins, “Can you recommend a restaurant?” This highly elite group covers the entire city, spans myriad cuisines, and collectively satisfies all of your restaurant needs, save for those occasions when you absolutely must spend half a paycheck. Every couple of months, we'll be adding pertinent restaurants that were omitted, have newly become eligible (restaurants must be open at least six months), or have stepped up their game.

This time around, after much reflecting and poring over reader emails and comments, we're switching out L&B Spumoni Gardens (it made a brief appearance during summer, and is still an area icon, but is no longer 38 material), Diner (off its game), and Convivio (it will have to earn its spot back in a post-White era). In their places go Franny's, a long clamored for addition, Rye, an excellent restaurant and cocktail haven for Williamsburg, and Balaboosta, as we've been slowly falling for what Einat Admony has been putting out at for the past nine months.

For those of you readying the pitchforks because your favorite restaurant isn't on the list, wouldn't it just be more productive to nominate it for inclusion? State your cases for (or against) restaurants in the comments or in the tipline.

Additions and Subtractions:
· November, 2009: 15 East dropped, Casa Mono added
· January, 2010: Little Giant, Nougatine, and Co. dropped; Prune, Marea, and Aldea added
· March, 2010: Barbuto and Sapori D'Ischia dropped; Joseph Leonard and Minangasli added
· July, 2010: Ippudo, Prune, and Vinegar Hill House dropped; Yakitori Totto, L&B Spumoni Gardens, and Bar Boulud added
· October, 2010: Frankies 457, Peasant, and Marea dropped; Prime Meats, Torrisi Italian Specialties, and Salumeria Rosi added

Read More

Locanda Verde

Copy Link

Blaue Gans

Copy Link

Oriental Garden Restaurant

Copy Link

Torrisi Italian Specialties

Copy Link

Balaboosta

Copy Link

Balthazar

Copy Link

Raoul's Restaurant

Copy Link

Blue Ribbon Brasserie

Copy Link

Momofuku Ssam Bar

Copy Link

Minetta Tavern

Copy Link

Spotted Pig

Copy Link

Joseph Leonard

Copy Link

Little Owl

Copy Link

Strip House New York

Copy Link

Casa Mono

Copy Link

Socarrat Paella Bar

Copy Link

Gramercy Tavern

Copy Link

Esca Restaurant

Copy Link

Sushi Yasuda

Copy Link

Salumeria Rosi Parmacotto

Copy Link

Yakitori Totto

Copy Link

Chin Chin

Copy Link

Le Bilboquet

Copy Link

JG Melon Restaurant

Copy Link

Maz Mezcal Mexican Restaurant

Copy Link

Bar Boulud

Copy Link

Gennaro Restaurant

Copy Link

Dinosaur Barbecue

Copy Link

Roberta's

Copy Link

Fette Sau

Copy Link

Prime Meats

Copy Link

Al Di La

Copy Link

Franny's

Copy Link

Sripraphai Thai Restaurant

Copy Link

Minangasli

Copy Link

Loading comments...

Locanda Verde

Blaue Gans

Oriental Garden Restaurant

Torrisi Italian Specialties

Balaboosta

Balthazar

Raoul's Restaurant

Blue Ribbon Brasserie

Lupa

Momofuku Ssam Bar

Minetta Tavern

Spotted Pig

Joseph Leonard