Last month, I shared my favorite reads from the first half of 2024, and now it’s time to chat about the food! This post is a bit different from my previous ones, but I hope you enjoy this little food round-up.
According to my Beli app (the spot where I log all of my restaurant visits and reviews), I’ve visited 50 new restaurants so far in 2024, which seems insanely high, but that’s counting every restaurant, coffee shop, café, etc. And since I moved back into Manhattan last summer, I’ve been making a concerted effort to try as many new spots around the city as I can. I’m often overwhelmed by how many incredible restaurants there are in New York (and the sad acknowledgment that I will never be able to try them all!).
While I love sourcing restaurant recs on Instagram or from friends, I’m particularly proud when I stumble across a hidden gem on Google Maps or during my own online research. These spots might not be the “trendiest” or going viral on TikTok, but these are the dishes and drinks I can’t stop thinking about. I’m exposing myself, but sometimes I’ll pull up these pictures just to remember how good the meals were!
What were your favorite foods from the first half of 2024? Have you been trying new spots or sticking with tried-and-true classics?
Watermelon carpaccio at Plado Tasting Bar
I’ve never seen watermelon sliced so thinly!! And topped with goat cheese and paprika dressing?! Summer on a plate, I’m telling you.
Bubble tea bucket at Möge Tee
If there’s one thing I didn’t think I needed in my life, it’s a 32-oz bucket of bubble tea, but I can now confirm that yes, you also need it in your life.
Japanese boudin balls at KJUN
Boudin balls are typically made with rice, but this version, filled with glass noodles and served with a Korean anchovy aioli, perfectly captures KJUN’s fun (and delicious) fusion approach.
Ssamjang at Gen Korean BBQ
Yes, I know the focus is really on the meat at a Korean BBQ place, but I could not stop putting this spicy sauce on everything I put in my mouth.
Pipette Ragu at Forma Pasta Factory
After waiting 45+ minutes for this pasta, I had high expectations, but it somehow tasted even better knowing that it was also only $13.
Sweet Cambo Crispy Chicken Bake at Whisk & Whiskey
I didn’t know about this dish before I visited, but now I don’t know how I lived without this savory fried bread (which tastes like a country biscuit crossed with an arepa).
Käsespätzle at Heidelberg Restaurant
Yes, it’s just cheesy pasta topped with bacon, but the perfect cozy German vibes of this restaurant made this dish even more special.
Banana bread at Two Hands
I won’t even lie: I ordered this bread knowing that it would look good in my pictures for Bookstagram, and luckily it tasted just as good as it looked.
Cocktails at 67 Orange Street
I might go as far as to say that this local spot serves some of my favorite cocktails in the city, and I love their rum-forward cocktails in particular.
Wishing you all the five-star reads (and incredible food),
Katherine