10 BEST RESTAURANTS OF THE DECADE (2010’s)

When I was a kid, I used to write about movies obsessively. Taking a cue from Siskel & Ebert, I would count down my favorite movies of each year and then when the 1990’s ended, I made a list for the decade. If I had enough movie knowledge, I probably should have made a list for the century.

Well, I have been documenting the New York food scene for well over ten years now and once again, we recently graduated into a brand new decade. I’ve eaten a lot, learned a lot, lessened my wallet a bit, and loosened by belt by a few notches.

So to go along with my annual Top 100 Dishes of the Year list, I have put together my list of My Ten Best Restaurants from the last decade. Sadly a few of these businesses have since closed but they all originally opened between 2010-2019.

NUMBER 10: SUPERIORITY BURGER

Vegan food might have been my favorite trend this decade. Hopefully it’s not a trend as I believe we should all be curbing our meat consumption. And places like Superiority Burger are helping make that idea more attractive. Superiority Burger is a tiny little fast food shop where pastry chef Brooks Headley (previously of Del Posto) is doing some really big things with non-meat products.

Must Try Dishes:

New Creation (Griddled Yuba)

Burnt Broccoli Salad

Tofu Fried Tofu (available as a special)

Gelato & Sorbet

NUMBER 9: A TASTE OF PERSIA

SADLY, A TASTE OF PERSIA IS NOW CLOSED.

The saddest restaurant news of 2020 so far was the closing of A Taste of Persia. This was a stand inside a generic pizzeria on a less trafficked street. But those that discovered A Taste of Persia were truly transported somewhere. And the reason was Saeed Pourkay and his masterful homey recipes. Whether you were born in Iran or have never heard the term “fesenjan”, Saeed’s food would wow you.

Since I put this list together, it was announced that A Taste of Persia would close at the end of January. Since then poor Saeed has seemingly been taken advantage of by the new owners of the pizzeria who opened a copycat business called “Tasty Persia”. This is not Saeed’s business. The copycat has since closed, but there is a GoFundMe campaign to help Saeed find a new location for Taste of Persia. I urge you to donate what you can. When you try his food, you’ll understand that it will be worth it.

Must Try Dishes:

Ash Reshteh

Kashk Bademjan

Fesenjan

Lamb Abgoosht

NUMBER 8: ST. ANSELM

Just a few blocks away from the legendary Peter Luger, a new kind of steakhouse appeared and garnered a totally different audience. St. Anselm opened in the height of Williamsburg’s hipster takeover. The cool factor has maybe calmed a bit but the restaurant is still going strong. With a focus on grilling, St. Anselm offers a more affordable and casual approach to the steakhouse experience (their incredible Butcher Steak costs $28) with other chef-driven and seasonal grilled dishes.

Must Try Dishes:

Butchers Steak

Three Different Eggplants

Grilled Sardines

Pan Fried Mashed Potatoes

NUMBER 7: DON ANGIE

Funny, I’ve only been to Don Angie once but it has become my latest obsession. When someone asks me for a dinner recommendation in the city (especially for Italian food), I immediately tell them to go to Don Angie. The young but experienced chefs have reinvented the wheel when it comes to Italian food, but still stay true to traditions. The food is playful, complicated, and incredibly delicious. Again, I only tried three things but they each managed to top each other. Can’t wait to go back for more surprises.

Must Try Dishes:

Buffalo Milk Caramelle

Fior di Latte Mochi

Chrysanthemum Salad

NUMBER 6: TRAIF

At the beginning of the decade if you asked me my favorite restaurant, I probably would have said Traif. It was one of the more exciting new Brooklyn restaurants at the time and the simplicity of the dishes have left a lasting impression on me. The name means unkosher and is a bit of a cheeky (or controversial) thing to call a restaurant that sits a few blocks away from the very religious Jewish community in Williamsburg. Mostly because it would be very hard to resist those bacon doughnuts.

Must Try Dishes:

Strawberry Cinnamon Ribs

BBQ Short Rib Sliders

Bacon Doughnuts

NUMBER 5: LOS TACOS NO. 1

Los Tacos No. 1 isn’t a restaurant per se. In fact they don’t have any seats. The original location is just a stand in Chelsea Market and since then they have opened two more locations (a third one is coming soon). They have become a bit of a phenomenon with lines at just about every hour of the day. But there is a reason for all that.

They have perfected and not messed with the taco. Leap years away from places like Chipotle, they stay traditional serving blistered cactus and shaving their pork off a rotating spit with pineapple juice dripping down onto the meat. I also applaud their slow and careful expansion unlike many other local chains that have lost their soul very quickly. Los Tacos No. 1 is staying true to themselves and their tacos.

Must Try Dishes:

Especial Adobada

California Breakfast Burrito (from their breakfast cart El Donkey)

Adobada Taco

Nopal Taco

NUMBER 4: CROWN SHY

Crown Shy is the newest restaurant on this list. It opened in early 2019, but it’s going to be a major player in the restaurant industry for years to come. It is run by two NYC restaurant vets who have worked at both the Nomad and Del Posto. It’s also in one of the most unlikely areas. Not only is it in the somewhat restaurant desert of the Financial District but it is hidden inside one of the Art Deco office buildings. Finding it is part of the charm, but the classy dining room is also less stuffy than you’d imagine and the food is well-priced, unique and out of this world delicious.

Must Try Dishes:

Roasted Short Ribs

Charred Carrots

Fried Cauliflower

Table Bread

NUMBER 3: OIJI

Whenever people are looking for a wow dinner recommendation after the Cocktail tour I lead in the East Village, I almost always suggest Oiji. It’s singular in its refined but casual ambiance in this neighborhood. It feels like a neighborhood hang but also a place for a special occasion. I’ve never tasted Korean dishes as luxurious, complex, and surprising as this. Even though you can now find honey butter chips all over the city, this was the first place to put them on the map in NYC and they get props for that and so much more.

Must Try Dishes:

Honey Butter Chips

Truffle Seafood Broth

“Jang-Jo-Rim”

Oxtail

NUMBER 2: BROA

SADLY, BROA IS NOW CLOSED.

If Broa was in New York, I would be writing about it all the time. It’s in Jersey City, which is just over the river from Manhattan and it also happens to be where I live. Broa is on the same main intersection as Razza, which Pete Wells from the Times called “the best pizza in New York“. So I’m tempted to call this the best restaurant in New York. It’s pretty close.

Broa is as charming as it gets. It feels like you are in the living room of chef and owner Michael Casalinho where he decides which classic Portuguese dishes he is going to offer that night. The menu is on the blackboard, the vibe is cozy and comfortable, the wine menu is whatever you bring yourself, and the food is the most authentic and delicious I’ve had outside of the Iberian peninsula. You owe it to yourself to hop on the PATH train from Manhattan and discover this unsung secret gem. No passport required.

Must Try Dishes:

Pastel de Nata

Frade (Black-eyed Pea) Salad

Camarão au Alho (Shrimp with Garlic)

Choriço a Bambiero (Flaming Sausage)

Alheira (Chicken/Pork Sausage)

NUMBER 1: HOMETOWN

It’s strange to say this about your favorite food establishment of the decade, but I am glad I don’t live close to Hometown. When they opened in 2013, New York’s barbecue scene was decent, but Billy Durney put it way over the edge. With the honky tonk set-up, casual family friendly vibes, and deeply smoked tender meat, Hometown was probably the place that wowed me the most this decade. And still does every time I visit.

While Hometown is far from fancy, it is a chef driven establishment the gives as much love and care to its dishes as anything you’d find at a four star restaurant. I have no qualms in saying this is the Best BBQ in the Northeast and one of the best in the country.

Must Try Dishes:

Pastrami Bacon

Beef Rib

Turkey

Jamaican Jerk Baby Back Ribs

Lamb Belly

Texas-Style Queso Mac + Cheese