My Restaurant List
Meet my favorite New Years tradition (and my famous year-end trivia game!)
Shitters! There are tons of New Years rituals swirling around this time of year—manifestation methods and vision boards, journal prompts and resolutions, goal-setting and master plans… Don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to any! But today’s letter isn’t about any of that. This is decidedly lower stakes, but it’s quickly become one of my favorite things to do ahead of a new year.
As a food and restaurant lover, I’ve always had a bunch of places “on my list.” I won’t claim to be unique there—I imagine most of you have at least an idea of a few places you’ve been wanting to try too. But at the end of last year, I decided to make a second version—a shortlist of sorts. I narrowed it down to twelve restaurants that I REALLY wanted to try with the intention of making a special point to get to them at some point in the new year ahead.
You know how it goes—we always have things we want or mean to do, but it’s easy for life to get in the way and for those things to fall by the wayside. This was meant to be the antidote to that.
Now spoiler alert, I didn’t make it to all of them. I don’t feel that bad about not making it to Polo Bar, I have (much) higher expectations for Lucali, but it’s been on the list forever so what’s another year, but missing out on Theodora is tough. I feel like I spent the whole year wanting to make it out there, but the stars just did not align! Alas—that’s what a new year is for. Another opportunity to try again!
This was my first year doing this, but definitely won’t be my last! It was a fun/ manageable way to narrow in on a few things I really wanted to do (in this case, places I wanted to try!), and make plans to actually do it. The concept doesn’t have to apply solely to restaurants—you can pick cafes, workout classes, cocktail bars, hikes, weekend trips, books you’ve been meaning to read—whatever you like! The point is simply to make it easier to actually do the things you’ve been wanting to.
As for the spots I made it to in 2025, my favorite of the year was actually I Cavallini, the new Italian spot in Williamsburg by The Four Horsemen team. It wasn’t around when this list was constructed (and almost certainly would have been on 2026’s list had a friend not gotten a reservation), but the food was divine (the focaccia, the giant Calabrian chili butter farfallone, the pork chop—that sauce, omFg, and the tiramisu were my highlights) and the company was even better! More good food with good friends in 2026!
Other highlights from the list included The Four Horsemen itself—everything was inventive, beautiful, fun, and tasty, and the vibe in there is just GOOD, Sailor brunch—I would be a regular if I lived closer, Chez Ma Tante—their pancakes are world famous, but I liked dinner/dessert even more!, Massara—I know people have mixed reviews, but I liked it a lot and it’s a much easier table now than it was a year ago, and Bemelman’s—while a run of the mill martini there will run you $30+, their jazz show is a fun way to spend a cold/rainy night, though it’s better if you’re staying at the hotel or meeting someone who is so you don’t have to wait in the horrendous line.
Other memorable meals included Osamil in Koreatown (get the Tokbokki!), Cecily in Greenpoint (RIP), Miss Ada in Fort Greene, Commerce Inn brunch ofc, and Huso in Tribeca (a splurge and a half, but if you’re in the market for a Michelin-star tasting menu, this one really delivered). And not in NYC, but I went to Tre Dita in Chicago twice this year and loved both experiences. The food is divine and it’s the perfect spot for a celebratory dinner!
If you’re in the mood for some spicy takes, my biggest let downs were Torrisi and Ci Siamo. I had a very good experience at Torrisi service-wise, and the menu has some creative nods to many of the cultures and cuisines across NYC, but it felt a bit all over the place and the food just wasn’t my favorite personally. Was it just the wrong order? I hesitate to let a Michelin-star restaurant off the hook for that—every permutation of dishes should be a hit IMO—but I would try different things if I went again. Experience-wise, the whole thing also feels a bit Vegas-coded? I know it’s on a lot of people’s lists, and I do think it’s worth a try if you’re curious, but it’s not one I’d rush to, if I’m being honest.
Ci Siamo was the Italian fare I was expecting (and the place is gorgeous!), but I didn’t like the food as much as I had hoped. My favorite thing on the table was the Caramelized Onion Torta (which is very good), but otherwise nothing else was super memorable (actually, I do remember a seafood-y pasta that was memorably bad), and they lost points for location—having to trek out to Hudson Yards for a meal that underwhelms is just not it.
Read on for my 2026 list + my famous year-end Jeopardy (perfect for your NYE in!)
Other things + year-end sales: I’ve spent the past eight days in these bralettes (their whole site is 30% off) and sweatsuits from The Great and I’m not about to stop now! I sent this tea to my parents’ house over Black Friday so now I can have my nightly chamomile here too. The mini size of this serum is my favorite for travel—it takes the place of at least two other products in my toiletry bag (retinol and vitamin C), and when you pair it with the other half of their duo (hyaluronic, peptides, and moisturizer), you can take long trips without the whole medicine cabinet. Turns out you all liked the runner I got for my entryway as much as I do! It’s officially under $150 thanks to their EOY sale—run!!! And after much ado, I’m finally breaking out this bad boy in Boca in a few days.