With a nod to my friend Elliot, who nudged me to do this, I’m sharing some of the best bites I ate in 2021 in New York City.

In no particular order, here are some favorite dishes that I enjoyed in 2021 with each linking to the original restaurant writeup.

Best Bites:

Bice Cucina, Soho’s poached and thinly sliced octopus carpaccio.

Tagmo’s crispy tapioca fritters ($15 for three) layered with a spicy, green-hued mint and peanut chutney.

Altesi downtown’s ravioli filled with porcini mushroom in black truffle puree ($23).


Angelina’s signature pastry the “Mont-Blanc,” meringue topped with lightly whipped cream then chestnut cream vermicelli ($11).

Casa Mono’s confit of goat with an avocado cream sprinkled with Sicilian pistachios ($25).

Silver Apricot’s watermelon ($15) and pineapple salad with salted kohlrabi in a black sesame and plum powder (Li hing mui) sauce.

Via Carota’s stracci pasta tossed with their rich pesto.

 

Dame’s dilled cucumber and mussels in a garlicky sauce ($17).

 

Periyali’s wine-marinated char-grilled octopus ($18 app, $34 entree).

 

Sona’s puff pastry bowl filled with potatoes, lentils and mung beans then topped with an assortment of chutneys and yogurt (dahi kachori, $16).

Dagon’s addictive kubaneh ($12), a traditional Yemenite bread similar to monkey bread but not sweet. 

Kimika’s fried dough quarters served with oozing burrata and a bowl of marinated tomatoes.
Nick’s vaudouvan cauliflower, topped with sliced peppers, chopped pistachios and Castelvetrano olives in a pool of labneh and preserved lemon ($14).

Estiatorio Milos tower of lightly fried zucchini and eggplant layered with tzatziki and accompanied by kefalograviera cheese (large $31).

Rezdora’s prosciutto, mortadella and ground pork anolini, topped with a parmigiana sauce and then drizzled with a 25-year sweet rich balsamico.

La Pavillion’s decadent noisette chocolate with milk chocolate crémeux, crunchy praline and hazelnut nougatine decorated with wisps of dark chocolate.

Estela’s salad with walnuts, anchovies and ubriaco rosso cheese eaten with an endive leaf ($20).

Il Punto‘s shrimp, blackberries, caramelized onions and shaved Parmigiano Reggiano cheese  over greens with a light lemon vinaigrette ($15) topped with a scoop of red onion gelato.


Pascalou’s fettucine of ($20) squash and carrots in a flavorful tomato sauce, topped with grated Parmesan and served with a pitcher of garlicky pesto.