The Best Food I Ate in 2024
This was a good year for eating. I spent a lot of time over the last twelve months visiting restaurants and places over the year and ate a year’s worth of food. After digesting all of it, I’ve picked the top food I’ve eaten throughout the entire year.
Chicken Wings at Carlos & Gabby’s
This place is a little more than a kitchen, so you can only do takeout. I got their wings and they were coated in a thick tasty bourbon sauce. The wings were cooked so well, with tender meat falling off the bones. It truly was a great meal despite the lack of seating.
100 W 83rd St, New York, NY 10024
Barbecue at Bark Barbecue
It is difficult to find a good barbecue joint in New York, as I’ve been disappointed by several places in the past. But this place in the top of Timeout Market was a great spot with a lot of well-cooked meat. It’s a bit pricey but they give you a lot. Sometimes they’ll do special events like a big pork roast. It’s a place with not just good food but a pleasant atmosphere.
55 Water St #5FL, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Bangers & Mash at McGee’s Pub
I came to this Irish pub one evening to get dinner and realized this place also had a How I Met Your Mother theme with cocktails named after memes from the show (“The Captain” being just a rum and coke). The food was really good too, full of savory flavor.
240 W 55th St, New York, NY 10019
Steak at Cote
This is known as one of the best steakhouses in the city, so I rounded up a few friends to get a table here. It’s a pricey place, but we made the most of it and got a sampler of their best cuts. Everything was savory and cooked right in front of us. There was an abundance of meat and sides, giving us a great dinner.
16 W 22nd St, New York, NY 10010
Wings at The COOP
I’ve had a lot of good Korean wings over the last couple years, but this place in Flushing was definitely my favorite of the year. The wings themselves taste great, with a rich soy garlic sauce. You get a great value for the food. Additionally, the sides are also fantastic. The creamy corn was a great companion.
133–42 39th Ave STE 103, Flushing, NY 11354
Pierogis at Baba’s Pierogis
I went on a short date to this restaurant. They serve pierogis mainly, with a variety of different fillings from classic to novel. I went with a traditional style, which included a lot of tasty sauteed onions, but I do need to come back to try some others. It definitely reminded me of home.
295 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Fried Chicken at Gus’s World
I went to New Orleans over the summer and had a lot of great food including this famed chicken spot. I walked over here from the convention center and it quickly grew crowded after I grabbed a seat. It’s well-deserved though, as the meat was breaded so well and had a ton of flavor. It is definitely the best place to go if you pass through the city.
308 S Diamond St, New Orleans, LA 70130
Royale at Royale
I’ve eaten a lot of burgers over the last five years and while that list hasn’t changed, the best burger I’ve eaten this year was from Royale. I’m not personally a fan of the smash burger trend, as I find the meat overcooked and underflavored. This place has a pub burger that I particularly enjoyed. You bite into it and get an instant burst of savory flavor cooked perfectly. Their music is great too, providing a great environment to enjoy the food.
157 Loisaida Ave, New York, NY 10009
Garlic Bread at Cafe and Bakery
I ate a lot of food over my trip to Korea but this one stands out to me. In the middle of my day trip to Incheon I went to this bakery on the edge of the city park because I needed to eat something. I picked up a large piece of garlic bread, sliced with pieces of garlic throughout. I wasn’t too hungry and figured I would only eat half. But somehow I managed to eat all of it along with a bit of dessert. The bread was so moist and so rich that I just kept eating it. I was quite surprised that it was all done.
South Korea, Incheon, Yeonsu-gu, Convensia-daero, 160 이스트 보트하우스 2층 빵쌤
Cheesesteak at Olde City
Different cities can have distinct cuisines. In New York you can step into a bodega and get a chopped cheese. And in Philly they have cheesesteaks. Though only a few hours away, I did appreciate this Philly-themed bar in downtown Manhattan. They serve cheesesteaks on old newspapers and have a bunch of Philly beers on tap.
201 8th Ave, New York, NY 10011
Top Beer of 2024
I review restaurants I visit on Google Maps throughout the year and that can be helpful in times like now, when I’m looking back on all the great places I’ve visited.
I also use Untappd in order to keep track of all the beers I’ve drunk since the start of the year. After a year of great beers, my favorite was the Peanut Butter Cup from Southern Tier. It’s a very dark, very heavy beer. It is also very sweet and had a rich flavor that I really liked.
As I begin to look at the new year, I already have a list of places I want to visit next.
