Best Places To Eat In NYC 2018

Sometimes it's not just enough to add a restaurant to your bucket list—you want to know exactly what to order when you get there. These are the dishes we've tried recently and loved, and think you will, too.

I've written  about  sweet  potatoes so often that I'm becoming a parody of myself, but here we are. This dip tastes like a sweet, tuberous meringue and floats its way down rather than sinking as a carb-on-carb dish is wont to do. It's rounded out by crème fraîche and tastes even more magical when placed on another carb—the homemade pita. —Abby Reisner, Content Editor

Though I'll eat anything with olives (editor's note: She's Greek), this loaf, studded with whole Nicoise and Castelvetrano olives, capers, and rosemary, is among the best ways to take them. The crusty outside and soft chewy inside made me an instant Boulangerie V loyalist. —Erica Bonelli, Social Media Editor

First off: No, a tlayuda is not like a pizza. It's something even better—a phrase I'm not afraid to say even in the slice-worshipping capital that is NYC. The one I had this week for brunch at El Toro Blanco checks off all the required boxes for the ideal hangover meal: a flaky, crispy crust covered in stringy queso mennonita with marinated shrimp and salt-cured tomatoes to bring it all together. —Andrew Bui, Editor

RELATED   How to Make Tlayudas, the Oaxacan Street Food You've Been Missing "

I don't usually eat pork, but I was more than willing to keep eating these bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with almonds and Valdeón cheese after tasting how good they were. If you want that perfect savory/sweet balance, these are a must-try. —Aryelle Siclait, Social Media Intern 

My general belief is that Instagram's Explorer tab is filled with images that don't match up in reality, so it's saying something that it's where I first found this dessert. It's made from a soft, sweet Asian white bread that's been buttered and toasted to a crisp golden perfection (as the name implies) and is a salty contrast to the sweetened condensed ice cream and honey drizzle it's served with. When you combine everything in one bite, it's the culinary equivalent to witnessing Beychella. —Shana Bethea, Editorial Intern