The best things Time Out New York editors ate in 2021

“I honestly never thought that vegan food could be this good. Everything at Planta Queen was stellar, but the ahi watermelon nigiri made with citrus soy and ginger truly resonated with me, becoming the most creative dish I had throughout 2021.” —Anna Rahmanan, News Editor

“I had one of the best dinners of the year, maybe of my life, at Maison Yaki. Literally every bite from all the small plates we ordered was perfection. It's hard to pinpoint one specifically great dish, but the stand-out to me was their Brussels sprouts okonomiyaki. It's perfectly seasoned, crispy outside, and somehow almost buttery-soft on the inside.” —Delia Barth, Global Video Editor

“This was truly the summer of frozen cocktails (see you in hell, espresso martinis!) and pretty much all I drank everywhere they were available. More restaurants and bars than I’ve ever seen in my entire drinking life had them this year, and Jolie was one. I’ve been going there for years, and I used to sit at the bar and see people come in and ask if they had frozen drinks weekend after weekend and I never thought I’d see the day they finally did. The selection changed fairly frequently and all the varieties were good, but the mango might have been my favorite because it actually tasted like the fruit.” —Amber Sutherland-Namako

"I can't say how many weekends I spent sitting outside Cafe Luluc in Cobble Hill eating a giant plate of their delicious fluffy pancakes, ostensibly ordered 'for the table.' They guard the recipe very closely, but they're always served with cake-like interiors, crispy edges and seem to have been made in a lab to pair perfectly with Nutella. They're the ideal weekend brunch comfort food." —Will Gleason, Editor-in-Chief

“The Madame Croque at La Grande Boucherie gave me the warm comfort of brunch in NYC and the elegance of a cafe in Paris. It's the perfect ratio of egg, cheese, ham and bread that I like to pair with a cup of coffee. It was one of my most uplifting meals of 2022." —Shaye Weaver, Things to Do Editor

“Rangoon is a great place to go in and think you’re going to share. It’s a warm, friendly environment and, especially at the big table in the back, it feels very familial. But next time I’m going alone so I can have the aeromatic, texturally dynamic garlic noodle with shrimp to myself.” —ASN

“There’s a reason why pizza is one of the most popular foods in the world—and Abaita’s Margherita is the kind of stuff that got me through some of the harshest moments of the past year. It’s all about simplicity here: fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce and basil—when cooked right inside of the restaurant’s wood fired oven—make for some of the best pizza in New York.” —AR

“Clover Club has had it all for a number of years, but it’s another place where I don’t recall ever seeing frozen drinks. Its addition to the genre should be canon. The rum-based Kalo colada was just a little sweet with condensed coconut milk and its ice was finer and smoother than any other frozen I had this year.” —ASN

“Even after expanding with sidewalk seating and frequent loud live music, Petite Crevette is terrifically charming and cozy and their fried oysters are one of my favorite ways to enjoy bivalves. The exterior crunch and the silken interior are so comforting and reliable, and the accompanying mustard adds a nice little zip.” —ASN