The 24 best bars & restaurants of 2024

The top meals, cocktails, vibes & designs. These were our favorite dining experiences of the year!

In no particular order:

1. pastis - meatpacking, nyc: the quintessential french bistro. très chic vibes for brunch or dinner. it’s all about the classics here: steak frites, escargots in garlic-parsley butter, and the duck à l’orange.

2. cafe chelsea - chelsea, nyc: located inside the iconic Hotel Chelsea, (famous for the artists that once resided there: Bob Dylan, Andy Warhol, Madonna) the interior transports you to paris while seamlessly blending into the historic building and glammed up rock & roll aesthetic. There’s the viral ravioles du Dauphiné, the croquette de chèvre, and the dark chocolate soufflé, which takes 30 minutes to prepare and is well worth the wait!

3. thai diner - soho, nyc: our favorite thai food in the city so far!! a fusion of thai cuisine and a mid-century american diner. come hungry for brunch or dinner and order the thai tea babka french toast, lobster omelette chu chee, the thai disco fries, and uncle boon’s famous coconut sundae(!!!)

4. BRAT - shoreditch, london: the kind of place you linger in for hours over a bottle of wine and shared plates. basque food is cooked over an open wood fire in a warm, wood-paneled space. the roast duck rice and quail skewer were memorable, and (oddly enough) I can’t stop thinking about the bread & burnt onion butter! already planning to go back and splurge on their signature whole turbot.

5. dishoom - soho, london: on every list of required eating in london and it did not disappoint!! bombay comfort food of tandooris and spicy masalas paired with cocktails with their signature twists: the east india gimlet, premier padmini negroni, and the monsoon sesame espresso martini.

6. the barbary - covent garden, london: one of the very best overall culinary experiences of the year!! in the quaint cobblestone ally of neal’s yard you’ll find this hidden gem, where moroccan and north african dishes are cooked in front of you at the zinc-topped horseshoe bar. we had our server pick our entire menu for the evening, standouts being the spiced labneh, moroccan cigars(!!), galician octopus, and the knafeh, a deep fried pistachio and cheese pastry. yes, chef.

   

7. the berkeley bar & terrace - knightsbridge, london: come for immaculate design, stay for curated craft cocktails. this intimate bar has an undeniable air of glamour. sip a “velvet fizz” between reclaimed walnut-paneled walls, plasterwork frieze, and stunning multi-face-ted mural painted by new york-based artist TM Davy.

8. sketch - mayfair, london: another london essential: over-the-top, oh-so-fun, unmissable. we came for the afternoon tea in the gallery (designed by India Mahdavi, one of my absolute favorite designers) and ended up staying until the evening to experience each of the theatrical spaces. there’s the three-michelin star lecture room and library, the maximalist, neon adorned parlour, and tucked in the back under the viral egg-shaped bathroom pods (yes) is the vibey little east bar. 10/10.

9. tigre - LES, nyc: behind an unassuming graffiti-worn door, you enter into a seemingly new dimension of polished steel and microsuede. the banquettes are all upholstered in dedar’s iconic ‘tiger mountain’ jacquard velvet, a fortuny chandelier hangs over the central bar, and the entire lounge is fueled with the dynamic energy of downtown manhattan: sophisticated, sexy, androgenous. the cocktail menu reads from “then to now” with unique takes on the classics, and there’s a custom martini menu where you can choose your ratio, as well as the “perfect” and “cigarette” martinis.

10. mono+mono - east village, nyc: by day, a cafe and le bouquet ny, revealed behind their large folding window to be a stunning floral shop. by night, a lively restaurant with korean chicken wings, bibimbap, soju cocktails and a DJ spinning jazz records from their 30,000+ vinyl collection. this was one of our most frequented spots in east village!

11. le dive - LES, nyc: our go-to bar in nyc. a french-tabec inspired natural wine bar, perfect for sitting outside at the bistro tables with shared plates, hanging at the buzzy neon lit bar with a dirty martini, or dancing the night away downstairs under the disco ball.

12. nowon - east village, nyc: the music is hip-hop, the disco ball is spinning, and the smashburger is insaaane good- this is peak east village vibes. order the legendary burger with roasted kimchi, the black truffle rice cakes, the tots (honey garlic butter or curry spiced), and the black sesame crème brûlée(!!) for dessert.

    

13. bar pisellino - west village, nyc: from the acclaimed chef’s of via carota and i sodi, this morning-till-late italian bar is an essential stop in the village. come for espresso and bomboloni inside the beautifully appointed space, or for a negroni and cacio e pepe chips in the evening. our favorite: an espresso martini al fresco.

14. château le cagnard - haut de cagnes, france: for the most special of occasions. located about 30 minutes from nice in the south of france, this michelin restaurant within the eponymous hotel, a chateau atop a medieval village, was one of the top culinary experiences of my life. sit on the romantic terrace, with a view that stretches as far as cap d'antibes, and enjoy a flawless contemporary and seasonal provençal meal. their interpretation of a “deconstructed affagato” was without question the best dessert of the year.

15. le plongeoir - nice, france: dining on a pillar of rock over the côte d'azur.. it doesn’t get better than this. this culturally significant emblem of the city of nice orginates from the nineteenth century, when a stylish fishing boat was secured on the rock before it was reenvisioned into the restaurant it is today. I visited this bucket list spot years ago and we finally returned this year to experience it again. the food (ceviche with kumquat, rigatoni with summer truffle) is great, the views and atmosphere are even better.

16. la réserve à la plage - st tropez, france: the pampelonne beach version of the two-michelin star réserve ramatuelle is a sexy st tropez beach club, smartly designed by philippe starck to return to the original saint tropez spirit and surroundings. the wooden barstools are hand-chiseled, the woven light fixtures are strung from a thatched wood roof, and the daybeds are quite possibly the most perfect spot in all of st tropez to sip a pornstar martini beachside. the food was incredibly fresh: watermelon and feta salad, sea bream ceviche with truffle and ponzu dressing.

17. cañete - el raval, barcelona: this tapas spot is listed in every barcelona foodie guide we’ve read, (for good reason!) and yet it still remains a local favorite. If you come at the typical dinner time in spain (10pm), you’ll find the bar lively and packed, with conversations flowing in catalan. some tapas still living rent free in my mind: the lobster croquettes, squid sandwhich, and grilled iberian pork loin.

18. la pepita - eixample, barcelona: a life changing meal. best tapas ever!! patatas bravas (obviously), duck breast sashimi, grilled octopus on potato mash, steak tartare, and don’t leave barcelona without having pan con tomate y jamón ibérico (bread with tomato and Iberian ham, a catalan classic). their sangria is also 10/10.

    

19. maison premiere - williamsburg, brooklyn: a totally transporative experience. you’ll think you’re in new orleans or paris in the 1920’s rather than brooklyn in 2020’s. order oysters (over 30 varieties on the menu) and the nat king cole martini, served tableside. our favorite bar of the year!

20. vinegar hill house - vinegar hill, brooklyn: the sweetest little spot serving seriously good food on a quiet, cobblestone street in vinegar hill. the interior feels like an antique shop, the backyard an ivy-strung garden perfect for al fresco dining. we may be a little biased, (we hosted our engagement party here!) but we think this is a great spot for a small celebration. don’t forget to top off your meal with their famous chocolate guinness cake(!!) we’ll be coming back for brunch this year, as many claim this is the best brunch in new york.

21. pasjoli - santa monica, ca: a luxe bistro in santa monica from a james beard award-winning chef. everything was exquisite: scallop quenelle with caviar in beurre blanc, deviled eggs with chive w/ duck skin, and the canard bordelaise.

22. damien - arts district, los angeles: from the chef of pujol, (#1 on my restaurants to try, need to book a trip to mexico city asap!) damien has also been a bucket list restaurant for years and it exceeded expectations! the contemporary mexican cuisine features seasonal californian produce: the guacamole, salmon tostada, and pescado a la talla (dry aged-branzino) were all amazing, the hibiscus meringue a really unique and beautiful dessert.

23. l’apero - brooklyn heights: l’apero, from the trendy brooklyn heights bakery l’appartement 4F, is a natural wine bar serving small plates above the bakery each night. this is a quaint spot (candle-lit, bistro tables, thonet chairs) for date night or girl dinner. it’s all about the carbs here: house bread and butter and sunchoke and comté potato gratin- and since this is a bakery, you don’t say no to dessert. & the dessert you order is the salted tahini cookie sundae with kirsch cherries.

24. red hook tavern - red hook, brooklyn: simply the best burger. ever.

    

et voilà, bon appétit! Can’t wait to eat our way through 2025!

XO,

Jess