How Critics Actually Pick The Best New Restaurants
Every year, The Infatuation’s Best New Restaurants list drops like the Oscars of the restaurant world. This episode of Restaurant People goes behind the scenes of how it all comes together. Bryan and Hannah, aka your favorite restaurant critics who’ve eaten more tasting menus, wine bar food, and $10 lunches in service to you, sit down with Philly senior staff writer Candis McLean to talk about what makes a restaurant list-worthy. From Philly’s oyster-bar boom to New York’s tiny small-plate pop-ups, they break down the trends shaping today’s restaurant culture and the dining experiences that make you fall in love with eating out all over again. Plus, they reveal their most underrated eateries, worst meals of the year (sorry, deep-fried deviled eggs), and why reviewing restaurants is a little like dating - you start with a crush, but only the best spots earn your rose. In this episode, you’ll get: [0:04:26] The four new restaurants in NYC that we rated so highly, they made the cut for The Best Restaurants In NYC [0:06:00] Defining the “BNR” feeling: how we choose which restaurants make it onto The Best New Restaurants [0:11:00] Philly Senior Staff Writer Candis McLean discusses her favorite new restaurants of 2025 [0:13:40] The lifecycle of covering a new restaurant, from opening to first visit to review to Best New Restaurants guide [0:15:15] The restaurant trends we’re seeing in NYC and Philly in 2025 [0:20:45] Candis answers readers’ questions about the Best New Restaurants process [0:34:40] A lightning round of Best New Restaurants awards: best value at a new restaurant, drink of the year, worst meal of the year, and most underrated restaurant. Check out the 2025 Best New Restaurants guide in your city: NYC https://www.theinfatuation.com/new-yo... LA https://www.theinfatuation.com/los-an... Philly https://www.theinfatuation.com/philad... Atlanta https://www.theinfatuation.com/atlant... Seattle https://www.theinfatuation.com/seattl... San Francisco https://www.theinfatuation.com/san-fr... Austin https://www.theinfatuation.com/austin... Chicago https://www.theinfatuation.com/chicag... London https://www.theinfatuation.com/london... Miami https://www.theinfatuation.com/miami/... Mentioned in this episode: Smithereens https://www.theinfatuation.com/new-yo... Bridges https://www.theinfatuation.com/new-yo... Bong https://www.theinfatuation.com/new-yo... Ha’s Snack Bar https://www.theinfatuation.com/new-yo... Banh Anh Em https://www.theinfatuation.com/new-yo... Baby’s https://www.theinfatuation.com/philad... Taste of Dacca https://www.theinfatuation.com/philad... Sao https://www.theinfatuation.com/philad... Mawn https://www.theinfatuation.com/philad... Sunn’s https://www.theinfatuation.com/new-yo... Char https://www.theinfatuation.com/philad... Out West https://www.theinfatuation.com/philad... Griddle & Rice https://www.theinfatuation.com/philad... Emmett https://www.theinfatuation.com/philad... 📣 What’s your favorite new restaurant of the year? How many places on the 2025 Best New Restaurants guide in your city have you tried? 🔗 Links and Socials 🖱️ Explore guides and reviews of restaurants around the world: https://www.theinfatuation.com/ 📸 Instagram: @infatuation https://www.instagram.com/infatuation... 📱 TikTok: @restaurantpeople / restaurantpeople