Four New York Restaurants Named to ‘America’s Best Restaurants 2024′ List

New York is home to some pretty incredible restaurants and 4 of them have just been crowned best in America!

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Our state has a fascinating history about food. We are the birthplace of pizza, the Reuben sandwich, and many other highly popular dishes.

Read More: The 21 Most Famous Foods Created in New York State

Aside from inventing food, we are also a state that has mastered the culinary arts.

A recent study named New York the state with the most romantic restaurants while another noted we had over 400 Michelin star eateries.

Now we have something else to celebrate! When it comes to the best restaurants in the entire country, a new report from the New York Times claims we have four of them.

The outlet published its annual, year-end report called "The Restaurant List," which names the nation's top 50. This makes us the state with the second-most entries, behind California's 5 winners.

What Makes a Restaurant a New York Times Favorite?

The annual "Restaurant List" is highly prestigious because of how selective the Times is. Staff are sent all across America to sample dishes, including those "served out of a trailer in a rural Virginia field."

All restaurants are considered, from the nation's oldest and finest to those located "behind a tattered ranch house in Johns Island, S.C."

In order to make the list as fair as possible, staff do not announce their visit and act like any regular diner by making reservations and paying for the meal.

The real work begins after they finish eating their way through the United States. The critics gather to compare notes and determine which restaurants deserve to be festooned with their highest compliment.

"As always, there were no-brainers and tough choices," the op ed explained, taking note of America's continually diversifying spread of restaurants that make compiling the list more difficult with each passing year.

So for New York to have the second-highest number of entries should be nothing short of a celebration.

Which New York Restaurants Are America's Best?

Among the NYT's 50 best restaurants in America are four from the Empire State, of which three entries are completely new.

Making another appearance this year is Shaw-naé’s House, a  soul food eatery based in Long Island.

"Almost every dish is a party in its own right," the publication raved, "like the Soul Fries that are buried under cheese sauce, cubes of fried chicken, spoonfuls of collard greens and molten orange heaps of warm macaroni and cheese."

As for the new entries onto the list are Blanca in Brooklyn, Penny in Manhattan, and Bungalow in Manhattan.

Blanca was praised for its eclectic menu designed by a chef that doesn't play it safe in the kitchen. "Other restaurants will juice yuzu for a precise dose of acidity; Ms. Blamey turns it into a potent sauerkraut that she drapes over clams," the Times said.

Penny, a seafood joint, also received high praise for having "the best shrimp cocktail you’re likely to find" and a "fresh, fluffy brioche in the ice cream sandwich" that will make diners coming back and begging for more.

Finally, Bungalow is all about celebrating Indian culture through its inspired dishes. The outlet raved, "Chef Vikas Khanna weaves ambitiously through India’s lesser-known regional dishes, putting personal, creative spins on each."

There Is One Problem With This Report

Obviously, the rest of New York State has seemingly been overshadowed by the Big Apple.

It is frustrating to see all these big, national honors go to such a tiny part of the Empire State. While NYC is loud, bright, and a top tourist destination - it doesn't speak for the entire state nor is it symbolic of what New York is truly like.

That's why it feels like a really big deal whenever something outside of the city gains national recognition.

Read More: Popular CNY Restaurant Crowned "Most Romantic" in America

There is a sliver of silver lining to being overshadowed by NYC - and it is tourism control. The last thing I think any of us would want is for tourists to take over our favorite dining spots and "special occasion" places.

Although I believe the majority of us know of a restaurant or two that deserve fame. So, here's to hoping the Times staff check out what Central New York has to offer and give us a seal of approval when they update the list by the end of this year.