The New York City dining scene is a little like its dating scene: You’ll fall in love, then you’ll begin to lose interest. The object of your admiration will disappear, only to be replaced by a newer, shinier thing. There will be the one that got away, the one that’s out of your league, and the one that’s only good for some late night hedonism. There will be no monogamy.
In a city overrun with restaurants — some unforgettable, others rat-infested, others aggressively mediocre — you can’t rely on chance. Fortunately, we’ve done the leg work for you. We don’t have a roadmap to the Tinder scene, but we can help you out on the culinary front, so here’s our ever-updated catalog of NYC’s best new openings, followed by a running list of the greatest hits — our tried and true New York favorites, our one-and-onlys. For now, at least.
In a city of greats, here are the truly remarkable among them:
Jump to the best new December restaurant openings
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