Photo-Illustration: Grub Street; Photos: Jutharat Pinyodoonyachet, Scott Semler, Courtesy Keith McNally, Eddie Guy, Eric Helgas, Getty Images
One of our mandates at Grub Street is to take an obsessive approach not only to the pleasures of restaurants but the business of building and running restaurants. The year’s most popular stories demonstrate it’s a topic that interests you, too: reports on a restaurant group’s debt, industry memoirs, woes at the Tin Building, reservation worries, and even a look into how much salt we’re all eating (spoiler: it’s too much) were part of our 20 most-read articles, defined by total minutes of audience engagement. It’s a small selection of the work that’s published by New York’s print magazine and on all its digital sites. If you missed any of these, we hope you’ll use this as a guide to catch up before the New Year arrives. And to stay current with us in 2026, be sure to sign up for our daily Grub Street newsletter and Eating New York. And read everything on New York’s excellent app.
20. He’s Not the Milkman. He’s the Milk Guy.
Photo: Brian Finke
And he’s delivering raw, possibly illegal dairy to rich, unvaccinated customers all over town. Read the story …
19. The Best New Restaurants of 2025
Photo: Eric Helgas
Impressive spots came in all shapes and sizes, but they had one thing in common: They nailed every detail. Read the story …
18. Angela Kinsey Still Dreams About The Office’s ‘Hot Snack’
Illustration: Adam Mazur
“For nine years, I ate a full buffet meal at 10:30 a.m.” Read the story …
17. The Hillstoning of New York
Illustration: Arnaud Boutin
Everyone loves the chain — including the chefs who pull all kinds of high-low inspiration for their own restaurants. Read the story …
16. Late Show Writer Kate Sidley Is Afraid of Her Friend’s Coffee
Illustration: Clay Hickson
“Laura’s coffee isn’t a beverage; it’s a weapon. I have two cups.” Read the story …
15. This Summer We’re Eating in Grocery Stores
Photo: Scott Semler
They’re more affordable, more flexible, and a lot more fun than restaurants right now. Read the story …
14. Brad Lander Ended Election Night at a Taco Truck
Illustration: Margalit Cutler
“I can’t tell who I’m talking to half the time. At some point, my daughter puts a drink in my hand.” Read the story …
13. Ella Emhoff Likes a Sugar Burst
Illustration: Maanvi Kapur
“I’ll say it: Vegan doughnuts are better.” Read the story …
12. Le Creuset Is Cheugy
Photo-Illustration: Grub Street; Photos Getty Images
Why does a collection of $400 pots suddenly look so cheap? Read the story …
11. A Sandwich Killed My Mom
Walter Chin
She was one of ten people to die from eating liverwurst contaminated with listeria. Now I second-guess every food I purchase. Read the story …
10. Tom Colicchio Won’t Travel for a Bagel
Illustration: Margalit Cutler
“The difference between the best bagel in New York and this bagel is negligible.” Read the story …
9. Does This Chef Owe You Money?
Photo: Yvonne Tnt/BFA.com
Ryan Hardy’s restaurants were once the hottest in town. But a pile of unpaid bills could crush everything. Read the story …
8. Is All This Salt Killing Us?
Photo: Grub Street
Doctors have long warned about the risks of too much sodium. But in an era of Maximum Flavor, we crave it more than ever. Read the story …
7. The Cool Restaurants Are on OpenTable Now
Photo: Jutharat Pinyodoonyachet
Restaurateurs are frustrated with Resy. Many have jumped back to the platform they once left behind. Read the story …
6. Mary Beth Barone Has Sworn Off Hot Coffee
Illustration: Clay Hickson
“My mouth is an important element of what I do professionally, and I need to keep it safe.” Read the story …
5. Big Food Gets Jacked
Photo-Illustration: Eddie Guy
How protein mania took over the American grocery store. Read the story …
4. ‘I Was 24 and Working Illegally’
Photo: Courtesy of Keith McNally
“One Fifth is where I realized that, in America, charm is more important than ability.” Read the story …
3. Drinking Was the Job
Photo: ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy Stock Photo
Assisting Mario Batali meant being a wingman, a sidekick, and a voracious lush who rarely said “no.” Read the story …
2. The Tin Building Is a $200 Million Flop
Photo: Gary Hershorn/Getty Images
When was the last time you went to Jean-Georges’s seaport food hall? Read the story …
1. The 43 Best Restaurants in New York
Video: Hugo Yu
Our critic’s agonized-over, rigorously researched, painstakingly selected guide to eating in this overstuffed city. Read the story …