{"id":497449,"date":"2026-01-06T22:05:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T22:05:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/497449\/"},"modified":"2026-01-06T22:05:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T22:05:15","slug":"the-east-villages-adda-was-named-the-best-restaurant-in-nyc-by-time-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/497449\/","title":{"rendered":"The East Village\u2019s Adda was Named the Best Restaurant in NYC By Time Out"},"content":{"rendered":"

After spending much of last year dipping in and out of\u00a0nearly 150 eateries (!), from longstanding institutions to popular taco trucks, I figured it was high time to crown a new number one for\u00a02026. And after a few repeat visits and one delightful butter-based experience later, our number one restaurant in New York goes to the comeback kid, Adda<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Entryway
\nPhotograph: Courtesy of Alex Lau| Interior of Adda <\/p>\n

I\u2019ll be the first to say, I never got the chance to make it to the original and more casual Adda that stood in Long Island City for nearly a decade, the very one that put chef Chintan Pandya and Roni Mazumdar\u2019s style of unapologetic cookery on display. But I am thoroughly enjoying the second act that has been resurrected in the East Village, both for its balance of something old (re-introducing their bouncy, creamy paneer and the steamed, custardy goat brain) and something entirely brand-new:\u00a0the Butter Chicken Experience.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What exactly is a Butter Chicken Experience, you ask? The restaurant took its beloved dish and turned it into a tableside treat for $42 per person. Before you write it off as a gimmick, I am here to confirm that it exceeds expectations.\u00a0For only\u00a0six tables each night, one of the restaurant’s chefs\u00a0wheels up to the table\u00a0armed with a smoker of charred heritage-breed chicken, still steaming hot. You’ll get to choose the woodchips and\u2014best of all\u2014the butter for the namesake specialty.\u00a0Current options include an earthy and floral fenugreek, a smoked chili that definitely kicks back in the spice department and a pickled tomato. <\/p>\n

Then\u00a0the chef gets to work, layering in salt, sugar and honey and a whole mess of chilis, depending on your preference of spice. In my case, the velvety, smoked chili-laced sauce certainly brought the\u00a0heat that rose in the throat, glistening with so much butter that I could see globules of it in the many (and I mean many) pictures that I snapped.\u00a0The unlimited dal, paratha and rice to sop it all up were the cherry on top.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But even if you didn\u2019t go all out for the fanfare, all of the small touches at Adda make an impact. The chutneys? Reiterated in my first visit, \u201cyou can dip them and drink them in the same dinner, as tart tamarind, smoky mango mezcal and earthy onion brine martinis come together as a trio.\u201d The chaatwala who roam around the dining room festooned with a tray of chaats hanging around their neck hold some of the best bites of the bunch, balancing the zip of chutney, the crunch of lotus root, and the cooling sensation of yogurt, all in one bite.\u00a0Vegetables stand proudly on their own, as charred and meaty mushrooms found in the Bhatti Kumbh don\u2019t stay on the table for long, thanks to the yogurt spread kicked with a bit of Kashmiri chili. And the lamb parcha, which arrives at the table, piping hot with a dollop of lamb butter on top? It easily became one of our best dishes of 2025<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Theodora\"
\nPhotograph: Courtesy of Tomer Blechman <\/p>\n

For our number two spot, we head on over to Brooklyn to one of our best restaurants of 2024<\/a>, Theodora<\/a>. Another successful restaurant from Tomer Blechman\u2014who has undoubtedly created his own little corner in Fort Greene with kougin-amans and katafi croissants from Thea<\/a> and some of the best brunch<\/a> in the area (and dinner) with Miss Ada<\/a>\u2014Theodora keeps us continually excited with its extensive selection of fish, be it raw, smoked and grilled over the flame. And its bread, puffed and warm pitas and tangy sourdough bread that holds the weight of airy whipped ricottas? Its what ties it all together. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Tatiana\"
\nPhotograph: Courtesy of Alex Staniloff| Tatiana <\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi<\/a> comes in as our number three spot on the list, as Onwuachi\u2019s even balance of the food from his Afro Caribbean heritage and that of his New York upbringing still keep us delighted with Caribbean patties puffed with \u201cshreddy goat gloriously cooked down with fiery chilies,\u201d \u201cburnished and charred strips\u201d of okra and a dessert fashioned out his favorite childhood bodega treat, the Cosmic Brownie served with \u201ctight rings of ice cream, fashioned to look like powdered doughnuts.\u201d <\/p>\n

Newcomers to 2025 also made their debut on the list, including Red Hook\u2019s most charming restaurant, Pitt\u2019s<\/a>, and the fine Caribbean restaurant that just wants you to \u201cLove Yuh Self,\u201d Kabawa<\/a>. As the year progresses and a new crop of talent emerges<\/a> against the backdrop of our fabulous dining scene, we plan to add and subtract from the list, so keep your eyes peeled. <\/p>\n

Hungry? Great, us too. Read on to find out who else made the list for our best restaurants in NYC right now.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n