Podcast Summary: The Daily Sunday Special: “What Makes a Restaurant Great?”
Podcast: The Daily
Host: Gilbert Cruz (with Priya Krishna & Brett Anderson)
Date: September 21, 2025
Episode Theme: Exploring what makes a restaurant truly great, through the lens of the New York Times’ "50 Best Restaurants in America" list, with deep dives on the selection process, dining trends, memorable meals, and the future of restaurants.
Overview of the Episode
In this special episode, Gilbert Cruz is joined by NYT food writers Priya Krishna and Brett Anderson to pull back the curtain on how the NYT’s annual “50 Best Restaurants in America” list is compiled. They delve into the behind-the-scenes work, the shifting dining landscape, what makes a restaurant memorable, and the subjective nature of food criticism. The conversation journeys through research, scouting, local food culture, the impact of atmosphere, industry challenges, and exciting new trends, all with a blend of humor and candor.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. How the 50 Best List Gets Made
[02:16 - 04:36]
- The nationwide list began 5 years ago, post-pandemic, as a way for the NYT to guide friends (and readers) to places worth visiting if coming to the US.
- The initial version was informal—reporters (mainly Priya & Brett) flew across the country, exploring regions on the fly.
- Now, writers are assigned specific regions or cities, each maintaining year-long spreadsheets and scouting local coverage to build and refine a shortlist before even stepping foot in restaurants.
"Scouting Texas is like scouting five different states, essentially." — Priya Krishna [04:24]
Process Details:
- “Scouting” means visiting as many places as possible daily, coordinating with locals, taking recommendations, occasionally changing plans mid-day.
- Both rely on spreadsheets, local tips, news, and social media—today’s abundance of information aids their process and sharpens their pre-visit impressions.
2. Scouting Techniques & Eating Routines
[06:00 - 09:11]
- Typical research trips involve “two dinners, two lunches” a day; sometimes even more.
- Brett describes using “three and a half meals” per day as a framework—includes quick “toe touch” visits to assess atmosphere and quality.
- Flexibility is key; a quick taste might turn into a surprise discovery (the “toe touch” sometimes results in last-minute itinerary changes).
“I always like to try to visit a place, kind of do a toe touch... sometimes I'll cancel my Friday reservation based on what happens on my toe touch.” — Brett Anderson [07:37]
3. What Makes a Restaurant Stand Out?
[09:56 - 15:55]
- Pre-visit work includes analyzing menus for originality and avoiding filler dishes (“burrata salad” and “cacio e pepe” are overused).
- Instagram and TikTok help set expectations for environment, food presentation, and vibes.
- On arrival, the key is how well a restaurant fulfills its own vision and what it brings to the local scene—success is measured against both intent and context.
- The team strives to step outside personal biases, thinking about what makes a place beloved to locals and its role in the community.
“Is the restaurant succeeding on its own terms? Is it delivering what it’s promising?” — Brett Anderson [12:06]
“There’s this idea that restaurants outside NY or CA are ‘graded on a curve.’ I disagree entirely. It bums me out.” — Brett Anderson [13:15]
4. The Subjectivity of Taste and Criticism
[15:24 - 18:38]
- Reviewers set aside dietary restrictions and preferences, striving to “learn the language” of any dish, even ones they don’t naturally enjoy.
- Priya's mantra comes from a friend:
“A food you don’t love is just a language you haven’t learned yet.” — Priya Krishna [16:16]
- When ordering, they seek signature or chef-excited items (rather than just what’s popular), always questing for the “why” behind menu decisions.
5. The Role of Non-Food Elements
[18:54 - 24:35]
- Atmosphere is crucial and goes beyond fancy décor; it includes staff attitude, design intention, and personal warmth.
- Memorable spots include tiny kebab shops or chaotic snack bars—energy, scrappiness, and a distinctive spirit often beat out glossy, expensive spaces.
- “Atmosphere is not just a fancy dining room. A tiny taqueria can have atmosphere.” — Priya Krishna [21:33]
- Economic challenges—rising costs—have led to more creativity, both in scrappy, DIY operations and in flexible models like the all-day café.
6. The Subjectivity and Stakes of ‘Best’
[24:35 - 28:45]
- Best is inherently subjective; NYT critics are aware that lists inflate customer expectations, leading to heightened praise and occasional disappointment.
- Both Priya and Brett emphasize that reviews aren’t a guarantee of transcendence. Restaurants can (and will) have off nights.
- The “NYC 100” and numbered lists bring even more scrutiny—people struggle to choose their own #1 when challenged.
7. Exciting Trends & Restaurant Evolutions
[31:45 - 49:40]
- Legacy restaurants reinventing themselves:
- At Emeril’s (New Orleans), chef Emeril Lagasse’s son EJ transformed the icon into a high-level tasting menu spot—an example of meaningful succession and evolution in the restaurant world.
“I think it is, frankly, an early example of what we might start to see in the culture...We don’t really know what the model is for succession with restaurants like this.” — Brett Anderson [34:58]
- Rise of All Day Cafés:
- Priya spotlights Houston’s Chop & Block (West African), a model of daytime and nighttime flexibility, counter service, and outstanding suya.
“Having good suya is like being dead and being jolted back to life.” — Priya Krishna [38:59]
- Economic divides & creativity:
- Food scenes now include both lavishly funded, designed-out spots and super-scrappy, low-budget gems—even in cities like Austin.
- Tiny, alleyway shops like Mercado sin nombre (Austin, with masa “Twinkies”) and places like KC Turkey Leg Man (Kansas City, KS) evoke care, hospitality, and distinctiveness outside of traditional/posh settings.
8. What Critics Want More & Less Of
[49:40 - 53:40]
- Brett: Wants restaurants to let customers call them—no phone number or impersonal apps create barriers.
“It mystifies me...service can start on the phone.” — Brett Anderson [51:20]
- Priya: Less “Epcot-ification”—restaurants mimicking the look & menu of a place/cuisine without authenticity; too many copycats, not enough originality.
“Don't give me the simulacra of the thing.” — Priya Krishna [53:14] "There is such a monoculture with restaurants, and I think a lot of it is because of social media." — Priya Krishna [53:28]
9. Lighthearted Conclusion: Restaurant Dish Quiz
[55:31 - 63:29]
- Brett and Priya compete in “Dish or Debt”—guessing real menu items from famed restaurants for laughs and bragging rights.
- Brett emerges victorious, receiving a whimsical trophy, “The Gilby.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On the work ethic of scouting:
“Every meal that I’m not eating out is a wasted opportunity to do discovery.” — Priya Krishna [06:06]
-
On the soul of great restaurants:
“You want to give the restaurant the best shot to possibly do that [communicate its vision].” — Priya Krishna [16:41]
-
On the atmosphere:
“A fancy dining room isn’t atmosphere. A tiny taqueria can have atmosphere.” — Priya Krishna [21:33]
-
On personal biases:
“It is our job to be able to evaluate all sorts of different things that maybe also might not be the kind of place we would go in our free time.” — Brett Anderson [14:50]
-
On “Epcot-ified” spots:
“I’m just sort of tired of it. Just give me the thing. Don’t give me like the simulacra of the thing.” — Priya Krishna [53:14]
Important Segment Timestamps
- [02:16] The genesis of the list & method
- [06:00] Scouting, eating routines, “toe touch” method
- [09:56] How critics appraise menus on arrival—what stands out
- [12:04] Brett’s “algorithm” for judging restaurants
- [15:24] Approaching unfamiliar foods and signature menu items
- [18:54] Valuing the non-food experience (atmosphere, spirit, and staff)
- [24:35] The impact and subjectivity of best-of lists
- [31:45] Exciting new/renewed restaurant trends
- [41:49] Mercado sin nombre and “scrappy” food gems
- [49:49] What critics wish for less of in the industry
Conclusion
This episode is a delicious, behind-the-curtain glide through the work and joy (and indigestion) of top-tier food criticism. Priya Krishna and Brett Anderson—energetic, thoughtful, and deeply knowledgeable—demystify how the best restaurants are scouted, explored, and celebrated, while refusing to lose sight of community, authenticity, and surprise. For anyone curious about how the sausage (or masa Twinkie) gets made, this episode is essential listening.
For listeners: Even after this robust discussion, both critics encourage you to chase what excites you most, remembering that “best” is always in the eater’s eye (and stomach).