NY Times Names UWS Restaurant Among Best 50 In U.S.

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY - The New York Times just published its annual list of the 50 best restaurants in the U.S., and an Upper West Side Caribbean-American fusion eatery earned a spot on the ranking.

Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi, located at 10 Lincoln Center Plaza, is still notably difficult to find a reservation nearly a year after it opened in November 2022, the Times writes.

“Nearly one year in, landing a reservation at Kwame Onwuachi’s Lincoln Center restaurant is still a high-performance sport," according to the Times. "Even the outdoor tables on the plaza don’t do much for the would-be walk-ins at the door when Tatiana opens each night.”

Dubbed Onwuachi’s “love letter to New York,” Tatiana focuses on the flavors, aromas and textures of Onwuachi’ childhood in the Bronx and the old neighborhood of San Juan Hill. Big sister Tatiana looked after Onwuachi while their mother worked as a chef in the Big Apple, according to the restaurant's website.

As a result, Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi draws on a variety of flavors from Chinese takeout to Caribbean roti to bodega fare.

“These fond memories – steeped in a melting pot of New York City's diverse culinary influences – serve as the foundation of Tatiana's "story" – one written in the romance language of food, inspired by his Afro-Caribbean-by-way-of-the-Bronx heritage,” its website reads.

Dishes include crispy okra, egusi dumplings, oxtail & crab rangoon, curried goat patties, take-out mushrooms, shawarma roasted chicken, mom dukes shrimp and short rib pastrami suya. You can view a full menu here.

“By the menu, which pays sincere and doting attention to oxtails, egusi soup, Cosmic Brownies and other foods that don’t usually make it into expensive restaurants in New York?" the Times added. "All of the above, certainly, plus the suspicion that Tatiana is that very rare creature, an important restaurant that knows how to party.”

Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi is open Monday to Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m.

Here are the other New York City restaurants named among the 50 best in 2023:

• Torrisi (275 Mulberry St.)
• Superiority Burger (119 Avenue A)

You can find out more about Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi on its website.