No Arizona Eateries Made 'The New York Times' 2023 Best Restaurants List
By Sherah Janay Ndjongo
September 20, 2023
The New York Times has recently unveiled its highly anticipated "The Restaurant List 2023," featuring a carefully curated selection of 50 dining establishments from across the nation that have stirred excitement among the paper's editors, reporters and critics throughout the year.
Since the list's inception in 2021, Arizona's culinary scene had consistently made its mark on the list. The journey began with Tratto in 2021, followed by an impressive four Arizona restaurants earning spots in 2022: Bacanora, Thaily's, Kabob Grill N' Go, and Tito & Pep. However, in the latest 2023 edition, the Arizona dining scene didn't secure a place on the prestigious list at all.
The team at The New York Times clarified that this year's roster featured a striking dichotomy, with half of the chosen restaurants having sprouted into culinary existence since the 2022 list release, while the other half consisted of esteemed "classics" that have consistently delighted diners for over a year.
While acknowledging the possibility that the Times editors sought to spotlight restaurants from states that had previously been overlooked, it's hard not to ponder whether these culinary connoisseurs might have overlooked the gems that Arizona still has to offer, leaving the state with a touch of culinary curiosity and perhaps a pinch of disappointment.