“What you want to eat?” and “I’ll do the dishes,” is obviously my love language. There were no shortage of plates this year. I broke bread with old friends and new ones in some of my favorite places and new favorites. Here’s a quick rundown of my favorite memorable plates from 2024.

Starting at the top left Mola Sushi was everything that I wanted it to be, just melted in my mouth and it wasn’t expensive. It was a nice surprise to see at Novo Asian Food Hall. Chicken empanadas from All Things Empanada. Even the vegan one was delicious. Kulcher Kitchen has gumbo without pork and it was flavorful in every layer.

The second row brought me to the land of all things Pickles. Gosia’s Dill Pierogis are always worth standing in the long lines for. Vegan Rangoon at Cobra Pittsburgh pleasantly surprised me. It was crunchy and flaky, and jackfruit hasn’t failed me yet. The row ends with Ritual House‘s salmon and bagel chips. I don’t eat pork and don’t like eggs so this was perfect for brunch.

Kujira Sushi starts the third row off. They were super accommodating. We showed up late to our reservations and they still took us in. The food tasted more expensive than it was. The service was impeccable. Don’t ask me what I ate because if it wasn’t pork, I was eating it. Barcelona’s Tapas Wine Bar had a chicken thigh that was seasoned to perfection and I only wished I would’ve ordered an entire plate of it. The experience there was top-tier. I’m still laughing at the bartender standing on top of the bar pouring alcohol down people’s throats. From experience, it looks easier than it is. Randomly we ended up at Dive Bar after a night of drinking and these crab balls were so delicious I didn’t want to share them but I’m a nice person so I did.

Row four starts close to home. I would be a fool if I didn’t mention my friend’s homemade birria tacos. She simmered her meat for like ever and that made the homemade sauce even tastier. She even paired it with an elite corn. I gave Muddy Waters another go and usually I’m there for the rum Cocktails and the hush puppies but this go around I played around with mussels. It turns out as a texture girlie, if the mussels don’t have bread crumbs on them, I’m not interested. Umami saw me this year just less of me because Lawrenceville parking isn’t for the faint of heart. But the matcha creme brulee hit every single time. That has a place in my heart.

The last row has me reminiscing about my birthday in New Orleans. Olde Cookery crab cakes on Bourbon Street just melted in my mouth. Even the pieces without the sauce made me question my living situation. I did go back home though. Braddock Public House has carrots that have a Baba Ganoush that has me in a chokehold. It’s healthy but it doesn’t feel healthy. Last but not least, I’m super proud of Terriberriez. She doesn’t make sandwiches she is a sandwich artist.

It turns out that feeding myself is an everyday thing so I’m excited about the menu in 2025. What are some of your favorite meals from 2024?