March 20, 2026
This Is TASTE 748: New York Magazine Restaurant Reviewing with Matthew Schneier
It’s the return of Food Writers Talking About Food Writing. Every couple of weeks, Matt invites a journalist to talk about some favorite recent food writing as well as their thoughts on the industry as a whole.
In today’s episode, we have a great conversation with Matthew Schneier, chief restaurant critic at New York magazine. We dig into Matthew’s favorite restaurants in NYC and go over two of his most discussed reviews: his tasting menu verdict after visits to Cove and Saga, and his complicated reckoning with the Babbo revival under Stephen Starr. Plus: what it means to hold one of the last full-time restaurant critic jobs in American media. And of course, we talk about some recent food writing.
And before that it’s the return on Three Things. Aliza and Matt discuss some of their recent restaurant visits as well as other fun things entering their worlds. This includes visits to Masala y Maiz, La Casa de Toño, Barbacoa Gonzalitos, and Comida China Gourmet Jing Feng in Mexico City. Also: A visit to Genghis Cohen in Los Angeles, A Little Nutty is Matt’s new favorite new cracker, and Claire Saffitz signed books at a favorite Hudson Valley grocery store, Adams Fairacre Farms.
Writing discussed on the episode:
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The 43 Best Restaurants in New York [NY Mag]
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Bites on Parade [NY Mag]
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Daddy’s Back [NY Mag]
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Would You Wait 8 Hours for This Waffle? [NY Mag]
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How to Invite Someone Over for Dinner [Best Food Blog]
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Eleven Madison Park Hits $1,000 for Two! [The Lo Times]