Illustration by James Victore

Here’s the challenge in assembling our annual “Best of New York” issue: You have to eat a lot, shop a lot, dance a lot; you have to find clever ways to pry secrets out of strangers, and to shake down your friends, lovers, mothers, colleagues, and assorted gossip ­hounds and bargain mavens for fresh intel. Then, just when you’ve picked a winner, the city has a pesky habit of turning out a better restaurant, shop, bar, salon, diaper service, and jewelry repairer. We’re telling you, our burden is positively Sisyphean! But here’s the pleasure of the job: If you’re a certain kind of person (and we who are making this list are that kind of person), there are few things more thrilling than uncovering the city’s finest sticky bun or used-furniture warehouse or retro soda fountain. Our selections, of course, are unimpeachable. Unless you have a different opinion, in which case, impeach away in the comments. Fighting over the city’s best breakfast taco or Bloody Mary—we kind of love that, too.

Contributors: Liz Armstrong, Grace Bastidas, Elien Becque, Joshua M. Bernstein, Geraldine Campbell, Catherine Coreno, Justin Davidson, Julie Earle-Levine, Randi Eichenbaum, Rachel Felder, Annie Ferrer, Jillian Goodman, Ashlea Halpern, Kaija Helmetag, Cemile Kavountzis, Sean Kennedy, Beth Landman, Molly Langmuir, Thayer McClanahan, Jenny Miller, Lauren Murrow, John Ortved, Rob Patronite, Adam Platt, Robin Raisfeld, Stevie Remsberg, S. Jhoanna Robledo, Vanita Salisbury, Beth Shapouri, Brendan Spiegel, Nicolas Sywak, Jean Tang, Fiorella Valdesolo, Rachel Wolff, Bifen Xu, and Samantha Zalaznick.

Related:

• Archive: “Cover Story”
• Table of Contents: Mar 14, 2011 issue of New York | Subscribe!