Taylor Swift is hardly a dining novice. The Eras Tour performer is regularly photographed arriving at up-and-coming restaurants—sometimes hand-in-hand with Travis Kelce, other times surrounded by her brigade of A-list besties. And while she is likely the very reason I can’t get a reservation to The Corner Store—after she visited twice in three weeks—that’s not the only hot new restaurant on Swift’s radar.
On Tuesday, Yelp revealed their Best New Restaurants of 2024 list and Mēdüzā Mediterrani—where Swift dined with Kelce and Patrick and Brittany Mahomes after the U.S. Open just this September—topped the ranking.
“Celebrity guests like Taylor Swift and Cardi B—and videos all over TikTok—may have elevated this uber-trendy restaurant to a viral sensation. But it’s the boho-chic interior, over-the-top food presentations, and immersive experience that Yelpers prize the most, making Mēdüzā Mediterrania our #1 Best New Restaurant of the year,” Yelp said in a statement.
The space features three dining rooms—including a VIP mezzanine and glass-enclosed atrium where we’d venture to guess Miss Swift and Cardi B prefer to sit. The menu is teeming with decadent dishes and drinks, like the seafood tower with lobster, oysters, little neck clams, and U-10 shrimp; cacio e pepe with shaved black truffles; and the Fig & Honey with baklava-infused whiskey that arrives in “a smoke-filled windowpane box,” according to Yelp.
“Each dish exceeded expectations, with impeccable quality and attention to detail evident in every bite. Yet it wasn’t just the food that left a lasting impression,” an “elite” Yelp user, Vanessa J., said. “The ambiance of the restaurant, with a violinist serenading guests and exquisite architectural details, added an extra layer of magic to the evening. Mēdüzā Mediterrania offers more than just exceptional food and service—it provides an immersive dining experience that delights the senses and creates cherished memories.”
Nashville hotspot Noko ranked second overall and was named the best new restaurant in the South for 2024, while Kentucky’s Meesh Meesh earned the impressive number three slot. Kinme Omakase in San Diego, California and Burnin’ Shell in Los Angeles, California rounded out Yelp’s top five.
Fellow York City restaurant Sartiano’s also made the list and came in at number 19. Might want to add it to your Resy hit list, @Taylor.
Megan Schaltegger is an NYC-based writer. She loves strong coffee, eating her way through the Manhattan food scene, and her dog, Murray. She promises not to talk about herself in third person IRL.