My birthday meals in NYC, ranked (2021-2025)

I take these meals seriously

I turned 35 yesterday. Let’s get right into it.

2021: The Four Horsemen (Google Maps link)

Dining in the red glow of a heater in an outdoor “Streatery” on an unseasonably cold day in Williamsburg was peak pandemic shit. But it allowed me to get a table at the one-Michelin-star Four Horsemen.

I had been drinking wine since 5pm, starting early at Cafe Plein Air in Ridgewood (RIP). My server at The Four Horseman took a liking to me after I mentioned how much I love wine from Mencía, and we started tasting a few wines. My girlfriend ended up blacking out. We haven’t shown our faces there since.

If you drink wine, The Four Horseman is a must. The cellar is deep, and the menu is constantly changing and evolving. It’s on my shortlist of best restaurants in Williamsburg, along with Santa Fe BK, Diner, and Ensenada.

Dish I remember best: Razor clams with green garlic butter.

2025 hindsight: Did I have to have a vaccination card to book this restaurant? Wild.

Birthday Ranking: #3 out of 5