Becky Hughes

New York

Assistant Editor, NYT Cooking at The New York Times

Articles

When You're Craving One Specific Food

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Becky Hughes

Just as there's a time and a place for a diner with an eight-page menu of dishes, all executed medium-well, there's a time and place for a spot that absolutely nails one thing. It's one of the great pleasures of living in this town - if you're in the market for a specific bite, there's likely a person devoting their career to perfecting it. It feels a bit 19th century to go to a shop(pe) for one thing (the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker) in a way that always delights.
Where to Cry, and Other Restaurant Requests

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Becky Hughes

It's been a rainy, cloudy week in New York, so I hope you've been able to hibernate a bit before that summer feeling kicks in. (Any second now, right?) I was waiting for a glimpse of sunlight to break through when I remembered my favorite thing on earth: answering your hyper-specific dining questions. Got more for me? You can drop them in this form, or send them by email to [email protected]. Where to eat lunch with 10 people after a courthouse wedding in Manhattan?
More Grocery Stores That Are Also Great Restaurants

2 months ago | nytimes.com | Becky Hughes

Restaurants: love 'em, obviously. But grocery stores ... those are my happy places. And when a grocery store's got prepared food that beats anything? I'm moving in. Last year, my colleague Tanya Sichynsky did a great installment of the newsletter about grocery stores with excellent food, so consider this a sequel. With park picnic season approaching, mercifully, picking up a meal is an obvious solution.
Nikita Richardson

Feb 14, 2025 | nytimes.com | Nikita Richardson |Becky Hughes

50 Years of 'Saturday Night Live' Revisiting our favorite eras. By Alex Barron, Kate LoPresti, Wendy Dorr, Sonia Herrero, James Poniewozik, Peter Keepnews, Jason Zinoman, Alexis Soloski, Margaret Lyons, Dave Itzkoff, Nikita Richardson and Callie Holtermann Are You Stockpiling Food Items in Response to Tariff Concerns? We Want to Hear From You. We're interested in hearing from readers about the items they're buying in bulk to get ahead of anticipated price hikes on imported goods.
We Answer Your Very Specific Restaurant Questions

Feb 6, 2025 | nytimes.com | Becky Hughes

How are you doing? That's a real question. I want answers at [email protected]. And answers are just what I'll be doling out this week, addressing the questions our lovely readers have sent over email or dropped in this form recently. Image The pre-show energy is always strong, as are the cocktails, at Cafe Fiorello. Credit... Heather Willensky for The New York Times What good, low-key (but not cheap), and comfortable (not pretentious) restaurants would you recommend near Lincoln Center?
Spicy dishes for frigid nights

Jan 23, 2025 | nytimes.com | Becky Hughes

Is it just me, or is it a bit chilly out there? All of my plans are getting canceled one by one, like dominoes, because it's simply too cold to leave the house (to be clear, on nights like these you have my full permission to bail on outings and commit yourself to dinner on the couch). But if you do gather the bravery to face the outdoors, you'll want a destination dish that will thaw the numbing cold.
Seeking lunch inspiration? Consult the best bagels of New York City

Oct 23, 2024 | nzherald.co.nz | Becky Hughes

Where can you find the best bagels in New York? Becky Hughes catalogues the most exciting iterations of the bite in the city. There are few things New Yorkers like to argue about more than bagels, especially now that we’re at a bagel inflection point.
The Best Bagels in New York City

Oct 22, 2024 | nytimes.com | Becky Hughes

There are few things New Yorkers like to argue about more than bagels, especially now that we're at a bagel inflection point. Bagels have been getting bigger and fluffier for the past couple of decades, with the traditional methods ( hand-rolled in ropes, cold-fermented overnight, baked on a burlap board) changing to accommodate new generations of New Yorkers and their tastes. But there are those who would say the city's buzziest versions are hardly bagels at all.
It's Indoor Dining Season In New York City

Oct 10, 2024 | nytimes.com | Becky Hughes

Hey, you! How was your summer? Did you spend a lot of time eating outside in picnic-tabled backyards and charming, bike-lane patios? I hope you got it out of your system, because now it's time to say goodbye to all that. It's fully, decidedly October now, and we're about to hit crispy weather, wear Lenny Kravitz-style chunky scarves and transfer subways three times to avoid walking outside.
The Bars With the Best Free Food

Sep 12, 2024 | nytimes.com | Becky Hughes

Need I say more? I suppose I will, mainly for the sake of hitting my required word count. In, sorry, this economy, free stuff is the ultimate treat. Especially at a bar or restaurant, as the prices of food and drinks continue to rise and rise, seemingly with no ceiling. Even something small, like a bowl of cheese balls at a dive bar (ahem, the Levee) is a touch that makes you feel like a V.I.P., no matter where (or who) you are.