My Top 5 Yummiest Meals of 2025 (The Ones I’m Still Thinking About)
Food has always been more than fuel for me — it’s memory, comfort, curiosity, and connection all wrapped into one bite. In 2025, meals became little milestones. They marked cities I passed through, seasons I survived, nights that lingered longer than expected, and moments when everything felt exactly right.
This list isn’t about the most expensive or the most photographed dishes. It’s about the meals I still think about. The ones I’d order again without hesitation. The ones that made me pause mid-bite and think, oh… this is really good.
So, without overthinking it too much, here are my Top 5 Yummiest Meals of 2025, ranked purely by craving, memory, and how fast I’d say yes to eating them again.
#5 — Bida Sompheng’s Salmon Laab Ceviche
📍 Bida Manda - Raleigh, NC
This dish is bright, fresh, and quietly unforgettable. Bida Sompheng’s salmon laab ceviche hits that perfect balance of citrusy acidity, herbs, and delicate heat — the kind of dish that feels light but deeply satisfying.
It’s refreshing without being boring and bold without being overwhelming. Every bite tastes intentional. This was one of those meals that reminded me how powerful balance is in food. Not everything has to be heavy to be impactful.
This dish single-handedly earns its spot as my favorite “surprise obsession” of the year.
#4 — Steak Tartar
📍 Poole’s Diner - Raleigh, NC
There’s something about a well-done steak tartar that feels a little indulgent, a little classic, and very “trust the chef.” Poole’s does it right.
The meat is perfectly seasoned, rich without being heavy, and paired with all the right accompaniments to give you texture, salt, and bite. It’s the kind of dish you eat slowly, even if you don’t mean to.
What really sealed the deal for me, though, was the lemony, citrus-forward finish. That brightness cut through the richness of the meat perfectly and made each bite feel fresh instead of heavy. It was the kind of detail that elevated the dish from really good to I’m still thinking about this months later.
This was a reminder that sometimes the simplest plates — when executed well — are the ones that stay with you the longest.
#3 — Mala Hot Pot
📍 Ocheon - New York City
This meal deserves a moment of silence. Mala hot pot is already elite comfort food, but Ocheon took it to another level. Spicy, numbing, deeply flavorful — this was a full sensory experience.
From selecting ingredients to letting them soak in that rich, chili-oil-packed broth, this meal felt interactive and grounding. It’s the kind of food that warms you from the inside out and makes the entire table go quiet for a minute.
Before the hot pot even hit the table, the banchan alone had me impressed. Each dish was thoughtful, colorful, and bursting with flavor — not just filler sides, but standouts in their own right. Every bite tasted intentional, from crunchy to savory to subtly sweet.
Honestly, they were almost too pretty to eat. The presentation felt elevated and artistic, like each plate was meant to be admired before being devoured. It set the tone for the entire meal and made the experience feel special before the main event even began.
If food could hug you back, this would be it.
#2 — Paella
📍 Borough Market - London
There’s something magical about eating an iconic dish in a bustling market, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers who are just as excited as you are. This paella at Borough Market was everything I wanted it to be — smoky, rich, packed with flavor, and unapologetically comforting.
The rice had that perfect texture, soaked up all the goodness, and tasted like it had been cooked with care and patience. It wasn’t fancy — it was real. And sometimes, that’s exactly what makes a meal unforgettable.
This was one of those travel bites that instantly locks itself into your memory.
#1 — Omakase
📍 Thirteen Water, West - New York City
This was it. The meal.
Omakase by Thirteen Water wasn’t just dinner — it was an experience. Every course felt thoughtful, precise, and quietly stunning. The fish was pristine, the pacing was perfect, and the attention to detail was unmatched.
There’s something incredibly special about sitting back and trusting the chef completely. Each piece arrived like a small work of art, and somehow, each one was better than the last.
This meal felt celebratory, intentional, and deeply satisfying — the kind of dining experience that reminds you why food can feel so emotional. Easily my yummiest meal of 2025, no contest.
Out of all the courses, the torched salmon tomato nigiri completely stole the show for me. The warmth from the torch brought out the richness of the salmon, while the tomato added this unexpected burst of sweetness and acidity that tied everything together beautifully. It was bold, perfectly balanced, and somehow comforting all at once — easily my favorite bite of the entire omakase and the one I keep thinking about (pictured in the photo above, right in the center).
Looking back, these meals weren’t just delicious — they tell the story of my year. Comfort, curiosity, travel, indulgence, and moments of slowing down long enough to truly savor something good.
If 2025 taught me anything, it’s that the best meals aren’t always planned weeks in advance. Sometimes they just… happen. And when they do, they’re worth remembering.
Here’s to more bites worth talking about in 2026 ♥️
If you want to keep eating, traveling, and discovering along with me, you know where to find me.
