The best things I ate in July 2024
The best things I’ve eaten is one of my favorite lists to share each month, because it allows me to shout out the restaurants and talented cooks I’ve been lucky enough to visit. Below, you’ll find my best meals of July, which you should consider seeking out in August. If you had a standout meal in July, share it with me so I can consider adding it to my August hit list.
We’ve got availability for Beyond the Italian Market tours this August , and are starting to look toward the fall as well. Book your tickets and use code BESTBITES for 15% off. Tickets are available here.
Now, here’s what I ate and loved in July.
Mawn’s Night Market Noodles
When it’s really hot, all I want to do is eat cold food, and this month that meant a lot of cold noodles from Mawn on 9th Street. These are the Night Market Noodles, which are tossed with sweet and sour carrots and a savory dressing, and topped with tons of herbs and chilled shrimp. I can’t go without also ordering their Burmese ginger and melon salad which is made with Asian pears and ripe melon.
Caprese sandwich from Paffuto.
While BLTs are kind of the star of summer sandwiches, I sometimes find the bacon distracting from the main attraction, which should be the peak-summer tomatoes. This sandwich, a simple caprese sammie with pesto, mozzarella and tons of tomatoes from Paffuto, allowed the tomatoes to shine while still being indulgent. I’m also excited that Paffuto has recently started serving dinner (although I ate this at lunch.)
Apple + grape co-ferment from Di Bruno Bros.
For tours, I typically pour a more classic wine, but I’ve been really loving this co-ferment of apple and grapes from Di Bruno Bros. recently. I won’t get into the particulars, but it’s made by fermenting red wine grapes with cider apples, and the result is a 7% ABV sparkling wine-cider hybrid that is dry, juicy and refreshing. It’s available at all their shops for a limited time.
I truly do eat so much more ice cream in the summer months than in the rest of the year combined. This is a chocolate-vanilla soft serve swirl from 1-900-ice-cream. I went there twice this month, and I’ve decided that my perfect order is just vanilla soft serve with rainbow sprinkles. Simple, but perfect.
-Maddy Sweitzer-Lamme
founder, tiny table tours