The iconic Zagat restaurant guide, a name synonymous with user-driven dining reviews, has made its comeback for 2020, reigniting a sense of nostalgia for many. For those familiar with 90s pop culture, the mere mention of Zagat might evoke memories of the hilarious Beverly and Hank Gelfand characters from Saturday Night Live, comically portraying a couple navigating restaurant choices with the guide in hand. Beyond the pop culture references, the Zagat guide, launched in 1979 by Tim and Nina Zagat in New York City, pioneered a crowdsourced approach to restaurant reviews, effectively becoming a precursor to platforms like Yelp. At its zenith in 2005, Zagat covered an impressive 70 cities, incorporating insights from over 105,000 diners.
The 2020 Zagat restaurant guide book, a return to print for the iconic New York City dining guide.
The Zagat brand’s journey took a turn in 2011 when it was acquired by Google for $150 million. Later, in 2018, Google passed the torch to the restaurant website The Infatuation for an undisclosed sum. Since then, The Infatuation has been working to revitalize the guide, and the 2020 edition is now available both online and in physical bookstores throughout New York City.
According to The Infatuation, the 2020 guide is based on over 200,000 ratings and reviews contributed by New York City restaurant-goers through a web-based survey. This comprehensive feedback covers 105 neighborhoods across all five boroughs of NYC and encompasses 57 distinct cuisines. Le Bernardin, chef Eric Ripert’s acclaimed seafood restaurant in Manhattan, secured the top spot and was also recognized as the most popular choice. Daniel received the service award, and Majorelle was honored for its décor.
Reflecting evolving culinary preferences and contemporary dining trends, the 2020 Zagat guide delves deeper into the restaurant scenes of the outer boroughs, highlighting hidden gems beyond Manhattan. Looking ahead, The Infatuation plans to launch a completely redesigned digital platform for the guide next summer. This digital revamp will empower diners to directly rate and review restaurants, ensuring the Zagat guide stays true to its foundational principle of community-driven reviews in the digital age.
