Harlem Spot Makes NYT 'Best 100 Restaurants' List

HARLEM, NY — An East Harlem restaurant once again was named one of the hundred best in the city.

Contento, at 88 East 111th Street, near Malcolm X Boulevard, was the only Harlem spot to make the New York Times' 2024 list of the 100 Best Restaurants in New York City, compiled by top food critic, Pete Wells.

But this year, the eatery ranked much higher on the list than it had in 2023 — rising a dramatic 26 spots, from number 82 to number 56.

"If you get discouraged about the direction of the restaurant business, the fastest antidote is dinner at Contento," Wells wrote. "It can restore your faith to watch as the staff makes sincere efforts to welcome people in wheelchairs, or those who need specially designed flatware, or diners with visual impairments, or their guide dogs."

Since 2021, Contento has made itself as an accessible destination for all diners seeking food and, especially, wine.

One of Contento's owners, sommelier Yannick Benjamin — who was in a 2003 car accident that left him paralyzed below the waist — recently was honored by the Michelin Guide as the New York 2023 Sommelier Award Winner.

The wine list, which Wells notes is "longer and more interesting than most restaurants this small would attempt," is not the only standout.

Benjamin, along with fellow co-owner and Harlem native, George Gallego, both use wheelchairs and specially designed the tables and a section of the bar to easily accommodate diners like them. Benjamin even had a carpenter friend design a special tray to assist him in opening and pouring wines, according to Wells' original review.

Serving dishes from the homeland of Peruvian Chef Oscar Lorenzzi, Contento "can convince you that you should be eating Peruvian food every night," says Wells

To learn more, click here for Contento's Instagram page.