I like to eat. I enjoy eating out. I’ve brought these two things together in a manner that can be shared with the world by writing Google restaurant reviews.
In recent years I’ve written 80 reviews that include 444 pictures. And those pictures have now been view just over 11 million times (up from just over 4 million a year ago and just over 1 million two years ago). Leading up to Thanksgiving in 2022 I shared my then Top 10 Plates (based on total views). This time last year, I shared an updated list.
Top 10 Plates – All Time
When I started writing reviews I snapped and shared images of a few of the most enjoyable plates from each meal. Over time, I expanded to also capture pictures of dining rooms, exterior signs, menus, and other related items. This listing, however, is limited to plates of food. I’ve developed a new category for everything else about the experience called “places,” which you’ll find below
The listing is updated to reflect 7 million additional views in the year since the last edition. The top 10 plates of all time are based on all time views with each restaurant limited to one top picture.
Each item is followed by the relative change in rank order and how many additional views it has experienced since last year’s list (or since being published if created after last year’s list was published).
The item ranking #10 on this year’s list had more than 138,00 views while the item in the final spot last year had just over 84,000 views.
#1 – Brussels Sprouts from Cut & Bourbon (Arlington, TX) [+5, +381,405 views]
#2 – Grilled Duck Breast from Clay Pigeon (Fort Worth, TX) [+-1 +179,072 views]
#3 – Key Lime Pie from Mediterrano (Naples, FL) [-1, + 133,927 views]
#4 – Chips from Cactus Flower Cafe (Navarre, FL) [new to list, uploaded in 2023]
#5 – Lambchop Milanese from Bar Tulia (Naples, FL) {new to list, uploaded in 2023]
#6 – Steak from Wicked Butcher (Fort Worth, TX) [new to list, uploaded in 2020)
#7 – Sea Scallops from Ocean Prime (Naples, FL) [new to list, uploaded in 2023]
#8 – Steak from Bella Luna Italian Bistro (Navarre, FL) [ new to list, uploaded in 2023]
#9 – Octopus from Sails (Naples, FL) [-6, +647 views]
#10 – Mar Y Tierra from El Ranchito (Arlington, TX) [new to list, added in 2023]
Top 10 Places – All Time
New this year is the category of places which is open to the most viewed photos of my restaurant reviews that do not contain food. Each restaurant is limited to one spot on this list.
#1 – Dining Room from Cut & Bourbon (Arlington, TX) [Uploaded in 2023]
#2 – Menu from Finch (Grand Prairie, TX) [Uploaded in 2023]
#3 – Entry Hallway from Hearsay (Arlington, TX) [Uploaded in 2023]
#4 – Bar from The Crafty Irishman (Dallas, TX) [Uploaded in 2023]
#5 – Exterior Signage from Cactus Flower Cafe (Navarre, FL) [new to list, uploaded in 2023]
#6 – Dining Room from Arnaud’s (New Orleans, LA) [Uploaded in 2023]
#7 – Dining Room from Bacchus Kitchen + Bar (Grapevine, TX) [Uploaded in 2024]
#8 – Bar from The Smith (Washington DC) [Uploaded in 2024]
#9 – Dining Room from Abba’s Mediterranean (Mobile, AL) [Uploaded in 2023]
#9 – Entry to Dining Room at S?R Steak + Spirits (Dallas, TX ) [Uploaded in 2024]
#10 – Bar from Ramsay’s Kitchen (Oklahoma City, OK) [Uploaded in 2024]
Foodie Stats
Looking across both lists,
By cuisine
- American – 7
- Mediterranean – 2
- Seafood – 3
- Mexican and Tex-Mex – 2
- Italian – 2
- Irish – 1
By geography
- Texas – 8
- Florida – 5
- Oklahoma – 1
- Louisiana – 1
- Alabama – 1
- Washington, D.C. – 1
So What?
Lists such as these are often filled with surprises. I was surprise to find a simple bowl of chips was my fourth most viewed food photo while a menu was my second most viewed non-food photo.
Creating lists such as this necessarily lead one to reflect on the memories associated with the images. I’m truly thankful for that part of the crafting this blog post.
As you prepare to gather for Friendsgiving and/or Thanksgiving, I invite you to reflect on some meaningful pictures of food. It’s amazing the role food plays in bringing people together and what we can remember about the foods we’ve consumed at some of life’s most meaningful moments.