Since joining the Serious Eats staff in March, it's been a wild year for eating. There's been so much to eat, and so much that has been so good, that I've had to think long and hard about what constitutes a "best bite" for the year. In the end, I think, it comes down to cravings: what dish gets me hungry just by thinking about it, even if I first had it months ago? This list isn't everything, but it is eighteen answers to that question. From Flushing to Bay Ridge to the Lower East Side...and back to Flushing, here are the bites that made my year. See them all in the slideshow or jump straight to a dish below.

• Muslim Lamb Chop at Fu Run
• Lamb Segar Hummus at Bab al Yemen
• Laap Meuang at Pok Pok
• Pulled Pork at Taboonette
• Spanakopita at Boubouki
• Braised Veal Tails at Enoteca Maria
• Old Fashioned Doughnut at Peter Pan
• World Peace Cookies at Beurre & Sel
• Cevapi at Ukus
• Cháng An Dòu Huā at Biang!
• Chrysanthemum Leaf Salad at Yunnan Kitchen
• Little Italy Lard Bread Antipasto Mozzarella Melt
• Mapo Tofu at Mission Chinese Food
• Lamb Dumplings at Savor Fusion
• Chicken Tinga Taco at Tortas Neza
• French Onion Soup at M. Wells Dinette
• Special Hyderabadi Dosa at Ganesh Hindu Temple Canteen

About the author: Max Falkowitz is the editor of Serious Eats: New York. You can follow him on Twitter at @maxfalkowitz.