"We’ve spent many restless nights contemplating potential share plate scenario with third-tier friends. How do you tell someone you don’t want their cutlery to touch yours without offending them? This is all to say that Xilonen in Greenpoint is a restaurant where you can eat a personal carrot tostada or purple potato taco off your own damn plate and not worry about sharing. Their vegan and vegetarian Mexican food is thrilling to eat, partly because it’s prettier than anything that happened to us in 2020 and partly because of their commitment to letting vegetables be the stars of every bite. Plus, the restaurant is situated right on the edge of McCarren Park so you can always go for a stroll before or after." - Hannah Albertine, Nikko Duren