What To Read

This week, the world's top-ranked restaurant, Noma, announced that it will be closing. Rene Redzepi's storied Copenhagen restaurant defined an era of fine dining. Noma will become a full-time food laboratory (Noma 3.0) with pop-up tastings, but most of us will never have the chance to try menu items like beetles made of berry leathers or reindeer heart on fresh pine.

All delicious things must come to an end, and iconic restaurants like NOMA are no exception. An ambitious and inspired home cook just might be able to channel the ghosts of the world's storied cuisine through the books that these dearly departed restaurants left behind.

1. Noma - Copenhagen (Closing 2024)

Citing sustainability issues as the main reason for its closing, renowned chef René Redzepi announced that he will be converting his mythic restaurant into a full-time food lab.

These Noma books are as much art and artifact as cookbook and the lucky people who have had memorable meals at Noma may find them to be sublime souvenirs. The rest of us can hope only to live vicariously...

2. El Bulli - Catalonia, Spain (Closed 2011)

This three-star Michelin restaurant on the Costa Brava was also ranked multiple years as the top eatery in the world. El Bulli was known for its highly technical and experimental gastronomy epitomized by its famous edible foam made from white beans.

This catalogue of El Bulli recipes (on special order for $625) presents hundreds of dishes developed by the creative team at the El Bulli workshop in Barcelona along with Ferran Adrià.

A more accessible way to pick up some new ideas inspired by Adrià is this recipe book of dishes that were eaten by the staff each night at 6pm, known in the business as "the family meal."

3. The Stork Club - NYC (Closed 1965)

In its heyday, the Stork Club was the "place to be seen" among New York's glitterati from Lauren Bacall and Bette Davis to Ernest Hemingway and Dashiell Hammett. This book published late last year revives the club's cookbook and cocktail manual including classic recipes like Quail à la Jane Russell or Eggs Eva Gabor.

4. Angelica Kitchen - NYC (Closed 2017)

For four decades, Angelica was a pioneering vegan eatery where East Village hippies, punks and artists were eating kale before most people knew what kale was. This book includes more than 100 of its most popular recipes from essential rice and beans to Asian root-vegetable stew.

5. Prune - NYC (Closed 2020)

During the dark days of the pandemic, chef Gabrielle Hamilton decided to keep her beloved New York restaurant closed, much to the dismay of fans who would line up down the block for a table. This book includes more than 250 recipes and lush photos with her most-requested recipes like grilled shrimp with anchovy butter, and Tongue and Octopus with Salsa Verde.

6. Coi - San Francisco (Closed 2022)

This Michelin-starred restaurant closed last year after serving its legendary tasting menu for 16 years. Chef Daniel Patterson sourced only local and wild ingredients and used a mix of ancient and modern techniques. This book tells his story, along with secrets of his Carrots Roasted in Coffee Beans, Inverted Cherry Tomato Tart and Nettle-Dandelion Salsa on Abalone.

Check out Tertulia's "Voices in the Food World" row to hear what books are buzzing among chefs and food writers.

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