Critic Q&A: Eater’s Bill Addison on the State of Dining in America

Eater's national restaurant critic, Bill Addison, has the enviable job of traveling across the country to cities large and small in search of the essential dining experience. He spends three weeks per month on the road, visiting places from buzzy upstarts to the ultimate classics. Each year, he compiles a list of the 38 essential American restaurants, a list that's different from other "best-of" lists in that it's not made up entirely of fine dining or even brand new places. After sitting down to over 500 on-the-job meals in 2017, he's in a unique position to comment on the current state of American dining. Skift Table spoke to Addison about his role, his current favorite spots, and the state of restaurant criticism in today's unique restaurant climate. He says not much surprises him, but that doesn't mean there aren't hundreds of untold stories and fascinating meals from across the country — beyond the expected food-focused enclaves of New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Sk