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This Is Every Generically Cool Restaurant’s Playlist

If there’s a small plate on the menu, this is what’s on the speakers

“Time to listen to some Tame Impala!!!!!!!”
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Hillary Dixler Canavan is Eater's restaurant editor and the author of the publication's debut book, Eater: 100 Essential Restaurant Recipes From the Authority on Where to Eat and Why It Matters (Abrams, September 2023). Her work focuses on dining trends and the people changing the industry — and scouting the next hot restaurant you need to try on Eater's annual Best New Restaurant list.

Most major American cities have several restaurants that could be described as cool. Maybe it serves a shareable menu of eclectic bites; maybe it’s a concise tasting menu that manages to stay under $150; or maybe it’s the newest slightly French dinner spot; and maybe there’s even some quirky natural wines on the menu. Your parents would probably find it a bit too loud. Chances are, this is what’s playing on the speakers.

Wait, is this Phoenix, who I haven’t actively listened to in at least five years? Yes!!! Hold on, is this that one TV on the Radio song I got *really* into my second year in Brooklyn? It is! OMG is it the Biggie song I know all the words to? BELIEVE IT.

Without further ado, here’s every cool restaurant’s playlist. If you see any songs missing, let me know on Twitter and if I, too, have eaten a $27 roasted cauliflower head while listening, I’ll add it to the playlist.

The One Restaurant Playlist

To open this playlist in a new window, click here.

Listen to “Switched on Pop” for an investigation into why so many restaurant playlists sound the same: