Priya Krishna, a New York Times Food and Cooking reporter, sat alone at Lom Wong, a Thai restaurant in Phoenix, surrounded by a dozen dishes like green papaya salad with charcoal-grilled chicken, stir-fried noodles with straw mushrooms and head-on langoustine, and pork belly curry over jasmine rice.

She wasn’t munching on mashed beef and steamed squid just for fun: She was one of eight Times reporters, editors and critics who were traveling the United States to compile the second annual list of their 50 favorite restaurants in the country. The guide, which features recommendations in more than 20 states; Washington, D.C.; and Puerto Rico, was published online on Monday.