Bouley in, Babbo out on Zagat top 10

When it comes to dining out, New Yorkers are getting a little help from their friends at Zagat.

While the city's top-rated restaurants have mostly remained the same from last year according to Zagat's just-released 2014 New York City restaurant guide, there are some surprises.

Le Bernadin retained its No. 1 in both the Food and Popularity categories in 2014.

But the movement of one popular restaurant in particular -- Bouley -- is noteworthy. Last year, the TriBeCa restaurant, opened in 1987 by chef and restaurateur David Bouley, didn't even make the top 10 of the most popular restaurants list. (It was No. 15.)

This year, it's in the No. 5 position, having pushed Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich's Babbo from the top 10 entirely.

"If there's any competitor for Le Bernadin, it's Bouley," said co-founder, co-chair and CEO Tim Zagat. "It seems to be coming back."

The new Zagat book is above all a helpful guide for the everyday New Yorker. There are top 10 listings for all kinds of cuisine and for restaurants with dinners under $30 (there are 591 of them) and $25 (353).

"We're trying to provide info that allows you to make smart decisions for yourself," Zagat said.

The guide, which polled more than 48,000 respondents, also tracks dining trends. This year, growth in the dining-out trend continued in the city, with the number of meals eaten at restaurants averaging 4.9 per week, compared with 4.4 nationally.

"So many people are eating out as a way of life," Zagat said.