These Are the Best New Restaurants in NYC
As 2025 draws to a close, we're celebrating another great seasons of great new restaurants here in New York City. Whether you live in NYC or are just visiting, you know that a meal out in these parts is a special type of privilege—high or low, cuisine be damned, you're going to eat well. While mainstay institutions—Keens, Cote, Café Kashkar—are as popular as they are reliably good, a big reason the scene here is so exciting is thanks to the abundance of new places that pop up from hungry new chefs with big dreams and a propensity for trying something new. And so, for one last time this year, we take a look at the best openings in New York City—may they too become old reliables down the line. This time around, our picks dot Manhattan and Brooklyn; we've got the East Village and the West Village, Chinatown and Chelsea.
Read on for the best new restaurants in New York City, as of mid-December 2025.
How we choose the best new restaurants in New York City
The best new restaurants in New York City stretch across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. Every business on this list has been selected independently by our editors and written by a Condé Nast Traveler journalist who knows the destination and has personally tried the restaurant in question. When choosing new restaurants, our editors consider both high-end and affordable eateries that offer an authentic and insider experience of the city. We’re always looking for standout dishes, a great location, and warm service—as well as serious sustainability credentials. In terms of how we define ‘new,’ we've chosen to focus on restaurants that have opened within a year of the publish date. When you work your way through the list, check back in: We'll update this guide regularly as new restaurants open in New York City.
Now, here's our selection: find a sexy sushi restaurant embedded in the Hotel Chelsea, an Industry City establishment specializing in dry-aged fish and meats, and the new iteration of a beloved Indian canteen at which you may already have to fight to get a table at—but we promise it's worth it. Here are the best new restaurants in New York City. Find our ultimate list of the very best restaurants in New York City, new and old alike, here.
Read our complete New York City travel guide here, which includes:
This article has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
Alex StaniloffSeahorse
Neighborhood: Union Square, Manhattan
Go for: unexpected seafood delights—think swordfish au poivre—beneath soaring ceilingsIf you like what Mercer Street Hospitality did with SoHo’s Lure Fishbar, you’re likely going to love Seahorse. On the ground floor of the newly redone W New York at the northeast corner of Union Square park, this seafood brasserie similarly oozes nautical charm. But where Lure feels like a cozy cabin interior, Seahorse is more Poseidon’s undersea palace. You enter through a reception anchored by a zinc-topped, fluted wooden bar that’s hopping with hotel guests enjoying happy hour, business folks rendezvousing, and locals on dates. Proceed into the dining area, and you’re greeted with towering ceilings, blue leather banquettes, and underwater murals. Many will be reminded of the popular city brasseries of the early 2000s, not least of all, Olives, which occupied this very room.
The menu is based around what the boats bring in—seafood platters piled high with oysters, crudo, shrimp cocktail, and fish dishes where light-touch sauces or a simple poaching does the trick. You can still expect traditional brasserie fare like duck à l’orange or a prime NY strip, but look instead to the brioche toast service (an homage to the Maine lobster roll) or the black-pepper-crusted seared tuna done in the style of steak au poivre, served with fries in a crystal goblet. My dinner companion claimed they were the best fries she’d ever had. They certainly made fine companions to my Seahorse martini (gin, Lillet, chartreuse) and her pisco sour, enhanced with sour grape. What really rocked my boat that night though were the crudo platter—the yellowfin tuna was so buttery it left us wanting much more—and the Beausoleil oysters. Ask nicely, and your server might bring you a trio of oyster relishes that could include an apple mignonette or a cucumber, chive, and gin zinger. Speaking of which, the servers here are incredibly attentive and friendly; by the end of the night, Steven felt much like a third friend at the table. —Arati Menon
Danny'sDanny's
Neighborhood: Flatiron, Manhattan
Go for: dangerously good fries and a make-your-own sundaeTake the Polo Bar, subtract the impossibility of getting a table, and you’ve got Danny’s. This new Flatiron spot proves that classic American cuisine can still surprise—and in one of the city’s most competitive dining neighborhoods, no less. It may have been my best meal of the year, and I don’t say that lightly. The service alone wins you over—our waiter was attentive, friendly, and somehow managed to keep everything running seamlessly on a packed Saturday night—but the food seriously delivers as well. The spicy tuna sat atop crispy black rice—a clever twist on a staple—and was as artful as it was flavorful; the hamachi crudo, meanwhile, came with a punchy yuzu sauce that you’ll want to drink by the spoonful. A Caesar salad piled high with shaved cheese followed, and then there was a perfectly-cooked branzino with greens. And the fries, seasoned with a touch of umami magic, were dangerously addictive, especially when dipped into one of the house-made sauces (the truffle ranch is a must). Just when it seemed the meal couldn’t get better, out came the make-your-own sundae: scoops of ice cream with a whole plateful of toppings like hot fudge, caramel, and candied pecans—the nostalgia was high and my taste buds were extremely happy. Danny’s already feels like an instant classic, the kind of place that balances class with warmth and has an approachable atmosphere. Here’s hoping it sticks around for years to come—even if only for that sundae, which is all I’ll be thinking about for the foreseeable future. —Emily Adler
Nick CurtolaI Cavallini
Neighborhood: Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Go for: stark, sturdy Italian, namely excellent pasta—plus wineEveryone wants to eat at I Cavallini, the new Italian restaurant from the same team as (and right across the street from) lauded Williamsburg wine bar The Four Horsemen. There are a few differences between that hallowed establishment and this one, namely bigger portions in a bigger space. Said space is understated, for one thing, with dusky light, dark paint, and black-and-white tile skirting a long bar. The food is squarely Italian rather than the more nebulous New American, although eclecticism continues to prevail both on the food menu and the wine list (comprising only bottles from the boot). This is a tricky, tricky table to get—dedicated travelers’ best bet may just be to take their leisure time and queue up early outside the deep green facade. Once you’re in, who knows when you might secure a return, so make your order a full suite with at least one food item from each of the menu’s four courses: antipasti, insalate, primi, and secondi. In my case, this meant whatever my waiter recommended: airy fried dough topped with bundles of culatello, a cured meat close to prosciutto; a fennel salad with stone fruit and pecorino to brighten things up; buoyantly chewy trofie pasta in a simple pesto, complicated ever-so-slightly by the addition of the swiss Belper Knolle cheese; and a bluefin belly on a bed of herby gremolata and tiny risina beans. These are complicated food items presented in the simplest terms. —Charlie Hobbs
LimusinaLimusina
Neighborhood: Hudson Yards, Manhattan
Go for: flash that's not without substance and a birria that's to be taken very seriouslyFlashy dining is back, and Limusina is here to prove it with 215 seats in an 80’s inspired 5,000-square-foot space—and a menu that includes the likes of a lobster al pastor, and a no-joke short rib quesabirria that is so outlandishly decadent and yet impossible to regret ordering. At first I wasn’t sure if the food would be able to keep up with the vibes (it’s the first Mexican spot from the same team behind aesthetics-first restaurants like Bad Roman and San Sabino; they’re also responsible for more demure icons like Quality Meats and Don Angie). I was pleasantly surprised, though, that the sultry dining room, filled with a kaleidoscope of chandeliers in different shapes and sizes, churned out one tasty hit after another, from the delicate Amaebi sweet shrimp aguachile to the cozy corn con crema side dish—and even a non-alcoholic cocktail that was just as satisfying as a real marg. The crowd is dressed up and in the mood to feel fab, which is really the only way to approach a meal that will include spooning fall-off-the-bone short rib into your mouth for multiple hours. Lean in. —Megan Spurrell
CoveCove
Neighborhood: Hudson Square, Manhattan
Go for: vegetables grown in the chef's gardenFor fans of the prodigious young chef Flynn McGarry, the closing of Gem Wine in the spring felt unexpected and premature. While some solace was found in Gem Home, the cozy café next door, it still felt like a loss. Then came Cove in the fall—a new 70-seater in Hudson Square, the meeting point of Soho and Tribeca—that continues McGarry’s exploration of pairing East Coast produce with West Coast savoir faire. I walked in on a rainy October night and found a woodsy refuge with an open kitchen, gentle pastel washed art, and Poulsen lamps. Where you sit is determined by the menu you pick: I ordered à la carte, enjoyed in the main dining room, but the $120 eight-course menu is served in a tucked-away room adjacent to the kitchen.
Setting you up nicely for the evening is a 400-strong wine list curated with the same care as at the erstwhile Gem Wine; here the focus is on French and American bottles. The food menu is a dream for mostly-vegetarian pescatarians like myself, starring veggies, herbs, and edible flowers grown in McGarry’s garden in Brookhaven, Long Island. Standout dishes at our table included the sourdough with Marmite butter; the creamy Jonah crab custard that hid under a shell, generously flecked with pieces of crab and served with two pieces of drippy, eggy sourdough toast; and the brassicas with black truffle and juniper—bold and assertive yet unexpectedly moving. “Like a Godzilla movie,” our server said. We finished with a “carrot cake-like” celery-root–passion-fruit torte that delighted both brain and palate with its crunchy dehydrated cake bits, red currants, and passion-fruit seeds. I could honestly see myself going back just for that clever little rendition alone. —Arati Menon
Gentl + HyersWild Cherry
Neighborhood: West Village, Manhattan
Go for: fall-off-the-bone frog legs and thinly-sliced sea snailFrom the team that brings you Frenchette and Le Veau d’Or, Wild Cherry is a fabulous and fairly tiny French restaurant in the West Village, in the style of a fancy, fussy diner thanks to its metal-clad bar and checkerboard tile. It’s tucked inside the Cherry Lane Theater, which just reopened after being bought by the film studio A24, but has already proven that it can stand on its own as a dining destination. There are strong cocktails, $22 and up, like the Old-Fashioned with banana-infused molasses, and a wine bar that’s heavy on the French. The supper menu is tight but also playful, split into seafood, apps, and mains. If there’s one thing you step out of your comfort zone for, let it be the scunjilli, a thinly-sliced and sauteed sea snail served with celery onion and lots of broth in its own shell—it’s like eating tender mushrooms, and you’ll get a shot of Mahon gin which you’re meant to pour into the shell once it’s empty and then shoot back (it tastes like a Gibson). If there are two things you step out of your comfort zone for, the second should be the frog legs kiev, golden fried and falling off the bone. Classic menu items like the caesar salad (so bedecked with cheese that it looks like a weeping willow canopy) and the medium rare cheeseburger are also solid. —Charlie Hobbs
Ha's Snack BarHa's Snack Bar
Neighborhood: Chinatown, Manhattan
Go for: the chicken liver pate topped with vinegary, spicy peppersThere is a boom in hot buzzy NYC restaurants drawing on Southeast Asian flavors right now, and fish-sauce-loving Ha's is at the epicenter of it. What started as a pop-up (Ha's Đặc Biệt) became a real shoebox-sized restaurant in Chinatown at the start of 2025—and now, remains consistently full night after night, with an unabashed menu of seafood, offal, reimagined Frenchy dishes like escargot. At launch, the always-changing menu went hard on bold presentations of head cheese, also known as giò thủ, and even a calf's brain surrounded by creamy eggs (!), but on a September visit most tables were topped with a crowd-pleasing crunchy herby salad, the chicken liver pate with fried bread and hot peppers, and a steamed skate. And of course, the escargot with tamarind was sizzling all around me. Everything hits, even if portions are small and the space is even smaller (I wouldn't try coming with more than one other person). If you want to secure a chance to eat here without a reservation, your best bet is (unfortunately) lining up 30 min before they open to put your name down. It's the type of thing I am usually resistant to but damn that paté was good. —Megan Spurrell
Banh Anh EmBánh Anh Em
Neighborhood: East Village
Go for: Life-changing sandwiches which took years of back-and-forth trips to Vietnam to craftAnyone who’s skimmed the relatively bland food scene of Morningside Heights knows that Vietnamese shop house Bánh easily sweeps as the best sit-down restaurant in the neighborhood. So when I heard that owners Nhu Ton and John Nguyen were heading up a sister location dedicated to Viet street food, I put their pin on my map immediately. Even in the significantly larger pond of East Village, Bánh Anh Em is no small fry. Iterating until they hit just the right recipe for the baguettes made fresh in-house each morning took three years alone. That unassuming pot of hot sauce at your table? That’s batch-made too, and if you’re sitting at the bar, your stool was likely brought back to the States by Nhu herself. Dining here is relishing in the sum of all these meticulous details perfected by a relentless commitment to authenticity. Should you choose to take the scenic route down the menu, the flaky and oh-so savory patê chaud is a meat pie done right. If you’ve brought a posse, start the meal with the bánh ướt chồng, a tower of rice cakes accompanied by a choose-your-own-adventure variety of toppings to douse on. Above all else, save room for the bánh mis. This is bread in three acts—a crackly first bite, an airy chew, and an elegant, buttery dissolve. Crisp pickled veggies, a mix of herbs that tastes like spring, and an ensemble of sauces that strike just the right balance of salt, fat, and heat prove as reliable co-stars. When it comes to the main event of the meat? Traditionalists should opt for the O.G., a mix of cha lua (steamed Vietnamese ham), head cheese, and sprinklings of tripe. For those looking for a little bit more to sink their teeth into (with the budget for an afternoon nap), I wouldn’t miss the Heo Quay which layers on thick slabs of audibly crispy pork belly. Despite its newcomer status, Bánh Anh Em has that x-factor singular to stone cold classics. —Kat Chen
Nobuyuki NaritaMuku
Neighborhood: Tribeca, Manhattan
Go for: intimate tasting menu guided by the chef’s roots in Japan’s Yamagata prefectureIn the heart of Tribeca, tucked away inside the award-winning L’abeille and L’abeille à cóté, Muku doesn’t announce itself loudly—nor does it need to. A soft sanctuary to those invited inside, Muku’s warm, wood-paneled walls and ten-seat cushioning is a Japanese reverie. It’s the kind of place where once you slip into your chair, you’re transported, and the rest of the world feels like it falls away. Born in Yamagata Prefecture and trained in Miyagi, Chef Manabu Asanuma has dedicated his life to nihonryori—traditional Japanese cuisine—and that devotion is palpable. Chef Manabu presides with both precision and softness, guiding guests through an 10-course omakase that traces the five classical techniques of Japanese cooking, or Goho: raw, grilled, simmered, steamed, and fried. Each dish feels less like a performance and more like a conversation between you and Chef—quiet, deliberate, and deeply intentional. And it comes down to the little things—buckwheat flour sourced directly from his family’s farm in Japan for soba, an expert wine and sake pairing that perfectly balances the flavors of dishes like the Sakizuke hairy crab or Mushimono Chawanmushi with foie gras, and traditional pours from boiled soba water back into duck broth for a warm, encompassing soup. Items are conjured from beneath the counter one after another: pristine cuts of Japanese A5 wagyu sirloin, an entire Kinki rockfish, and whole crown melons cut in half. Muku is the Mary Poppins of intensely curated, always seasonal, coveted foods. Yet, as precise and encapsulating as the cooking is, Muku is less about theater and more about the intimacy and love for food created within the space. The real takeaway is the familial warmth threaded through the experience: the sense that you’ve been welcomed into someone’s home and legacy, not just their restaurant. —Bridget Knowles
Courtesy TerukoTeruko
Neighborhood: Chelsea, Manhattan
Go for: That classic Hotel Chelsea intimacy, plus sushiThe Hotel Chelsea is one of my favorite places in the city—not only because I desperately wish that the walls could speak, but also because of the slow-burn of the new restaurants and bars they’ve unveiled since the hotel-wide refresh a few years back. Teruko, the supersexy subterranean Japanese spot that opened this spring, is the latest. It also pays homage to the creative legacy of the hotel-cum-residence, taking its namesake from Japanese-born artist Teruko Yokoi, who once lived and worked here in the Chelsea. Follow the stairs that duck under the iconic entrance into a low-light dining room with speakeasy vibes and fabulous seafood from chef Tadashi Ono. There’s a sushi counter, ideal if you want to go for the omakase, though the tables have that classic Hotel Chelsea intimacy: you’ll want to lean in with whoever you’re sitting with. What makes this one of my favorite Japanese spots in the city right now is not just the fabulous setting, but the fact that the elite sushi menu is well complemented by izakaya-style dishes—little chicken meatballs that are dipped in egg yolk, a robata grilled prawn the size of a Maine lobster, and smoked and seared kanpachi—all of which lead you into the main event of beautifully prepared Edomae-style sushi. —Megan Spurrell
.jpg)
Markette
Neighborhood: Chelsea, Manhattan
Go for: A bright, truly singular menu of European-Caribbean joie de vivreSalt. Cod. Fritters. This starting snack alone is reason enough to visit Markette, the new Chelsea restaurant from London-born chef India Doris. Doris, a Londoner who crossed the pond to New York in 2016, presents here a menu of (mostly) British and European classics that have been transformed with bright Caribbean influence. These salt cod fritters take that brilliantly pungent preserved fish and triple fry them, making them palatable to just about anyone without losing their punch. They are light and airy, bringing to mind the best of Bisquick somehow. Her peri peri half-chicken has been getting the most attention, meanwhile, and for good reason: it’s been deboned and brined for days before cooking, making the meat super juicy and flavorful. But it also manages to get crispy in the skin while still bearing the bright peri peri marinade and buttermilk ranch. While I’ll join the chorus in contending that this is a must-order, you’d be wise to add a few more plates to share: the bibb salad with an everything crumble; butter beans in a tomatillo salsa verde and topped with perfectly crispy soppressata bringing to mind pizza beans; and the braised oxtail topped in crispy cheddar polenta (in tribute to shepherd’s pie). The dining room itself feels a little formal when you step in, but the pleasant green palette, pitch-perfect service (our server checks on us often but never once annoys us, which is a feat and testament to the charisma on display), and food that’s often just plain delightful puts you right at ease. —Charlie Hobbs
Jason VarneyLa Tête d'Or
Neighborhood: Flatiron, Manhattan
Go for: the company of uber-chic carnivoresYou know those scenes from the original Sex and the City, where the quartet of protagonists, Cosmopolitans in hand and dressed to the nines, glide from a hot new restaurant's bar to a see-and-be-seen four-top in the middle of a hot new dining room, and you knew that, even in a transitional moment like that, you were in always-hot and ever-new Manhattan? That's exactly the feeling I had as I was led to my seat at La Tête d'Or, Monsieur Daniel Boulud's hot new New Yorkais temple to, if not exactly steaks, then the steakhouse experience. During my visit on an otherwise ordinary weekday night, the decadent fare and hyper-polished staff were spectacular—as in, resembled spectacles: Chariots of prime rib ($130) whizzed about the place, dispensing 10 ounces of American wagyu ribeye cut, dressed, and served tableside by servers with a flourish that befit the price tag. Though, given that an order automatically comes with accompaniments—bordelaise and béarnaise sauces; spinach and potatoes, both creamy; and a peppered popover—it can feel like a steal, especially with the lavish attention it gets you from the crew and your co-diners. (Common was it for a patron to see another table, point to the prime rib, and say, "I'll have what she's having.") Aside from the show's star, scrumptious too are the recurring cast you'd find at a steak joint: the bone marrow ($26), the crab cake ($34), the Caesar salad—also prepped and served tableside ($24). While the dishes here are the types over which life-changing deals are brokered—corporate, romantic, or otherwise—I didn't notice such contracts being negotiated over La Tête d'Or's white tablecloths (mind you, the cavernous space is seemingly built for people-watching). All present were simply fêting the good life in New York City, this stage that makes one and all feel like the main character. —Matt Ortile
.jpg)
Courtesy KabawaKabawa
Neighborhood: East Village, Manhattan
Go for: The city's most generously portioned pre-fixeOur server warned us on more than one occasion that Kabawa chef Paul Carmichael ensures all his diners leave with full, happy bellies. But as New York City pre-fixe menus aren’t typically associated with ample serving sizes (let alone extra side dishes), I could not anticipate just how deliriously full—and happy—I would stumble out the door by the meal’s end. From the cassava and chutney starter course, it’s impossible to leave a single crumb behind. With a $145 price tag (comparably affordable as far as pre-fixe menus go in this town), you’re sure to get your money’s worth with a starter, main, and dessert, plus three small bowls of rice, beans, and salad. Carmichael, who grew up in Barbados, has crafted an ingenious interpretation of Caribbean cuisine, drawing inspiration from the tastes of Jamaica, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Puerto Rico, Barbados, and beyond. There’s truly no wrong way to order; my personal favorite dishes were the octopus breadfruit tostón, a ridiculously tender goat shoulder with spicy scallop creole, and the coconut turnover for two. While you wait for each dish to appear, enjoy your front-row seat to the centerstage that is the kitchen, where the chefs work their disciplined magic. In a testament to Kabawa’s ethos of fine dining without the fuss—replaced instead with a palpable joy—Carmichael pays us a visit before dessert, smiling ear to ear, and demonstrates how to crack and peel open a tamarind pod with our fingers. And with that tactile wisdom imparted, he blows a kiss goodbye. —Hannah Towey
Alex LauAdda
Neighborhood: East Village, Manhattan
Go for: The book-ahead table-side butter chicken, emblematic of a larger and fancier experience on the wholeThe new Adda is the old Adda, except larger and fancier. It does retain the beloved bheja (goat brain) masala, though—and the same lick-your-fingers deliciousness across the board. That the food hits will surprise no one: Chef Chintan Pandya and partner Roni Mazumdar of Unapologetic Foods have had a Midas-like run with their restaurants, which include Semma and Dhamaka—but at the new Adda, things have gotten more playful, even participative. The amuse-bouche comes in the form of a bunch of chaats that arrive on a tray for you to pick from; the pickle cart rolls up shortly after (get the date pickle, thank me later). But no experience is more theatrical—or enjoyable—than the book-ahead tableside butter chicken, a tired culinary trope Adda is reclaiming and setting right. On a recent evening, Pandya himself prepared the dish, with a choice of smoking chips (we picked apple) and flavored butter (pickled tomato). Nearby, a diner declared it was his third time ordering the dish; the restaurant at the time had only been open a few weeks. As a lush gravy closed in around succulent bird, we were joined at the table by a rooster-shaped pitcher containing a hazy liquid. It turned out to be a mezcal-based ‘butter chicken cocktail, which was—no spoilers—a gustatory adventure. Vegetarians needn’t leave unhappy: there’s a special menu with highlights like a jackfruit-filled puff pastry, a delicately flavored gucchi (morrel mushroom) pulao, and a juicy, savory soy mince roll with smoked chili chutney that I dare say could beat its more popular sibling—the mutton kheema roll—at its game. —Arati Menon
Andrew BuiLe Chêne
Neighborhood: West Village, Manhattan
Go for: Pure class and an exceptional wine listTo dine at Le Chêne, for those fortunate enough to score a table in the 50-seat West Village Parisian wonderland, is to be made very happy. Starting with the bar, which stares down the entry: it’s a small semi-circle you’d be wise to have a cocktail (the classic space begets a classic martini, I’d say) at before being led to your table (where the impressive wine list trumps any other libations), so try to beat your date. Once you’re seated in the white plaster moulded space, perhaps on a burgundy velvet bench in front of the wall of happy prints, you’ll find out what’s on the watercolor-adorned menu that evening. The amuse-bouches up top change less frequently: expect excellent, bite-sized tartines laden with sweet shrimp, or uni and bone marrow. The best bite amongst these, for me, is the fresh corn beignet. Below are the appetizers, perhaps including baked razor clams or a pistachio-and-apricot inflected pate. And then the entrees: delicate halibut in beurre blanc, or a litany of beef specials too heavy for the hot summer day of my visit. As the seasons progress, I reckon this dining experience will only get finer and more romantic. —Charlie Hobbs
Teddy WolffDolores
Neighborhood: Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn
Go for: An unexpected drinks menu, lengua tacos, and vibes, vibes, vibesIt’s a great moment to live in Bed-Stuy—the neighborhood has long been home to many of my favorite bars and restaurants, but more and more it feels like the new spots everyone is talking about are just down the street. Dolores, from the team behind beloved brunch spot Winona’s, is one of these openings. Within its first month, the seats at the bar and on the sidewalk of small-business-central Tompkins are already buzzing with people; inside, the stucco-covered walls and Mexicania of the entire restaurant feel like a tv set for a show I’d like to live inside. The team says the place is inspired by co-founder Emir Dupeyron’s childhood in Mexico City and the cantinas it is known for, though anyone who has traveled throughout Central Mexico might feel as though they’re transported to Veracruz or Guadalajara, depending on which vintage art piece or trinket you get drawn into, and delightfully there are plenty of them. Spend time on the drinks menu, which plays with usual suspects like mezcal and Modelo, but also corn whiskey, sotol, and punchy fruit flavors (no surprise: Leanne Favre, of Clover Club and Leyenda, is behind the bar menu). The cooked aguachile is a nice starter, even though I tend to prefer my aguachiles with raw seafood (in this rendition, everything is fully cooked before being tossed in the sauce, much like a Mexican-style ceviche). The lengua tacos, which come steaming and wrapped in a fabric napkin to trap the vapor, are the perfect order for the table and the texture of the meat is juuuuust right. Come for the bites, but expect to come back for the vibes. —Megan Spurrell
Heather WillenskyMaison Passerelle
Neighborhood: Financial District, Manhattan
Go for: Boldly veined marble and bold flavor from the French diasporaIt took sitting down to realize I matched the decor at Maison Passerelle: the dress I was wearing was a dead-ringer for its patterned upholstery. Not a bad thing, because the anchor restaurant (there’s also a champagne room, bakery, and raw bar) at Printemps—a newly opened outpost of the famed Parisian department store—is immediately arresting with its boldly veined marble, sunset-colored walls, and vintage patterned tiles. It’s not the only thing that will grab your attention: For its menu, Printemps New York’s head chef Gregory Gourdet, who has won a handful of James Beard awards for his cookbooks and his Portland, Oregon restaurant Kann, has eschewed a more predictable brasserie menu in favor of inspiration from the French diaspora, highlighting the ways that traditional cuisine intertwines with the flavors of West Africa, the West Indies, Vietnam, French Canada, and beyond. (There's a wall fresco featuring digitally merged photos of sunsets from each of these places as another homage.) What this means is that the oysters come with a mignonette made with pikliz (a spicy Haitian condiment that’s a Gourdet trademark; he’s a Queens native with Haitian roots); the citrus-cured kampachi is lifted by a smoked coconut milk; and the dry-aged strip steak is rubbed with a Haitian coffee, chili, and spice blend and served with fries and Creole ketchup. No matter what you pick, leave room for dessert. In particular, the coconut chiboust, a light, cold, creamy pudding served with a limey, toasted-coconut sorbet. Prepare to dream of it for days after. —Arati Menon
ComalComal
Neighborhood: Chinatown, Manhattan
Go for: unfussy Mexican—skewers, red rice—in an unfussy spaceGem Wine moved out, Flynn McGarry moved on to fellow list-maker Cove, and Comal moved into the cozy space on Forsyth Street. This Mexican small plates restaurant is about as cool as it is easy—easy to get a table at, easy to enjoy—which is to say: very. The dining room is easy on the eyes, warm and casual with an unobtrusive orange and brown palette and original art on the walls. The menu is simple and original—the must-orders, in my book, include each of the skewers (beef tongue, al pastor, and mushroom, the latter outshining the excellent meat options by a mile) and the comal rice, which is red and tomato-forward and really sings. Larger dishes of meat and seafood are impressive as well, to be sure—the sweetbreads ($32) are a one-two punch of crispy and juicy, while the smoked half chicken ($39) comes with a masa-stuffed wing. Go that route if you’re so inclined, but I'd argue it’s the smaller, lighter plates that are the most fun to mix and match. They’re also where the menu's various textures and flavors really coagulate. —Charlie Hobbs
Recommended
