Tavern 62 by David Burke

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Overview:

Tavern 62 by David Burke is the first new concept from ESquared Hospitality in partnership with Chef David Burke. The space is a regal, modern American tavern including an oak bar, solarium in the back, and a main dining room situated upstairs. They offer an all-day menu plus several private dining spaces. The menu features American plates as a reflection of Chef Burke’s contemporary approach to cooking, with a nod to elevated New York classics. In true creative Burke fashion the apps feature angry lobster dumplings, pretzel-crusted crab cakes, and octopus & chorizo kebabs. He brings his out-of-the-box thinking to entrees like peking pork shank, bison short rib with bbq prawns, and black rigatoni with seafood. 

Information:

Address: 135 E 62nd St, New York, NY 10065

Phone: (212) 988-9021

Neighborhood: Upper Easy Side

Price: $$$

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Don Angie

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Overview:

Husband and wife chef team Scott Tacinelli and Angie Rito are bringing a fresh new concept to the West Village. The former restaurant space has been modernized, white-washed with marble floors and rich blue & gold accents. The menu is updated Italian, a genre the duo previously nailed at Quality Italian. You'll find reinvented Italian-American family favorites like spicy antipasti, bbq calimari and tonnato vitello. Their pastas are undoubtedly the star, specifically the lasanga for 2, sliced down and broiled so that every bite comes with a cheesy crust bite. 

Information:

Address: 103 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10014

Phone:  (212) 889-8884

Neighborhood: West Village

Price: $$$

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The Odeon

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Overview:

The Odeon is one of those tried & true Tribeca staples that has stood the test of time since being opened by Keith McNally in 1980. The space is a lively bistro with big chrome banquets, white table clothes and outdoor seating. It feels like old New York in the best way. The menu mainly consists of French bistro classics like oysters, steak frite, frisee salad and steak tartare. Breakfast and lunch are served daily with brasserie favorites like croque monsieur, moules frites and french onion soup. Great for a business lunch, group dinner or solo bar dining. 

Information:

Address: 145 W Broadway, New York, NY 10013

Phone:   (212) 233-0507

Neighborhood: Tribeca

Price: $$$

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Pretty Southern

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Overview:

Pretty Southern is a cozy Greenpoint spot form the mind of chef Sam Talbot. The space is small and bright, with a colorful outdoor area complete with a large quirky mural. The menu is all southern comfort food - meaning it's all terrible for you - but done so extremely well that it is genuinely worth every calorie. Talbot has put a modern spin on a laundry list of dishes fit to cure any hangover. There is a grilled pimento cheese & tomato sandwich, flaky biscuits, and some of the greatest skillet mac & cheese ever created. Chicken comes fried or rotisserie style in all sizes. Southern style desserts like banana cream pudding and a full bar round out a visit. For picky eaters out there, you can actually find a good amount of vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free options as well. 

Information:

Address: 14 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222

Phone:  (718) 349-2967

Neighborhood: Greenpoint

Price: $$-$$$

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Vic's

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Overview:

Vic's is a go-to for all occasions in Noho from the Five Points team. The vibe is that of a comfortable neighborhood restaurant, just with exceptionally good looking people all around you. You'll find a spacious interior with several distinct dining areas, large tables, a skylight and semi-open kitchen. The menu is mainly Italian and chef Hillary Sterling does both farm-to-table cooking and pizza quite well. The antipasti and mercato sections have an excellent list of vegetables like delicata squash with walnut gremolata, puntarelle with anchovies, and crispy calamari with fennel and pine nuts. Choose from 5 Neapolitan pies or a long list of pastas like cacio e pepe and eggplant ravioli. It's really a restaurant good for many things - an intimate date, group brunch, or dinner with the parents. 

Information:

Address: 31 Great Jones St, New York, NY 10012

Phone: (212) 253-5700

Neighborhood: Noho

Price: $$$

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Babu Ji

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Overview:

The banner on the Babu Ji website exclaims "not your typical Indian joint" and that's pretty accurate. They have moved from their original space in the East Village and now take their home just south of Union Square. The new space is a bit nondescript - split level, casual, with bold photography on the walls. In terms of food, this Indian menu is special and a departure from the "sitting on your couch" cuisine. The presentation of the dishes is modern and vibrant; upscale while still comforting and packed with spices. There are more traditional offerings like coconut curry shrimp, yellow dhal and butter chicken all exuding deep, rich flavors. More creative options are available such as duck curry, colonel tso’s cauliflower and naan pizza . The tasting menu is an excellent option for $62 per person. 

Information:

Address: 22 E 13th St, New York, NY 10003

Phone: (212) 951-1082

Neighborhood: Union Square

Price: $$$

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Bubby's

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Overview:

Bubby's is a fantastic diner-style concept that started in 1990 as a pie company. They have since expanded to 2 Manhattan locations and several in Japan while remaining a Tribeca institution. The vibe is casual and comfortable with big wooden tables and huge windows. They serve food all day and the space is consistently packed for all meal periods. The food is slightly more sophisticated than your average diner plates but they do all the simple classics extremely well. Their scratch made American menu includes favorites like crispy chicken biscuits, huge market salads, and breakfast all day like fluffy stacked blueberry pancakes, eggs benedict & huevos rancheros. This is comfort food at its finest in a warm space that feels like home. 

Information:

Address: 120 Hudson St, New York, NY 10013

73 Gansevoort St, New York, NY 10014

Phone  (212) 219-0666

Neighborhood: Tribeca & Meatpacking District

Price: $$-$$$

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SUGARCANE raw bar grill

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Overview:

The Miami hit Sugarcane has arrived in NYC from the team that also brought you Sushi Samba. The restaurant takes it's home in the newly expanding Empire Store complex of Dumbo, Brooklyn. The massive space has bright colors and low lighting, with views of Manhattan’s skyline and the Brooklyn bridge. The menu is made up of globally inspired small plates coming from their kitchen which includes an open fire grill & raw bar.  Asian, Latin and American influences mix to create plates like bacon-wrapped dates, an array of crudos and ceviches, and more substantial dishes like chimichurri skirt steak and yakitori chicken. It's a fun place to bring a big group and share some interesting food. 

Information:

Address: 55 Water St, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Phone (718) 473-9555

Neighborhood: Dumbo

Price: $$$

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Cookshop

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Overview:

Cookshop has been a neighborhood favorite for years and judging from the packed house for breakfast, lunch & dinner they show no signs of stopping. The restaurant comes from the team behind other hits like Rosie's, Vic's and the new Shuka (formerly Hundred Acres). The space is warm and homey while still being moderately upscale. The greenmarket-driven menu is mostly American and features grass-fed meat, locally caught fish, and sustainably raised poultry. You'll find crowd pleasers like seared scallops, Berkshire pork chops and tons of vegetables everywhere. Weekend brunch is especially popular with dishes like huevos rancheros and baked eggs. This place will surely be a beautiful neighborhood mainstay for years to come. 

Information:

Address: 156 10th Ave, New York, NY 10011

Phone: (212) 924-4440

Neighborhood: Chelsea

Price: $$$

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Málà Project

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Overview:

Málà Project is a cozy, casual East Village spot where even the most jaded New Yorkers can come try food they have never experienced. The restaurant specializes in Sichuan dry pot which is a dish that became popular in the provincial capital of Chengdu during the ’80s. To build your dry pot there are roughly 70, yes 70, ingredients to choose from ranging from traditional (glass noodles, oyster mushrooms, prawns) to absolutely wild (beef artery, duck tongue, chicken gizzard). Ingredients are then tossed in a big bamboo bowl with plenty of cilantro and chili peppers. To round out your meal there are plenty of non-dry-pot specialties, like crispy-thin scallion pancakes, excellent dan dan noodles, and pan-fried pork dumplings. This is a really fun place to come with a group and try an interesting cuisine for a very low price. 

Information:

Address:  122 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10009

Phone:  (212) 353-8880

Neighborhood: East Village

Price: $$

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Little Alley

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Overview:

Little Alley is a traditional Shanghainese restaurant in Murray Hill. The space feels modern and sleek with brick lined walls and a women in the dining room hand rolling dumplings (which you must love, obviously). The menu has a long list of traditional meat & seafood entrees plus rice & noodles which are all much better than your average Chinese food restaurant. The dim sum selection has all the soup dumplings, pork buns and potstickers your heart could desire. Overall this is a casual neighborhood spot great for a relaxing dine-in experience or take out, at a very low price.

Information:

Address: 550 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10016

Phone: (646) 998-3976

Neighborhood: Murray Hill

https://www.littlealley.nyc/

Price: $$

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Nobody is Perfect

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Overview:

Nobody's Perfect is the 3rd restaurant from the team behind 2 other neighborhood spots, Pardon My French and Chou Chou. This is a tough location, as it is the 5th restaurant in this space in 10 years. The current owners have done a magnificent job decorating the sprawling space and making it feel inviting in spite of its large size. The design is industrial chic with tons of decorative tile, hard wood and exposed brick. The menu is mainly Italian with signature dishes like whole roasted chicken and carbonara which arrives in a hollowed-out wheel of pecorino. Starters like calamari, meatballs and burrata are all under $14. They also serve a list of pizzas that come from their central wood fired oven. Bottomless brunch is served on weekends for $30 but be forewarned it's cash only. 

Information:

Address:  235 E 4th St, New York, NY 10009

Phone: (646) 869-1469

Neighborhood: East Village

Price: $$-$$$

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Fort Defiance

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Overview:

Fort Defiance is an all day neighborhood spot serving up breakfast, lunch, brunch & dinner. The vintage-inspired setting sort of reminds you of Cheers by way of Brooklyn, where everybody knows your name. Classic cocktails pair with seasonal American dishes like deviled eggs, watermelon & feta salad, and smoke trout. The sandwiches are excellent, particularly the muffaletta or the simple cheeseburger made with ground chuck on a brioche bun. Nice little neighborhood hang. 

Information:

Address:  365 Van Brunt St, Brooklyn, NY 11231

Phone:  (347) 453-6672

Neighborhood: Red Hook

Price: $$-$$$

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Carma East

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Overview:

Carma East is an East Village neighborhood spot which recently had it's first birthday. The atmosphere is modern and cozy; casual enough to frequent. The contemporary Chinese/Taiwanese menu mainly focuses on dim sum. You'll find the usual players- tons of dumplings, shu mai, crispy chicken and pork bao. The taiwanese style beef noodle soup is rich and loaded with chunks of meat. Dishes like general tso's chicken and crispy pork with cucumbers round out the menu. Full bar available. 

Information:

Address: : 507 E 6th St, New York, NY 10009

Phone: (212) 228-9688

Neighborhood: East Village

Price: $$

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Little Tong Noodle Shop

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Overview: 

Little Tong is a compact, corner eatery from a chef who cut her teeth cooking at WD-50,  Simone Tong. The narrow, wood lined space is casual with some seating outside that is perfect for people watching in the East Village. Chinese mixian rice noodles are the focus here and are accompanied by small plates such as ghost pepper chicken, beef tartare with scallion pancake and pork wontons. Mixian is a style of fermented rice noodle which comes from the Chinese province of Yunnan. There are 4 distinctive options with interesting toppings like the Mala Dan Dan Mixian topped with ground pork, ya cai, pickled celery and mustard seeds, chili oil & peanuts. Dishes are all under $15 and they serve beer & wine as well. 

Information:

Address: 177 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10003

Phone: (929) 367-8664

Neighborhood: East Village

Price: $$-$$$

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Shuka

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Overview: 

Shuka is a brand new Soho restaurant from the same team and chef that ran the former space, Hundred Acres. Structurally the interior has remained the same with 3 distinctive dining areas but it has been given a whole new feel. The space has been washed with white and vibrant turquoise paint then decked out in beautiful decorative tiles and Moroccan prints. The menu is Mediterranean with a long list of dips, small plates and kebabs of grilled meats & seafood. Mezzes include fried haloumi, lamb tartare, bourekas & za-atar fries. Every single dish is seasoned aggressively and completely worth while. The vibe is fun and hip making it an amazing spot to come with a group and share tons of dishes. I can't wait to return time & time again. 

Information:

Address: 38 Macdougal St, New York, NY 10012

Phone:  (212) 475-7500

Neighborhood: Soho

Price: $$-$$$

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aRoqa

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Overview:

You know how you like to order Indian food and sit on your couch with no pants on? Maybe some samosas and tikka masala. That's not this place. Chef-owner Gaurav Anand definitely owns venues of that nature, but this ain't one of 'em. The interior is dark and sleek with a large gold bar. What you'll find here is eclectic Indian fare with inventive presentations like food that arrives to your table in toy bicycles and trucks or chicken wings being set on fire. Dishes here are built with exciting spice combinations and definitely bring the heat. There are over 16 smaller plates all under $16 like vindaloo momos (dumplings), parsi chimbori (beer battered crab), and corn paddu  (rice cakes). This is a really exciting departure from the Indian food we have come to expect in America; updated and made fun. 

Information:

Address: 206 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011

Phone: (646) 678-5471

Neighborhood: Chelsea

Price: $$-$$$

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Dziupla

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Overview:

Dziupla is a cozy, no frills restaurant on Bedford Ave in Williamsburg. The casual, brick-lined space takes up 2 storefronts on the busy avenue and attracts a crowd especially for brunch. The menu is comprised of Polish comfort food re: this is not diet food, it's all heavy carb & meat bombs (whatever). All of the Eastern European homey classics are represented like borscht and a large selection of doughy pierogies stuffed with cheese, sauerkraut and even duck . Entrées are very generous and include stuffed cabbage covered in tomato sauce, a spicy kielbasa, and grass-fed beef goulash. They offer happy hour specials all week and a bottomless brunch on weekends. 

Information:

Address: 194 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249

Phone: (718) 388-6194

Neighborhood: Williamsburg

Price: $$

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Her Name is Han

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Overview:

I won't pretend to know the first thing about "authentic" Korean food. But I know what I like and if the continuous line to get into Her Name is Han is any indication at all, this place is pretty damn good. The rustic-modern space is casual and fun. In terms of the menu there is a lot to choose from in a list of dishes that include homey Korean pots, noodles & BBQ. Options range from traditional offerings such as gochujang marinated pork rib and bulgogi to less traditional like fried avocados and corn croquettes. Food appears at your table quickly so this is a great option if you need to get in and out fast, or share a bunch of items with a group.

Information:

Address: 17 E 31st St, New York, NY 10016

Phone:  (212) 779-9990

Neighborhood: Koreatown

Price: $$ -$$$

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Suprema Provisions

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Overview:

Oh man, if this place isn't just the cutest thing that ever happened to me. Suprema Provisions is part restaurant and part gourmet market with imported Italian ingredients, cookbooks and fancy kitchen tools. Grab cheese and cured meats to go from their salumeria or stay and dine in the wine bar. The rustic space is sprawling, encompassing two storefronts with entrances on both Bleecker and 7th Ave. The dine in menu is ample with  small plates and exemplary salumi & cheese boards. Savory dishes include Neapolitan meatballs, uni & crab fettuccine, and braised octopus with olives & polenta. The sleeper on the menu is their unbelievable burger consisting of short rib, brisket, iberico jamon, bacon jam, and black garlic sauce. This is the perfect spot for a date night or a leisurely lunch of charcuterie and wines chosen by sommelier Joshua Wesson.  

Information:

Address:  305 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014

Phone: (646) 964-4994

Neighborhood: West Village

Price: $$ -$$$

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