NYC’s Spring Awakening: The Latest Restaurant Openings and Eating Out News
This season’s onset of restaurant openings is a sort-of spring awakening for New Yorkers after a long, very snowy, winter. After months of hibernation, buds are starting to bloom, we come out of our caves, to long Saturdays exploring the city, warm Sunday brunching (fingers crossed), Thursday evenings alfresco, and a new resolve on life. Ok maybe I am being a little dramatic, but the increasing levels of Vitamin D and these new (or semi new) restaurant openings are sure to get New Yorkers back to their super friendly, high spirited attitudes. No? Cheers to rose season and tan lines (after this next batch of April snow storms, of course).
Kings Co Imperial
This delicious market driven, modern Chinese spot in Williamsburg is set to open a Manhattan location this coming Spring. What will be located on the LES will be a similar menu and concept, shareable Chinese favorites like dumplings and noodles, all done with their own fresh take. Something new to curb those Sunday Scaries.
Location: Lower East Side
Website: www.kingscoimperial.com
La Mercerie
The new, all day cafe and restaurant, located inside of the Roman Williams Guild store {gorgeous lighting and home decor store in Soho), is my new go to destination for a pre or post shopping meal, cocktails with a girlfriend in the early evening, or a quiet and chic place to grab lunch solo. The all day menu is a light brasserie type format with French fare and amazing pastries but the real draw is the atmosphere and the shoppable eating experience. Yep, you can go home with anything you see on the table and around you.
Location: Soho
Website: www.lamerceriecafe.com
Bistro Leo
The Sixty Soho Hotel’s restaurant, Sessanta, will be closing for a completely new concept, Bristro Leo, their new French brassier concept. While Sessanta was a nice place to grab a meal, it just couldn’t compete with so much amazing Italian food in the city so I am pretty psyched they are confident enough to shift gears and try something new. I love Lure and El Toro Blanco, so I am sure their foray into French will be just as delicious.
Location: Soho
Basement
The latest addition to Tribeca, Tetsu, is adding a downstairs meat {hey all your carnivores!} tasting menu restaurant to the space this spring. Your new go to for all things Kobe straight from the same guy who started the whole ridiculously precise and expensive Japanese omakasi experience in NYC, Masa himself. This is the place for a special night out with your adventurous, non vegan, friends that want to drop some cash for a serious food experience.
Location: Tribeca
Website: www.tetsunyc.com/basement/
Bombay Bread Bar
The chef from former Soho Indian hot spot Paowalla is making waves by completely changing his white table cloth concept into a totally new, downtown kind of hit, Bombay Bread Bar. The, you guessed it, Indian bread centric restaurant, is a bright and cheerful casual Soho spot where you leave extremely full and very very satisfied, just the kind of spot I love. The space is designed with bold murals from young Indian artists and an open bread baking oven where they are churning out Naans stuffed with delicious Indian meats, topped with some ridiculous sauces, and a dozen of their other Indian bread specialties.
Location: Soho
Website: www.thebombaybreadbar.com
Ernesto’s
Ryan Bartlow, the head chef of West Village favorite Quality Eats, is heading out on his first solo project, serving Spanish Basque style cuisine on the LES. While we don’t know much more about the spot, which is planning to open this spring, we do know that he will also have a focus on all natural Spanish wines, reason enough to make the trek downtown.
Location: Lower East Side
Noda
Another spring, another expensive Japanese Omakase restaurant opens in NYC. While there hasn’t been much buzz around Noda, the new NOMAD (located at 28th st. right off of 5th) Japanese spot is beautifully designed and prides itself on hospitality and food, of course. With a $285 per person omakase (includes gratuity but does not include drinks or taxes), the menu uses fresh fish flown in from Japan and, more importantly, is helmed by one of Japan’s best, Shigeyuki Tsunoda. The Noda team brought the chef and his entire family to NYC from Japan in hopes of making a dent in the very crowded omakase restaurant scene. We are excited to see how it compares to some of the other great downtown spots, like Nakazawa and Zo.
Location: NOMAD
Website: www.noda.nyc
Saar Indian Bistro
One of the most influential NYC Indian chefs is opening a midtown spot that is inspired by his hometown of Jaipur. While you may not know him by name, Hamant Mathur, you know him by his always developing portfolio of hits in and around Murray Hill. After owning and running popular spots like Devi, Tulsi, Dhaba, and Chola, some of which are still running strong while some have closed, Mathur knows what works and what doesn’t in the New York Indian dining scene. His newest spot will be in midtown west, set to open in April, with eclectic, Indian bistro that will most likely be our new go to dinner destination for pre theatre or after work.
Location: Midtown West
Legacy Records
While the latest venture from the Charlie Bird team opened in March, this gorgeous new Hudson Yards spot needed to be included because it’s not only designed to perfection, it is a destination worth traveling above 23rd street for. An all day restaurant, with a swanky upstairs lounge and room for private parties, is my latest go to for date night and anything celebratory. Make a reservation ahead of time because it’s a hot ticket to get.
Location:Hudson Yards
Website: www.legacyrecordsnyc.com
Rosemary’s Pizza
There have been rumors about the newest pizza venture from the West Village Italian restaurant, Rosemary’s, since last summer and word on the street is the opening is imminent this spring. Set to open on Perry Street, the new spot will most likely have a similar fresh, ingredient driven menu as the original, Rosemary’s. I can’t wait for another great neighborhood spot for early dinner with the babes.
Location: West Village
Davelle
Another LES opening that has everyone talking. This small Japanese small plates cafe serving food all day, in a casual and friendly space is serious about their food. Check it out on a week day or early week night because the space is small and fills up fast.
Boru Boru
This new Upper West Side modern Asian restaurant is a little bit cool (and a little bit pricey) but it’s worth trying out when you can’t get into Red Farm on a Sunday night or when you’re craving a little bit of downtown funk but don’t want to make the trek. The food is legit, kosher, and the space will make you feel like you’re eating downtown.
Location: Upper West Side
Website: www.boruborunyc.com
For more restaurant recommendations, check out my Restaurant Map Here