13 New York City Restaurants to Visit This Fall
Whether it’s glamorous fine dining, undiscovered international fare, or chefs exploring familiar ingredients in innovative ways, New York City’s newest hot spots are all offering something special when it comes to creativity. As this list of T&C's new favorites proves, dining out in the Big Apple has never been more thrilling.
Le B
Chef Angie Mar is moving on up...to the East Side. After serving some of the city’s finest French haute cuisine for the past two years, Mar is relocating Les Trois Chevaux uptown to a new venue set to open in mid-2024. So, what becomes of that glamorous downtown dining room? Enter Le B, a tribute to both the West Village—where Mar has been plying her craft for 15 years—and to her cherished Beatrice Inn, which would be marking its centennial this year.
“Think of Le B as a gathering place for Beatrice Inn fans and my beloved neighborhood regulars,” Mar says. “Le B captures the same essence of fun, flair, and wit, yet with a hint more maturity and sophistication, much like its clientele.”
The Continental menu riffs on a period of American cuisine that borrowed heavily on French technique. Diners can expect familiar classics, albeit with Mar's characteristic spin: lobster Newberg with a twist, a reimagined crab Wellington, pheasant a la king, and the crepes mademoiselles prepared tableside. And in a seamless interplay of whimsy and reverence, there will be nods to deviled eggs, the beggar’s purse (remember those?), a refined onion dip, and a salad “Chinoise.” But make no mistake, Le B is not about culinary gimmicks or fads. Mar's track record over the years stands testament to her prowess as a top-tier chef, masterfully marrying her vivid creativity with deft technique. And as history has shown us, it's a fusion that always makes for a memorable meal.
Sailor
Gabe Stulman, the downtown hospitality impresario responsible for beloved neighborhood haunts like Joseph Leonard, Jeffrey’s Grocery, Fairfax, and Jolene, has teamed up with superstar chef April Bloomfield to launch Sailor. Situated on a prime corner in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, the boîte exudes maritime chic, shaped by the design prowess of Alfredo Paredes—the former Ralph Lauren creative genius who conceptualized the brand’s iconic boutiques and The Polo Bar. Sailor draws inspiration from some of Europe's most stylish casual dining spots. “Imagine a little bit of Septime, with a little bit of St. John and a sprinkle of the River Café,” Stulman says. Bloomfield's menu champions hearty bistro classics such as herb-roasted chicken, pork shoulder with vinegar, veal sweetbreads paired with lemon and capers, and a delectable pate en croute. With a seating capacity of only 39 (and a few more al fresco spots during warm weather), securing a reservation at Sailor is poised to be quite the coup, particularly for those attending BAM Next Wave shows.
l’abeille à côté
The team at Kuma Hospitality Group (l’abeille, Sushi Ichimura) has added another gem to their boutique culinary empire on Greenwich Street. L’abeille à côté, situated right beside its elder sibling, is spearheaded by executive sous chef Kyung Lee. The restaurant touts a more laid-back and casual menu, spotlighting dishes such as fried chicken, grilled eggplant adorned with jamon Serrano, "takoyaki" fritters, and stellar main courses like a Wagyu beef teriyaki burger, sea bass encased in a crispy "taiyaki" shell, and grilled Berkshire Kurobuta pork complemented with chicharron and yuzu kosho chimichurri. David Bérubé, the beverage director, has simplified choices for diners by curating a succinct list of 10 sparkling, red, and white wines by the glass to harmonize with their meals. Worth noting, the more approachable menu doesn't imply a compromise in ambiance. Mirroring its counterpart, patrons will find themselves enveloped in a sumptuous dining space accentuated by touches of brass and velvet, and will enjoy watching the chefs in action through the open kitchen.
Café Chelsea
The iconic Hotel Chelsea has a new eatery, the first one since its historic El Quijote began dishing out paella in 1930. Cafe Chelsea, an ambitious French-American bistro guided by executive chef Derek Boccagno, focuses on timeless French classics like poulet rôti, tartare de boeuf, Façon Niçoise, and raviole du Dauphiné, among many others. Wine is an important focus here, with director Claire Paparazzo’s carefully curated selections reflecting both sides of the Atlantic. “The focus of the wine list being primarily French and domestic was alluring because it was a way to reflect on inspiration from influential restaurants, past trips I’ve taken and from years of collecting wines from a vast group of vignerons doing incredible things with their craft as winemakers, who both respect the earth and are making a difference,” she says. For cocktails, mixologist Brian Evans channels French spirits into refreshed classics such as the Blue Venus, an ingenious take on the French ‘75, and the Duluc Detective, a nod to the Boulevardier.
Restaurant Yuu
On a quiet block in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, an imaginative and exciting culinary alchemy is unfolding. Restaurant Yuu, under the stewardship of the venerable chef Yuu Shimano, marries French flair with Japanese precision. This seamless fusion is a testament to Yuu’s Michelin-starred tenures at Cannes' La Villa des Lys, Paris' Restaurant Guy Savoy, and New York’s MIFUNE.
Guests, seated at the sleek black marble counter with the open kitchen as a dynamic backdrop, embark on a 16-course omakase journey. A dish, evoking the nuances of Japan’s ika somen, features lightly seared squid married with Ossetra caviar and crowned by a cauliflower pour-over. A reinterpretation of a Wagyu sando showcases buttery brioche, baked by executive pastry chef Masaki Takahashi, enveloping A5 Miyazaki Wagyu and foie gras, and embellished with a Bordelaise drizzle. Furthermore, a duck en croute, matured and roasted to perfection, cloaked in a spinach-laden pastry, pays homage to both French country cooking and Japanese finesse.
Completing the ensemble at Restaurant Yuu is a distinguished team of Japanese hospitality mavens, versed in Gallic elegance. This includes chef de cuisine Shuji Furukawa, formerly of the Gallery by Odo, and general manager Akio Matsumoto, an alum of the three Michelin-starred L’Effervescence in Tokyo. An evening here promises to be enchantingly unforgettable in every way.
The Press Club Grill
Nostalgia for old Gotham is alive and well at the Press Club Grill, a new restaurant nestled in a neighborhood that once witnessed the printing presses of the New York Herald-Tribune and the New York Times.
A formidable trio of New York hospitality veterans, chef Franklin Becker, Stephen Loffredo, and Tora Matsuoka, have curated an experience that feels like a step back into the city's golden age of dining. The menu, crafted by Becker, is a joyous romp through the culinary hallmarks of the 1950s and '60s. Whether it's the decadent seafood tower, reimagined Waldorf salad, the ingenious Buffalo carrots, or the oversized beef Wellington for two, adorned with prosciutto and truffles, each dish is an artful reimagination of Mad Men-era dining. “We’re honored to craft a restaurant and experience that celebrates the newsroom and our incredible city - as well as to reinterpret the food and atmosphere that fueled the dealmakers and shakers of that era,” says Loffredo.
Desserts are not to be missed here. Pastry chef Sam Mason, channeling the spirit of the period, weaves his own magic. The delightfully retro cherries jubilee, dramatically served tableside, and a sumptuous baked Alaska for two stand proudly beside former Eleven Madison Park pastry chef Romina Peixoto’s masterful chocolate creations, ensuring every evening ends on a sweet note.
Sartiano's
The Mercer Hotel's basement, long anchored by Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Mercer Kitchen, is humming a distinctly Italian tune. The maestro behind this transformation is Scott Sartiano, the founder of private club Zero Bond, who draws deep from his Neapolitan ancestry. His namesake venture, Sartiano's, is a modern Italian odyssey, steered by legendary New York chef Alfred Portale of Gotham Bar and Grill and brought to life by executive chef Chris Lewnes.
To dine at Sartiano's is to witness Portale's winning combination of tradition and innovation. Be it the yellowfin tuna crudo accentuated by crispy farro, paccheri graced with short rib, Italian sausage and meatballs, or the avant-garde white lasagna laden with wild mushrooms and truffle, every dish embodies his passion. Portale says, "Our aim was to craft a menu that presents Italian cuisine through a contemporary lens, while maintaining a sense of familiarity. Through the meticulous selection of fresh, high-quality ingredients, we have curated a culinary experience that ignites nostalgic emotions, all while offering elevated and innovative flavors.”
Bangkok Supper Club
Bangkok Supper Club, a new venture from 55 Hospitality—the creators behind NoHo's acclaimed Fish Cheeks—has opened in West Village. Here, Bangkok's very own chef Max Wittawat merges time-honored Thai traditions with contemporary twists—from the essence of Hainanese chicken captured in fried sticky rice-stuffed wings to the branzino immersed in namn jim sauce. The unique fried duck egg "salad," adorned with heirloom tomatoes and a hint of cilantro, alongside the seared sea bass in chakram curry with sea beans, illustrate the team's unwavering passion for pushing the boundaries of Thai cuisine. They're not just echoing Thailand's iconic dishes but also highlighting its hidden treasures, much in the vein of Fish Cheeks and its interpretation of Thai seafood.
Paired with this is an assortment of whimsical cocktails, poured at a bar crafted from Thai rammed earth bricks. The cocktail list is punctuated with notes of smoke, acid, and spice, enriched with native flavors like pandan and coconut.
Bar Miller
Jeff Miller and TJ Provenzano—the duo behind Rosella, the popular East Village sustainable sushi spot—have introduced their newest creation, Bar Miller. This intimate eight-seat omakase sanctuary, designed by James Beard Award winner Anna Polonsky, offers a 15-course tasting that, like its sister restaurant, spotlights the finest sustainably-sourced North American seafood and the bounty of our local farms. The menu seamlessly waltzes between the revered traditions of Japan—from the transparent elegance of nigiri and sashimi to the silken embrace of chawanmushi. Yet, it fearlessly strides into contemporary territory with inventive dishes that include the age-old art of pickling and preservation. On the beverage front, Provenzano has curated an anthology that pays homage to domestic wines, ciders, and artisanal sakes.
The Golden Swan
The iconic townhouse on the corner of Greenwich and West 11th streets, previously home to the Spotted Pig, has been artfully transformed by restaurateur Matt Abramcyk (of Tiny’s and Smith & Mills fame) and Michelin-starred chef Doug Brixton (from Batard). The result? The Golden Swan, a French-Mediterranean haven exuding New York attitude.
BWArchitects gave the dining room a design both modern and timeless. Reclaimed barn wood subtly pays homage to the past, while velvet banquettes wrap diners in a cozy caress. The Wallace Room, gracing the ground floor, dazzles with deep green Moroccan tiles and opulent gold curtains, beckoning passersby to savor the menu of specialty cocktails and exquisite small plates.
Within these luxe confines, Brixton's culinary artistry shines. Noteworthy dishes include steak tartare, lavishly accented with garlic aioli, brown butter emulsion, and Parmesan; a sumptuous Carnaroli risotto adorned with black truffles, chanterelles, chives, and a delectable truffle jus; and the timeless Dover sole, elegantly paired with sauce Meuniere.
Café Carmellini
The new Fifth Avenue Hotel, situated in a gilded age McKim, Mead, & White beaux-arts building on the corner of 28th Street and Fifth Avenue, will host Café Carmellini, James Beard Award winning chef Andrew Carmellini’s (of Locanda Verde, Lafayette, Carne Mare fame) most personal endeavor yet. Through the café's moniker, Carmellini tips his chef’s toque to his family's heritage in the coffee importing business, a venture that thrived across the Atlantic for over a century. Moreover, he crafts a tribute to not only those Italian roots but also to a grandfather who ventured to New York's bustling hospitality scene.
While the breathtaking double-height space will generate a chorus of oohs and ahhs, it's undoubtedly the menu that will dazzle patrons. Diners can anticipate a fusion of Italian and French culinary traditions, all sprinkled with that distinctive New York flair, featuring dishes such as snapper à la Meunière, lobster cannelloni with caviar and rabbit cacciatore. Desserts include Sorrento lemon soufflé, fior di latti gelato, and sticky toffee pudding.
ILIS
ILIS, from the Danish words for fire ("Ild") and ice ("is"), is opening this fall in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. At its helm, chef Mads Refslund, who's spent years crafting this vision alongside Will Douillet of Alinea fame. Housed within a repurposed industrial warehouse, the space boasts an expansive open-plan design. Here, 60 seats encircle a heart—a central kitchen designed by Tim Harrison, the visionary behind the French Laundry's showcase kitchen. The restaurant's layout, conceptualized by Grant Blakeslee, plays tribute to the raw aesthetic of its warehouse origin.
A meal at ILIS is refreshingly autonomous; guests craft their own epicurean adventure, selecting from five to 12 dishes. Beginning at $125 for five dishes, the menu morphs from there, devoid of set tasting courses. Instead, dishes emerge from raw state or kiss the custom-made Demant wood fire grills. The traditional server-chef division blurs, with chefs doubling as menu curators and servers—giving diners a deeper connection with the kitchen while also ensuring a better living wage for the chefs.
At the start of the meal, guests are greeted by artfully crafted carts showcasing the day’s produce and seafood, letting them cherry-pick. Yet, ILIS plants a flag with its meat selection—only opting for sustainable North American game or animals that have led fulfilling lives for another purpose (such as a mature dairy cow), marking a conscientious culinary step forward.
Jazba
The East Village eatery Jazba is introducing New York to an exciting new chapter in the realm of Indian cuisine. This latest venture comes from the team behind Junoon, the Flatiron fine dining trailblazer that was the first Indian restaurant in the U.S. to receive a Michelin star. Spearheaded by owner Rajesh Bhardwaj, Jazba is their encore, albeit with a more relaxed vibe. This eatery stands as an ode to India's hawkers, those emblematic roadside food carts rich in history and culture. Michelin-starred chef Akshay Bhardwaj, Rajesh's son, promises a menu that'll transcend borders, featuring hawker delights like pan-fried brain masala, the renowned empire fried chicken from Bangalore, minced mutton kebabs, and masala chickpeas with kulcha bread. While Indian cuisine is enjoying its moment in the U.S., hawker fare remains an undiscovered gem. Jazba, with its authenticity and lineage, seeks to change that in delicious fashion.
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