Presented by Resy
MISIPASTA’s spaghetti with bottarga, lemon, and garlic breadcrumbs
Grab a seat at this aperitivo bar & retail shop from Chef Missy Robbins of Lilia fame, located on a quiet block in bustling Williamsburg. Enjoy one of her inventive sandwiches or pasta specials, and bring home some of Chef Missy’s pantry staples as a souvenir.
Jessie Shadbolt & Annie Shi at Dean’s. Photo by Matt Russell.
It’s been an amazing decade for the team behind King in SoHo. Their super personal restaurant has become an iconic spot on the city’s food scene, and the three partners—Clare de Boer, Jess Shadbolt, and Annie Shi—have all become moms. Jess and Annie, meanwhile, have partnered on a brand new project, Dean’s, a relaxed British pub right next to King. Swing by for their not-so-typical take on pub food and a pint of Guinness or the surprisingly good non-alc Guinness 0.0.
The cultuce dish at Lei. Photo by Matt Russell.
In addition to Dean’s and King, Annie has Lei, a Chinese American wine bar on the cinematic Doyers Street in Chinatown. She and the team have gotten rave reviews for both the wine list and the inventive menu.
Everyone is clamoring to get into Via Carota, the Italian restaurant from culinary power couple Rita Sodi and Jody Williams. The whole city loves the place, including Taylor Swift. Instead, check out The Commerce Inn, their American tavern located on the quiet, picturesque Commerce Street. Stop by for breakfast, a Sunday roast, or oysters and a cocktail.
Team Cherry Bombe has a serious crush on this Middle Eastern/Mediterranean spot in Chelsea from Chef Ayesha Nurdjaja and restaurateur Vicki Freeman. Snag a seat at the long, curvy bar, or cozy up with some friends in a booth. Be forewarned that you will want to order everything on the menu, starting with the fluffy pitas and delicious dips, and ending with the Mic Drop, the tahini soft-serve sundae with halva floss.
If you want to feel like a local, head to Chelsea and swing by this “love letter to the Basque country” from chef/owner Alex Raij and her husband, Eder Montero. (They’re also the duo behind Brooklyn’s La Vara and Saint Julivert.) Slip into a seat at the bar, order the now-classic Gilda anchovy app, and sip on some Spanish wine while you decide between the olive-oil poached cod, roasted sweet peppers, local squid, and other Basque-inspired dishes.
If you want to feel like an insider, head to this chic NoHo spot from twin sisters Jennifer and Nicole Vitagliano. Raf’s is billed as a French and Italian bakery, but it’s so much more. Yes, you can grab a cappuccino and pastry to go in the a.m., but you can also sit down to a French omelette topped with crème fraîche and trout roe or Uovo in Purgatorio Amatriciana (eggs baked in tomato with guanciale and chilies). And that’s before we get to brunch, lunch, dinner, and dessert!
At Cherry Bombe, we believe you’re never too old or young to do something extraordinary. Sofreh chef/owner Nasim Alikhani truly took this to heart in 2018 when she opened Sofreh, her debut restaurant in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, at the age of 59. Since then, she’s been serving her beautiful signature dishes, like tahini and date salad, jeweled rice with carrots, and dried lime and herb beef stew to her adoring fans. There’s also the nearby Sofreh Cafe for baked goods and light bites.
A seasonal art-filled seafood spot in Chelsea from famed chef Marcus Samuelsson and Executive Chef Fariyal Abdullahi. The menu features seasonal produce from the famed NYC Greenmarket and draws inspiration from global cuisines, from the warm blue masa cornbread to the Beyaynetu branzino. There’s even house-infused aquavit on the beverage menu, a nod to Chef Marcus’ Swedish upbringing. Be sure to take in the restaurant design and the artwork by the award-winning Derrick Adams.
This spacious Gramercy hot spot specializes in elevated fried chicken and has the largest Champagne list in the country, thanks to Victoria James, the trailblazing sommelier who oversees the beverage program. (Victoria also wrote the book Wine Girl and is a founding partner of Gracious Hospitality, the group behind COQODAQ.) If you’re looking for a vibe, this is the place.
Hands down, this SoHo space is one of the prettiest restaurants in New York City. It’s not a surprise, given that it’s the first restaurant owned and operated by Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch, founders of the celebrated architecture and design studio Roman and Williams. The feminine touch is evident in the French menu by Chef Heloïse Fischbach, with dishes ranging from delicate (a beautiful Dover sole) to playful (a perfectly tucked crêpe with salmon, leeks, and potatoes). There’s a surprise and delight element to the restaurant. The second half of the sprawling space is home to Roman and Williams Guild, the Robin and Stephen’s shop featuring their favorite home items from artisans around the world.