The 15 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 and unique. As this list of T&C's new favorites proves, dining out in the Big Apple has never been more thrilling.
Broadway Blue Room
The intimate Broadway Blue Room, nestled within the CIVILIAN Hotel's Rosevale Cocktail Room, has been reimagined as an intimate bar, blending the allure of Broadway's backstage ambiance with a curated wine experience.
Designed by renowned architect David Rockwell, the theatrical space now features an expanded seating area with curved, velvet blue banquettes that invite intimate conversation. A newly installed DJ booth and sound system strike the perfect balance between quality music and comfortable dialogue.
What truly sets the Broadway Blue Room apart is its celebration of theater history. The space houses the unique Olio Collection, a rotating exhibit of one-of-a-kind Broadway memorabilia. This first-of-its-kind art program, curated by Rockwell and Rachel Hauck, showcases notable works including the red finale boots from Kinky Boots, the Elphaba hat from Wicked, the mask from The Phantom of the Opera, and the dueling pistols from Hamilton.
With a renewed focus on wine, Beverage Director Alec Kass has crafted an expertly curated list to complement the mood. Every Friday and Saturday from 9pm-1am, guests can enjoy DJ sets while savoring select vintages, making it an ideal spot for theater enthusiasts to unwind and discuss the night's performance.
The Bronze Owl
The Bronze Owl, the stylish new lounge and brainchild of Hospitality Department founders chef Franklin Becker and Stephen Loffredo, along with nightlife impresario David Rabin, offers a perfect blend of elegant cocktails, delicious bites, and downtown energy to Midtown Manhattan.
The menu celebrates Italian cuisine with a modern twist, featuring an array of enticing options. Guests can indulge in a selection of "toasts," including the luxurious Black Diamond & Caviar Burrata and eggplant caponata. Other tempting bites include gnocco fritto and fried mortadella with pistachio butter. A house-made pepperoni pizza serves as an ideal companion to the bar's expertly crafted drinks.
Signature cocktails like the Fire from Olympus (Sipsmith gin, fennel, Suze, lime, soda, serrano bitters) and Ciao For Now (Grey Goose Vodka, Aperol, lemon, green strawberry bitters, prosecco) showcase master bartender Max Green's creative flair. Wine enthusiasts will appreciate the extensive selection available, with access to over 300 labels by the bottle from the neighboring Press Club Grill.
Din Tai Fung
The long-awaited Din Tai Fung, the globally acclaimed and Michelin-recognized culinary icon renowned for its artful xiao long bao (soup dumplings), has at last touched down in Midtown Manhattan.
The New York City restaurant, designed by Rockwell Group, offers a dazzling 25,000-square-foot space in the heart of the theater district. Here, eager patrons can savor Din Tai Fung's signature soup dumplings—delicately handcrafted with precisely 18 folds, each weighing 21 grams—a perfect balance of thin wrapper and rich, savory broth-filled interior, often referred to as the “golden ratio."
Beyond the signature dumplings, the menu features an array of Taiwanese delights such as cucumber salad, shrimp and Kurobuta pork spicy wontons, sweet-and-sour baby back ribs, and braised beef noodle soup. For dessert, the decadent chocolate and mochi xiao long bao are a delightful twist on the classic and not to be missed.
Elvis
Elvis, a Parisian-style wine bar on NoHo's Great Jones Street, is the latest venture from Jon Neidich's Golden Age Hospitality (The Nines, Le Dive, and Deux Chats) and pays homage to the iconic Great Jones Café, which previously occupied the space for 35 years.
The interior features bold orange walls with contrasting red tiles, creating an ambiance described as "a psychedelic '70s artist redecorating a villa in Provence." The original 35-year-old bar remains, now enhanced with a 17-foot illuminated glass rack full of sparkling glassware. With only 30 seats, Elvis offers an intimate setting for wine enthusiasts and food lovers.
Executive Chef Nicole Gajadhar's menu includes homemade charcuterie, pâtés in a jar, and tartare de bœuf. The wine selection, curated by Le Dive wine director Frank Guerriero, focuses on natural French wines. In warmer months, Elvis will open a European-style sidewalk café, extending its Parisian charm outdoors.
Le Bar Penelope
The team behind beloved Greek eatery Avra has introduced Le Bar Penelope, a chic new boîte nestled in the heart of the Upper East Side.
Occupying a generous 3,000 square feet at East 60th Street and Madison Avenue, Le Bar Penelope offers a world that feels both timeless and fresh. The interior, masterfully crafted by Genevieve Lake, is a feast for the eyes, featuring bespoke furniture, exquisite hand-blown Italian lighting, and whimsical artwork that nods to Victorian aesthetics.
Culinary offerings at Le Bar Penelope are equally impressive, with a carefully curated menu highlighting premium seafood and caviar. The bar program showcases inventive cocktails alongside an extensive selection of wines and champagnes. For those seeking more variety, a private dining space offers an eclectic mix of American and Asian-inspired dishes.
Manuela
SoHo, once the epicenter of New York's art scene but long since transformed by luxury retail, is about to experience a creative renaissance with the arrival of Manuela and its unique dining concept. This new establishment, the brainchild of art world powerhouses Iwan and Manuela Wirth, founders of the Hauser & Wirth gallery, aims to rekindle the neighborhood's artistic spirit through culinary innovation. Opening this October at the corner of Wooster and Prince streets, the restaurant represents the first East Coast venture for Artfarm, an independent hospitality group owned by the Wirths, and is set to blend food with visual art in a way that harkens back to SoHo's cultural heyday.
The restaurant's commitment to sustainability extends from its menu to its decor. At the heart of the culinary offering is an open kitchen, where dishes are prepared over a charcoal grill and in a wood-fired oven. The menu, half of which focuses on plant-based creations, features dishes such as roasted turnips with royal corona beans and grilled brassicas, spiced monkfish skewers with lovage and guindilla peppers, rattlesnake beans with tomato vinaigrette and pecorino, and Concord grape sorbet with olive oil drizzle.
What truly sets this venue apart is its integration of art. Collaborating with a roster of celebrated New York-based artists, the restaurant features specially commissioned functional artworks. Diners will encounter Mika Rottenberg's whimsical bar design, Mary Heilmann's vibrant tabletops, and Rashid Johnson's bespoke dining table and custom rug in the private dining room. Murals by Rita Ackermann, Lorna Simpson, Pat Steir, and Uman adorn key spaces, while works by George Condo, Philip Guston, Nicolas Party, and Cindy Sherman pay homage to SoHo's artistic legacy. A Louise Bourgeois 'Spider' sculpture adds to the impressive collection.
Omakase Room by Shin
Omakase Room by Shin, an intimate 10-seat sushi counter, has opened in Midtown Manhattan with Chef Shin Yamaoka at the helm. Chef Shin brings over three decades of culinary expertise to this new venture.
Chef Shin's career began in Gifu, Japan, before he moved to New York City to pursue his culinary passions. His experience includes roles as a sushi chef at Blue Ribbon Sushi and a kaiseki chef at Brushstroke, among others. This diverse background has shaped his approach to cuisine, allowing him to blend traditional techniques with innovative ideas.
The restaurant offers a 15-course menu that combines traditional sushi preparation with kaiseki elements. Highlights include classic sushi pieces like kanpachi, salmon, and eel, alongside signature toro and uni handrolls. Kaiseki-style dishes such as red meat tuna and savory egg custard are also featured. The meal concludes with a rich red miso soup and traditionally prepared tamago.
Chef Shin's omakase experience is offered at two seatings per evening and is priced at $225 per person.
Phoenix Palace
Phoenix Palace, a love letter to Chinatown masquerading as a restaurant, brings a fresh twist to traditional Cantonese cuisine. Childhood friends Cory Ng, Kimberly Ho, Ricky Nguyen, and Justin Siu have created this sister establishment to their beloved Potluck Club, continuing their mission of honoring roots while innovating Chinese-American dining.
The restaurant's exterior, with its striking black marquee and retro lettering, evokes the neighborhood's bygone movie theaters, reflecting how the owners connected with their Hong Kong and Cantonese heritage through film. Inside, the space seamlessly blends traditional Chinatown banquet hall grandeur with contemporary flair. A dreamy mural, black-and-white family photos, and a dais bordered by golden dragons create an atmosphere both familiar and fresh.
Chef Zhan Chen leads the kitchen, his menu artfully fusing Chinese-Cantonese traditions with Italian and American influences gained at Jonathan Waxman's Jams and Pheasant in Williamsburg. Standout dishes include lobster sticky rice with pancetta, olive-studded youtiao (Chinese cruller) paired with Chinese sausage jam, salt-and-pepper cuttlefish with Italian hot peppers and tomato jam, and a chilled tofu salad featuring soy-pickled shiitake mushrooms. Each creation balances familiar flavors with unexpected twists, embodying Phoenix Palace's commitment to honoring Chinatown's culinary heritage while pushing boundaries.
Psaraki
Perched on Brooklyn's waterfront with sweeping views of the East River, Brooklyn and Williamsburg Bridges, and the Manhattan skyline, Psaraki brings the charm of seaside Greek tavernas to New York City. This latest venture by hospitality veteran James Paloumbis, whose name means "little fish" in Greek, offers diners a culinary journey alongside breathtaking vistas.
The menu, rooted in authentic Greek tradition, shines with its Fisherman's Table Experience. This feast includes classic mezze like tzatziki, spicy feta, and tarama, alongside specialties such as horiatiki salad, wood-grilled octopus, lobster pasta, and rum-flambéed Saganaki. The raw bar presents East and West Coast oysters, wild branzino crudo, and impressive seafood towers.
Signature dishes include the namesake Psaraki fish chips (fried Atherina aka baby fish), gluten-free fried or grilled calamari, filet mignon souvlaki, and wood-grilled king prawns with saffron rice. The vegetable moussaka and fish kebabs offer unique twists on traditional fare. Complementing the food is a curated wine list featuring Greek and Mediterranean selections, creative cocktails like the Santorini margarita, and traditional Greek coffees.
Santi
Michael White, who left an indelible mark on Manhattan's Italian dining scene with Marea, Ai Fiori, and Osteria Morini, is set to make his triumphant return to New York this October with the opening of Santi. Located at 520 Madison Avenue, in the same spot where White once helmed Alto, Santi will showcase the chef's mastery of pasta and a seasonal, pan-Italian menu with specialties from Emilia-Romagna and the Amalfi coast, infused with techniques and influences from White's time working in the south of France.
Signature dishes will include busiate, a pasta creation featuring saffron, crab, uni, and lemon, as well as exquisite crudos like gamberi rosso, showcasing Montauk red prawns with pickled chiodini mushrooms, crustacean aioli and caviar. The menu will evolve with the seasons, offering hearty game and truffle dishes in fall and market-fresh produce in spring.
SEA
In a surprising culinary pivot, Chef Jungsik Yim, renowned for his eponymous two-Michelin-star Korean fine dining restaurant in Tribeca, has embarked on an exciting new venture. SEA, his latest creation, is a casual yet innovative Southeast Asian eatery that showcases Chef Yim's versatility and passion for diverse cuisines.
This move stems from Chef Yim's 15-year obsession with Southeast Asian culture and flavors, culminating in 14 successful pop-ups in Seoul. At SEA, Chef Yim and Executive Chef Jun Hee Park blend traditional Southeast Asian dishes with creative reinterpretations, drawing on their extensive travels and culinary expertise.
The menu features a range of dishes, from impossibly light and crispy prawn rolls to inventive fusions like the pork noodle soup, which combines Vietnamese pho with Malaysian bak kut teh (pork rib soup). Diners can also savor the Korean-style heritage chicken, a whole bird lightly fried and tossed in five spices, served with som tum (green papaya salad) and sticky rice. The dry tom yum noodles offer a unique Asian fusion experience, inspired by Korean spicy noodles but infused with Thai flavors. For seafood lovers, the crab fried rice topped with a crab omelette provides a luxurious twist on Indonesian nasi goreng.
This new direction allows Chef Yim to flex his culinary muscles in a more relaxed setting, proving that his talent extends far beyond the realm of fine dining. With its diverse and imaginative menu, SEA is a must-visit destination for those seeking a fresh take on Southeast Asian cuisine.
Sendo
Sendo, an intimate sushi spot in NoMad, marries affordability with top-tier quality. Tucked away on the second floor of a nondescript building on Sixth Avenue, this cozy counter-service restaurant reimagines the casual roots of Edo-period sushi for modern New York diners.
At the helm is Kevin Ngo, a skilled chef whose resume boasts time at some of the city's most revered sushi establishments. Ngo's menu is a testament to his expertise and commitment to affordability. Drawing on relationships built during his time at Michelin-starred restaurants, he sources premium fish from Japan, pairing it with rice from farms in Niigata Prefecture and Hokkaido. Small-batch aged vinegars and house-made sauces enhance the natural flavors of the seafood.
Sendo's offerings include curated sets of nigiri, handrolls, and kaisendons ranging from $30 to $45, as well as an à la carte menu. By streamlining operations and focusing on efficiency, Sendo manages to deliver an exceptional sushi experience at a fraction of the cost typically associated with such quality. It's a fresh approach that honors sushi's humble street food origins while celebrating the sophistication it has achieved over two centuries.
So & So's
So & So's emerges as Hell's Kitchen's latest hotspot, blending the charm of a piano bar with the allure of a supper club. This hidden gem on West 52nd Street offers a retreat from bustling Eighth Avenue, inviting guests into an atmosphere reminiscent of a theatrical eccentric's cozy living room.
Designed by the acclaimed design firm Goodrich, So & So's interior pays tribute to Hell's Kitchen's theatrical roots. An upright piano takes center stage, surrounded by deep red banquettes and custom lighting that echo classic New York nightlife. The space artfully combines vintage elements with contemporary flair, creating an environment that feels both timeless and fresh.
The menu, crafted by Chef Aaron Fitterman under TableOne Hospitality, offers a playful take on continental cuisine with shareable plates designed for easy consumption during performances. Highlights include Devils on Horseback (chorizo-and-cotija-stuffed dates wrapped in bacon with smoky red sauce and served in a vintage ashtray), foie gras crème brûlée, and Disco Inferno fries (fries, spicy gochujang-based sauce, crispy twice-cooked noodles, furikake, sesame seeds, three-cheese blend).
Complementing the food is a cocktail menu inspired by Broadway, featuring clever concoctions and classic favorites. The entertainment lineup promises a diverse array of talent, from up-and-coming local acts to Broadway stars, ensuring So & So's becomes a vibrant hub for Hell's Kitchen's artistic community.
Third Falcon
Chef Cali Faulkner's first solo venture, Third Falcon, brings a taste of Northern France to a cozy Fort Greene corner. Drawing inspiration from her time in Paris (Verjus) and explorations of the French countryside, Faulkner has created a warm neighborhood spot that celebrates the hearty, seasonal cuisine of the region.
The menu at Third Falcon is a love letter to Northern French cooking, filtered through Faulkner's unique perspective and years of experience in acclaimed New York kitchens (Eleven Madison Park, The Modern, Crown Shy). Diners can expect a rotating selection of dishes that highlight the best of local and imported ingredients. From freshly shucked oysters to succulent roasted meats, each plate is designed to be shared and savored.
Standout offerings include a vibrant crudo featuring the catch of the day, plump langoustines paired with a sauce gribiche, and aromatic Breton curry-spiced shrimp that nod to Brittany's unexpected flavors. The dining experience encourages conviviality, with guests passing platters and breaking bread together. A particular highlight is the house-made brioche, perfect for soaking up the last drops of rich, wine-infused sauces.
The space was designed by Faulkner herself, accommodating 30-40 guests in the dining room and wraparound bar, with additional sidewalk seating. The restaurant's aesthetic features custom elements created by local artisans, including a whimsical backbar mural by Laura Bennett, gilded window signage by Will Van Zee, and bespoke tableware by Jennifer Fiore of Mondays. True to its name, Third Falcon showcases three falcon-themed art pieces, including an English pub sign from Faulkner's grandfather, a commissioned work by local artist Mitchell Moon, and a piece acquired from the Saint-Ouen flea market in France.
YAO
YAO, the latest venture from the team behind the acclaimed August Gatherings in Chinatown, is bringing a fresh perspective to Cantonese cuisine while honoring and reinventing traditional recipes.
Executive chef Kenny Leung, alongside co-owner Thomas Tang, has crafted a dining experience that bridges the past, present, and future of Cantonese cooking. Chef Leung's menu features both classic and innovative dishes. Diners can experience a whole sea perch prepared in seven different ways, including traditional Cantonese steaming or with spicy sour cabbage. A standout offering is the beggar's chicken, a complex dish rarely seen in American restaurants due to its intricate preparation involving a stuffed chicken wrapped in lotus leaves, baked in dough, and cracked tableside with a hammer by guests.
More adventurous palates might opt for the Tale of Fish Dive, a deboned barramundi stuffed with a mixture of the fish meat, pork and seafood, or the mapo tofu with lobster, which showcases the prized "wok hei" flavor. The Song Shu crispy whole fish introduces an unexpected twist with balsamic vinegar, while the wild octopus and bone marrow fusilli represents a bold fusion of East and West.
YAO also highlights prized ingredients like abalone, sea cucumber, and fish maw in various preparations. Nourishing soups, such as the hot and sour soup with sea cucumber and seafood and the duck and fish maw soup, reflect traditional Chinese medicinal principles.
For those seeking the pinnacle of Cantonese culinary artistry, YAO offers the Tang Jia Yan tasting menu, available in seven or eight courses. The house-made egg custard tart, a delicate creation with over 11 layers of flaky crust is a sweet end to the meal that should not be missed.
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