7 New NYC Restaurants You Need To Try This Spring
Meili
Just in time for spring, a slew of new restaurants has opened in New York City. Head uptown for a chic dining experience by an esteemed Italian design house, indulge in a steakhouse helmed by one of the city's most renowned chefs, or grab pizza in a lively nightlife setting. From intimate boîtes to larger-than-life spots, there's something new for every palate.
La Tete D'Or
1. La Tête d'Or
Chef Daniel Boulud's highly anticipated restaurant has finally arrived, re-imagining the classic steakhouse experience through a French culinary lens. Before you even sit down, you'll appreciate the tasteful and expansive David Rockwell–designed dining room; while many steakhouses are dark and outdated, La Tête d'Or entices with sexy lighting, high ceilings and cozy velvet booths. Start off your dining experience with the Seafood Salad Louie made with lettuce, avocado, chunks of lobster and a tangy French cocktail sauce, or try the wood-fired bone marrow canoe topped with pastrami and sauerkraut for a deli-inspired bite. You'll naturally gravitate to the steaks for your main course, but their milk-fed NJ veal chop is also outstanding and worth a try. Potato enthusiasts, you've died and gone to heaven at La Tête d'Or, where there seven potato sides to entice including a delicious tartiflette. Leave some room for dessert — the Chocolate Amer cake is delightful and you can also order an ice cream sundae with a wide variety of toppings including passionfruit marshmallows and housemade sprinkles.
Bar Mercer
2. Bar Mercer
Bar Mercer just opened this past January but somehow feels like it's always been there. Step inside from Houston Street and you're greeted by a glowing bar, checkered floors, and a cross-section of effortlessly cool New Yorkers. Lately a lot of gimmick-y restaurants have hit the New York restaurant scene (a few blocks down, adults line up at 5 pm to eat pizza rolls every day) but Chef Preston Clark (who's also the executive chef at Lure Fishbar) focuses on doing the classics just right. Try their broiled oysters which will wow you with their bacon chili better deliciousness and crispy texture. The fish and chips are perfectly flaky served with a tasty tartar sauce and mushie peas to get the real deal UK rendition of the dish. Pornstar Martini lovers, Bar Mercer's rendition of this cocktail is slightly tarter than its wildly saccharine counterparts making it a sip-worthy standout. For dessert try their berry cobbler which comes piping hot with a generous serving of vanilla ice cream.
OPTO
3. OPTO
Housed in the former Periyali space, OPTO is the brainchild of Chef Alex Tubero and co-owner Nicola Kotsoni (who ran Periyali for 38 years). OPTO is a symphony of all things Mediterranean, from Greek dips to classic Italian pasta dishes to Canary Island-inspired seafood dishes, right down to the carefully curated green Amaro Chef Tubero discovered on a recent Sardinia trip. Their grilled octopus served with potatoes and mint is a must, as is the king salmon crudo which comes with a side of crunchy lavash. For mains, opt for the branzino, cooked perfectly with crispy skin, and the long and plump macaroni are covered in a delicious tomato sauce are irresistible. As mentioned earlier, the aperitivo selection is highly curated by the Chef himself, and if you're lucky he'll tell you some of the stories behind discovering the tipples served at OPTO.
Crazy Pizza
4. Crazy Pizza
You wouldn't expect a place called Crazy Pizza to be boring now, would you? Pizza meets a party atmosphere at this new SoHo restaurant which already has 14 other locations worldwide. Upon arrival you're immediately swept into the restaurant's nightlife ambiance with loud music and skilled pizzaiolos entertaining patrons by tossing pizza dough in the air. While entertainment is front and center here you can't dismiss the food which is tasty and high quality. The pizzas here are made without yeast from a 24-hour dough which is crispy and light; opt for their tartufo pizza which covered in black truffle paste and black truffle shavings. It's the kind of bite you that transports you to their other locations like Monte Carlo or Porto Cervo. Their pennette all'arrabiata has a little kick, and their tiramisu is rich and satisfying to cap off your meal. Lively and fun, this is a great place to start a girls' night out or a go on a date with someone you'd like to mainly look at and talk to slightly less.
Upon the Palace
5. Upon the Palace
Ever craved xiao long bao the size of your head—that are actually good? Tribeca's Upon the Palace serves them with a straw to savor every drop. After eating this memorable appetizer you'll want to dive into their tasty lobster friend rice and sizzling black pepper filet mignon as your mains. An order of their walnut prawns cooked with Grand Marnier and oranges adds a little texture to your meal. This new Chinese restaurant also has a fun selection of cocktails; their Lychee Peachy Tini made with Haku Vodka and peach liqueur balances out the spice of their dan dan noodles, for example. Spanning 7,000 square feet over two floors, it's perfect for group feasts (Peking duck, anyone?) in a sleek setting.
Armani Ristorante
6. Armani Ristorante
Head uptown for a fashionable bite at the new Armani Ristorante located on Madison Avenue. The chic restaurant spans two floors and with its prime shopping location is equally good for lunch or dinner after a day of retail therapy. Kick things off with a bellini made with fresh peach puree or a sgroppino that will transport your taste buds to the Italian coastline. Order the lobster with sabayon and grapefruit before you dive into the delicious pastas. Their Genovese cannelloni is topped with Parmesan cheese and crispy kale adding some crunchy texture to a classic, and you'll love their Plin with wagyu oxtail. There's also a delicious suckling pig belly with a rich polenta that deserves your attention as a main dish. The menu reflects Mr. Armani's childhood, as well as featuring some New York-inspired dishes for this new locale.
Meili
7. Meili (also featured image)
Descend down the stairs of striking new Williamsburg Chinese restaurant for a delicious meal of Sichuan street food with an additional standalone plant-based menu, perfect to take your vegan friend to. If you like spice, you've come to the right place; the pork dumplings in chili oil and Chongqing spicy chicken will make your tastebuds tingle. Order a refreshing (and cooling) cucumber salad to balance things out. Their fish blossom entrée is a great not spicy option plated beautiful to resemble a flower with house-made sweet and sour sauce, pine nuts, peas and carrots. To end your meal, try their lemon ripieno which is a sorbetto made with lemons from Italy to refresh your palate.
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