Mercadito Cantina: This is newest advance in the expanding Mercadito empire; besides the original Alphabet City Mercadito there’s also Mercadito Grove. This one is not far from the original, on Avenue B, and packs a lot of Mexican fixings into a dainty space that stays open ‘til 1 a.m. The main action here is at the make your own taco bar, where heavy rollers can choose from eight guacamoles and ten salsas, all made from organic and locally sourced ingredients. Most of the meat – which includes organic chicken, grass-fed beef, and Berkshire pork – is wrapped in maguey leaves before they're baked. For libations, try the 'Tric-quila', a sake-based tequila substitute. Photo via Thrillist, who has the menu. 172 Ave B, (212) 388-1750. more ›

Fans of Korean fried chicken who frequent Saint Mark’s Place have been holding their breath since December for TKettle to start offering the crispy bird. But this delay hasn’t kept Andy Pan, owner of the bubble tea and dumpling emporium, from launching seasonal specialties. Colder weather brought soup dumplings and now that the mercury has started to rise above the 70-degree mark, TKettle is offering Taiwanese shaved ice. more ›