It seems like every single day a new establishment braves the Yelper-infested waters of our enormous sea of restaurants. But the fall in particular welcomes a vast list of noteworthy openings from established emperors like Michael White to newcomers hoping for their big break. It's hard to narrow the list down to ten, but we're most excited to loosen our belts for these new restaurants opening in the next few months.
All'Onda: The cuisine of Venice gets a nod at Ai Fiori alum Chris Jaeckle's new restaurant off Union Square, which highlights the city's bountiful seafood and soupy risottos. Jaeckle also rolls out handmade pastas, crudos and Venetian bar snacks at the casual, 80-seat restaurant. Meatier options include crispy suckling pig with rosemary and fennel and a roasted strip steak with parmesan, potatoes and mostarda. Opening mid-October
Bar Bolonat: Originally slated to open over the summer, Einat Admony's (Taim) Israeli-focused West Village restaurant gets to the point with contemporary dishes that play on Sephardic flavors with classic Jewish ingredients and presentations. “I’ll make a Manischewitz reduction as a sauce and try variations on latkes, but the seasonings will be spicy, Middle Eastern,” Admony explained to the Times Opening November
Contra: Helmed by relative newcomers Fabian von Hauske and Jeremiah Stone, this small LES restaurant eschews a traditional a la carte menu in favor of the popular tasting menu. They'll offer five courses for $55 with a range of eclectic dishes that changes daily and a wine list to match. The duo tell Eater they're aiming for "clean…kind of spare" dishes with a strong New York identity. Opening mid-September
Gotham West Market: Like an upscale culinary food court, this new ground floor market in Hell's Kitchen offers a variety of eateries all under one roof. Slurp up noodles from Ivan Ramen Slurp Shop (more Ivan Orkin on him below) or grab a sandwich from Williamsburg's Saltie, which makes the trek into a new borough with Little Chef. Roadside offers classic American comfort food like burgers as well as booze while The Cannibal arranges dainty charcuterie places and fancy cocktails. Dine in at any of the restaurants or take your meal to go and sit at communal tables in the center of the market. Opening late October
Ivan Ramen:
You don't hear of many American chefs who make their ramen mark in Japan before returning back home but such is the case with Ivan Orkin, who brings his acclaimed noodles and broth to the city this fall. He's taking over the former Ed's Lobster Bar space in SoHo to serve up his signature ramen as well as other dishes as-yet-revealed. There's also a Japanese beer garden in the works so hopefully the weather holds out until he opens. Opening October? November? He won't say for sure when!
La Cenita: The nightlife impresarios at EMM Group launch this Mexican joint in the old Abe & Arthur's space in the Meatpacking District with a kitchen led by former La Esquina chef Akhtar Nawab. Expect small plates like quesadillas stuffed with meats and starches plus an intriguing Ceviche Bar for all your raw, vinegary delights. An "extensive" frozen cocktail menu is also in the works, which should power you up for a night on the town. Opening September
Battersby Spinoff: Since you can't get into Carroll Gardens' delightfully tiny Battersby, their nearby spinoff might help thin the crowd. The new restaurant seats 50, almost double the original, and the chefs have a full-sized kitchen to experiment in. They'll offer a similar menu of clean flavors and elegant fare but with a little more elbow room. Opening early November
Ristorane Morini: Chef Michael White just can't stop opening restaurants, including last year's pizza joint Nicoletta and Ai Fiori. Now he's channeling Italy via the Upper East Side with the next in his Morini "empire," which is slated to be a cafe on the ground floor and a white-tablecloth affair on the second. Opening November
Telepan Local: Nobody embodies the farm-to-table movement better than Bill Telepan, who takes his hyper-seasonal approach to cooking from the UWS to Tribeca. The 80-seat restaurant turns out tapas, shared plates and larger entrees that will, of course, change with the seasons. Opening mid-November
Toro: Forgiving their Boston roots, chefs Jamie Bissonette and Ken Oringer open a NYC version in Chelsea of their perennially popular tapas joint of the same name. The Beantown menu features dishes like Grilled Corn with Ailoi and Aged Cheese, Braised Baby Octopus with Butterball Potatoes, Meyer Lemon and Piri Piri and Oysters Marinated in Citrus and Lovage, so look for similar dishes when they open here. Opening mid-September
