To keep tabs on every New York restaurant and bar opening is folly. But to keep tabs on the most worthy? Yeoman’s work, and we’re proud to do it. Thus we present Table Stakes, a monthly rundown of the five (or so) must-know spots that have swung wide their doors in the past thirty (or so). Bon appétit.
Fioro
Financial District
Partners Jeffrey Salamon and Luke Fryer (RamenCo; Counter Burger) are teaming up with Chef Pasquale Cozzolino (Ribalta) to bring a new fast-casual Neapolitan eatery to FiDi. Open breakfast through dinner, it’s going to be the suits’ new go-to for panini, pasta and of course, pizza. The selection is vast, but if you have to choose just one, go in on the bresaola with arugula, shaved parmigiano and lemon sauce on Cozzolino’s house-made pizza dough bread.
191 Pearl Street (map)
fioronyc.com
Sons & Daughters
Meatpacking
You can count on an all-star line of up libations to quench that summer thirst right here. From the team that brought us GoldBar, Sweetwater Social and Mr. Jones comes a bar-meets-eats ensemble. Executive Chef Jon Bignelli (wd-50; Alder) will have you noshing soft pretzels, skewers and “P-I-Z-Z-A,” his twist on the classic NY pie. The beverage program, made strong and with pride, includes some new favorites like the Concrete Jungle (Kappa Pisco, Aperol, Raspberry, Grapefruit beer and salt) and the Highline Park Sour (a bourbon sour, but a helluva solid one).
85 10th Avenue (map)
sonsanddaughtersnyc.com
The Lindeman
Hell’s Kitchen
Going from breakfast to late-night eats, the modern-American Lindeman is curated by Carl Alioto, an accomplished chef with 20 years under his belt, er, apron. The ambitious bistro is true to its roots, but lighter in style than Alioto’s previous efforts (The Standard Grill; The Flatiron Hotel). Despite the rustic exposed brick, it’s intimate and plush — borderline glamorous — and serves super-local food only. All the produce hails from a 90-mile radius, while the meats are hormone- and steroid-free and the fish line-caught. The Hudson Valley Duck is worth flipping your lid for, but you’re more likely to find us here at happy hour for $5 rosé and dollar raw oysters through the end of the summer.
508 West 42nd Street (map)
thelindeman.com
Seabird
West Village
The timing is perfect for Seabird, a casual, seafood-centric summer heaven. Think French bistro meets Beach Club, and there’s definitely a patio. The menu is an elevated take on American comfort food, but with a fishy emphasis like the Lobster Roll Thermador and Conch Casino Mac & Cheese. Ok, and we might have had a Greek Shrimp Scampi or two. Seats 40-50 on the inside, 28 outside and serves lunch and dinner, with brunch on the horizon in the coming weeks.
361 6th Avenue (map)
seabirdny.com
Carla Hall’s Southern Kitchen
Cobble Hill, Brooklyn
Nashville-style hot chicken that you won’t be able to shut up about. And it comes in several different spice levels, from “Hoot & Honey” to the “Boomshakalaka.” The latter is not from the faint of heart; tears are nearly guaranteed. Ordered by the plate or by the piece, there’s an array of hearty sides for accompaniment, like collards and slaw, potato salad, biscuits and all the other token dishes that make a restaurant feel like your down-country home away from home.
115 Columbia Street, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn (map)
carlahallsouthernkitchen.com
Bonus: Ice cream is getting its own gallery show in the Meatpacking. From July 29 through August 31, the pop-up Museum of Ice Cream will feature a giant pool of rainbow sprinkles. Can you swim in it? Yes. Are they edible? ‘Fraid not. Black Tap and OddFellows will be serving up scoops as you wander through ice cream-themed works of art, though. And for added fun, Tinder is sponsoring an interactive exhibit wherein you can find your match based on a mutual affinity for ice cream flavors.
This article was featured in the InsideHook NY newsletter. Sign up now for more from all five boroughs.
