Butterfish, Au Za'atar, Sweetwater Social, and More Open

1) Midtown East: New sushi restaurant Butterfish is now open in the Sony building space that once housed Solo Restaurant. It focuses mainly on a variety of omakase meals, with the most expensive being a $42 menu of nigiri, sashimi, and a hand roll. The dining room has a communal table for walk-ins only, plus a private area where Fork in the Road says the chef "will give parties a more involved experience." Status: Certified Open. 550 Madison Ave., 212-729-1819.

[Photo: Michael Tulipan]
2) East Village: French Middle Eastern restaurant Au Za'atar soft opened this week. Ower Tarik Fallous serves a menu based on family recipes from his mother, who is a native of Lebanon. Dishes include falafel, lamb tartare, and family-stye platters of mezze, merguez, and grilled kebabs. Status: Certified Open. 188 Avenue A, 212-254-5660.

[Photo: 3) Sweetwater Social/Facebook]
Greenwich Village: Tim Cooper, a bartender at GoldBar, and Justin Noel, an owner of 1534, have teamed up for Sweetwater Social, a cocktail bar beneath Bleecker Kitchen & Co. Noel tells Fork in the Road that the goal is to combine high-end cocktails with a "fun atmosphere," and the bar is filled with arcade games, foosball tables, and TVs. The cocktails are printed as stops on a subway map, and inspired by various NYC neighborhoods. There is, for example, a frozen drink inspired by Coney Island. The bar food in the menu is inspired by NYC street food, and includes dishes like a corn dog and sweet potato fries. Status: Certified Open. 643 Broadway, 212-253-0477.

[Photo: Cheri/Official Site]
4) Harlem: Cheri, a new prix fixe restaurant, opened recently. The interior is opulent French meets the '90s (think fine China printed with a portrait of Basquiat) in a brownstone apartment, and the menu consists of two courses, which vary daily, for $32. There is also the option of either a large salad or a brie burger a la carte, and the website notes that "we will always have a replacement proposal for our guests who don't like the menu of the day." Status: Certified Open. 231 Lenox Ave., 212-662-4371.

[Photo: The Roof]
5) Midtown: Last night Gerber Group opened The Roof atop the Viceroy Hotel. The bar and lounge includes an indoor space that "evokes the aesthetic of a luxury yacht," plus an outdoor terrace outfitted with heat lamps and wool blankets for cold weather. There are new and classic cocktails on the menu, plus small plates like truffled deviled eggs, tacos, artichoke hummus, and a burger from Kingside, Marc Murphy's newish restaurant on the ground floor. Status: Certified Open. 124 West 57th St., 212-707-8008.

6) Greenpoint: The team behind Berry Park has just opened Northern Territory, a bar housed inside a former warehouse space. Besides beer, wine and cocktails, Brownstoner reports that it serves a mix of Australian, German and American food, with dishes ranging from chicken schnitzel to fish and chips to assorted grilled skewers. A rooftop bar, much like Berry Park's, is currently under construction, but looks like it will be ready soon. Status: Certified Open. 12 Franklin Street.

7) Tribeca: A new outpost of Pret a Manger has opened downtown. It has the same salads, sandwiches and pastries as all the other spots, and will have outdoor seating when the weather warms up. Status: Certified Open. 319 Broadway, 212-457-3115.