Coffee Lab, Francela, Chicken Provence, and More Open

1) Bay Ridge: A sleek new cafe called Coffee Lab has opened way down near 69th Street. It serves coffee roasted by Toby's Estate and macarons from the East Village's Macaron Parlour. Owner Dora Wu tells Brooklyn Daily that the espresso will be made the European way, which means more beans for a stronger cup. Status: Certified Open. 6903 3rd Ave., 646-820-8095.

[Photo: Facebook]
2) Hell's Kitchen: A new beer bar called Jasper's Taphouse & Kitchen opened recently on Ninth Avenue. It has 18 beers on tap plus bottles and cans, and a bar menu that includes things like pulled pork poutine, habanero lime wings, and pretzels with beer and cheese dip. Brunch will launch in a few weeks with Guinness-topped bloody Marys, and shrimp and grits with jalapeno-bacon gravy. Status: Certified Open. 761 Ninth Ave., 212-957-1000.

3) Upper East Side: Orhan Yegen, the owner of Sip Sak opened Francela a couple of months ago. The quick service lunch spot serves a wide range of Turkish fare like grilled lamb, baba ghanoush, yogurt soup, and an octopus salad that Fork in the Road calls "one of the best" in the city. Desserts range from baklava to rice pudding, and drinks like fresh lemonade come packed in mason jars. A small counter has six seats for those who want to eat in. Status: Certified Open. 1429 3rd Ave., 212-335-0022.

4) Midtown: French rotisserie chicken restaurant Chicken Provence opened not long ago. This is more of a take-out spot than a Rotisserie Georgette-style restaurant. It offers whole, half, or quarter chickens with a choice of sides like rotisserie potatoes, ratatouille, or rice. Other menu options include chicken meatballs or chicken curry over rice, a few salads, and many chicken sandwiches. Status: Certified Open. 154 East 39th St., 212-922-0505.

5) Upper West Side: New gluten-free, dairy-free bakery Tatz Gourmet Sweetz opened a couple weeks ago. It sells baked goods like cupcakes, cookies, brownies and baked doughnuts, some of which are also vegan and sugar-free. Status: Certified Open. 844 Amsterdam Ave., 212-864-2932.

6) Upper West Side: Meatball specialist Polpette opened recently in the space that once housed Good Enough to Eat. Besides its namesake meatballs, which are served on sliders, sandwiches, and spaghetti as well as just sauced or "snatched fresh from the frying pan," the extensive menu also includes antipasti, pastas, salads, chicken dishes, and fish entrees. It appears to have no relation to the Park Slope Polpette owned by the Fornino team, or the now-shuttered Polpette that used to serve pizza elsewhere on the Upper West Side. Status: Certified Open. 483 Amsterdam Ave., 212-858-0511.

7) Crown Heights: New coffee shop Tinto opened last weekend on Nostrand Avenue. Besides coffee, tea, and pastries it also sells NUNU chocolates and a solid selection of Blue Marble ice cream. It offered a cupping class on opening day, which may be a sign of more to come. Status: Certified Open. 715 Nostrand Ave., 646-964-8179.

8) Soho: Spanish cafe Hogar Dulce Hogar opened late last month. According to Fork in the Road, it has a sister cafe in San Sebastian, Spain, and serves cakes, cookies, tarts, and other pastries like a fried version of French toast called a torrija. The cafe serves dishes like eggs with potatoes and chorizo, a burger topped with apples, bacon, and cheese, and various salads and sandwiches. There's a also a gelato case, and the cafe is waiting on its liquor license to serve beer and wine. Status: Certified Open. 341 West Broadway.