The Biggest Restaurant Openings of the Season

Whether they’re passion projects from indie operators, imports from around the U.S. and the world, or grand affairs from chefs who are shaping how New York dines, these restaurants are the short list of openings to watch from now through the spring. Read on for details.

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Atla (372 Lafayette Street, NoHo) The Operator: Enrique Olvera and Santiago Gomez

The Details: A casual counterpart to chef Enrique Olvera’s Mexican hit Cosme will be opening on the ground floor of a Morris Adjmi-designed building in Noho. Partner Santiago Gomez says, "We are looking forward to [further deepening] our roots in New York and create a space where people can gather around, grab a delicious bite and enjoy a nice cold michelada."

Projected Opening: Early March

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DaDong (3 Bryant Park, Midtown) The Operator: Dong Zhenxiang

The Details: Beijing-based DaDong — one of China’s most renowned roast duck restaurants — signed a lease for two stories, two outdoor terraces, and nearly 13,000-square-feet of space at 3 Bryant Park. The New York outpost will be upscale like the original locations in China, and will reside in the same building as the new Midtown Whole Foods. The restaurant will seat more than 400 people.

Da Dong

Projected Opening: Spring

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Nur (34 E. 20th St., Flatiron District) The Operators: Gadi Peleg and Meir Adoni

The Details: Gadi Peleg, the proprietor of the excellent Breads Bakery chain, is partnering with Meir Adoni, a chef who has four acclaimed dining establishments in Israel, on a modern Middle Eastern restaurant located on the same block as Gramercy Tavern.

Projected Opening: Late winter

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Ikinari Steak (90 East 10th St., East Village) The Operator: Kunio Ichinose

The Details: The steakhouse chain has a cult following in Japan, where it’s best known for its lack of chairs and fast turnover. Founder Kunio Ichinose, who’s been called a “steak zealot,” started the restaurant to feed people quality steak as quickly and affordably as possible. The New York outpost will have 40 standing stations and a lunch deal for a 14-ounce chuck eye steak with salad, soup and rice will cost $18. For those who do not want to stand, the restaurant will offer 10 table seats.

Projected Opening: Mid-February

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To-be-named pizzeria from Gino Sorbillo (334 Bowery, Lower East Side) The Operator: Gino Sorbillo

The Details: Neapolitan pizzaiolo, Gino Sorbillo is opening a pizzeria at 334 Bowery. One of Italy’s most public food figures, Sorbillo became famous for his oversized, soft-crust, incredibly light Neapolitan pizza topped with high-quality ingredients. They’re so otherworldly good that they draw hours-long crowds in his hometown. He’s the guy mayor Bill de Blasio visited on his trip to Naples who taught him how to eat pizza the Italian way. He also gained acclaim in Naples when he went back to work the same week the Camorra allegedly lit his restaurant on fire in 2012.

Projected Opening: In progress

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Sushi Bouhadana (217 Eldridge St., Lower East Side) The Operator: David Bouhadana

The Details: The former head chef at Sushi Dojo and the partner of outdoor sushi counter, Sushi Jones, has a new project in the works in the old Apizz space at 217 Eldridge Street. (At one point the working name of the place was Nishiwaki.) Bouhadana will serve an omakase at a 10- to 12-seat sushi bar. An 18-seat whiskey bar will serve a la carte sushi.

Projected Opening: March

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Gjelina/Gjusta (45 Bond St., NoHo) The Operators: Travis Lett, Fran Cemaj, and Shelley Armistead — owners of Gjelina and its bakery/deli/cafe offshoot Gjusta. Spotted Pig’s Ken Friedman is a stakeholder, having held onto the property for awhile now.

The Details: The wildly-popular LA restaurant that defines New California Cuisine, Gjelina and its bakery/deli/cafe offshoot Gjusta are working on the buildout for its New York location, a project that requires $4 million, according to the filing. The new space will be two stories, with a ground floor of more than 1,700 square feet. Mum’s the word from all parties on the details.

Projected Opening: In progress

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Hometown Fried Chicken (329 Van Brunt St., Red Hook) The Operator: Billy Durney

The Details: The Brooklyn native chef and proprietor skyrocketed in the food scene with the debut of Hometown Bar-B-Que, and now, he’s trying his hand at fried chicken. His new restaurant will seat 30 to 40 people and will offer an entirely new menu.

Projected Opening: April

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abcV (38 E. 19th St., Flatiron District) The Operator: Jean-Georges Vongerichten

The Details: The long-anticipated opening day of abcV is almost here. Kitchen and floor staff at the vegetarian restaurant have been geared up, fully dressed, and running drills, but the holdup has been basic fuel.

"We have no gas yet but we hope to any day now,'' says Vongerichten who plans to begin service with breakfast and lunch, including a wide array of fresh-squeezed juices. Once daytime meals are underway, the team plans to add dinner to the lineup.

abcV Instagram

Projected Opening: Any day

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Jose Andres’ to-be-named restaurant inside the SLS New York (444 Park Ave. South) The Operators: José Andrés, French designer Philippe Starck, and Sam Nazarian, CEO of sbe hospitality.

The Details: Part of a $109 million financing with Fortress Investment Group for SLS New York, the 190-room luxury hotel will house an “(unnamed) Bazaar restaurant,” his spokesperson says. The DC-based celebrity Spanish food chef has yet to have a restaurant in New York. Whether it will feature a menu of beef sui mai, caviar cones, and Japanese tacos remains to be seen. There are also plans for a basement bar called SBar and a rooftop lounge, which Andrés will likely oversee, but not run. And yes, José will be opening a Spanish restaurant at Hudson Yards in 2018.

Projected Opening: Late spring

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Made Nice (8 W. 28th St., Chelsea) The Operators: Daniel Humm and Will Guidara

The Details: The casual sibling of Eleven Madison Park and The Nomad. Look for extreme attention to detail, such as carry-out bags in 16 different colors (check out a preview here) with recipes for corresponding dishes printed on the sides — things like "tomato water" and "cucumber vinaigrette." The menu will include dishes like smoked salmon with greens, cod over fennel and crispy chickpeas, and confit pork with quinoa and kale — priced from $12 to $15. For drinks, choose among wine, beer, and house-made sodas.

Daniel Krieger/Eater

Projected Opening: Late February

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Empellon (510 Madison Avenue, Midtown) The Operator: Alex Stupak

The Details: One of NYC's most talented chefs is bringing his Mexican-inspired cuisine to a huge space near Rockefeller Center. The new Empellon will incorporate elements of the three restaurants that Alex Stupak runs Downtown — expect a bar, a casual dining area, and a space for more refined dining experiences. The casual menu will include tacos, salads, fajitas, and crab nachos.

Projected Opening: Late February

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The Landmark Rooms at the Seagram Building (99 E. 52nd St., Midtown East) The Operators: Major Food Group, Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi, and Jeff Zalaznick

The Details: With the room ready to go and menus drafted, Major Food Group has already thrown its first party in the space that was home to the Four Seasons. The Grill opens first, a retro steakhouse, with Carbone as executive chef. A Japanese-inspired seafood restaurant, where Torrisi will run the kitchen, will follow.

Projected Opening: March or April

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Foursquare

Hometown

454 Van Brunt Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231 347 294 4644

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Cosme

35 East 21st Street, Manhattan, NY 10010 (212) 913-9659 Visit Website

abcV

38 East 19th Street, Manhattan, NY 10003 (212) 475-5829 Visit Website

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Breads Bakery

18 East 16th Street, Manhattan, NY 10003 (212) 633-2253 Visit Website

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Empellon

230 West 4th Street, New York, New York 10014