Guadalajara’s Torta Ahogada Gets a Rare Stage in Brooklyn — and More Openings

More than two years into the coronavirus pandemic, restaurants across the city continue to open their doors, sometimes because their concepts could be adapted to the new normal, but more often because their owners saw no other choice but to forge ahead. Since March 16, 2020, when the state first temporarily closed indoor dining, hundreds of new restaurants have opened, including a flagship location for the Migrant Kitchen, a family-run Taiwanese restaurant called Blessing, and a burger revival at Mia Marie’s.

Here’s a roundup of the restaurants and bars that opened in April. This list will be updated weekly. If there’s an opening in your neighborhood that we’ve missed, let us know at tips@eater.com.

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission.

April 28

Astoria: Growing burrito and taco chain Burrito Blvd has expanded with a new location in Astoria, according to neighborhood blog GiveMeAstoria. The restaurant has additional locations in Mineola, New York and Middle Village, Queens. 36-20 30th Avenue, at 37th Street

Astoria: Stylish French bistro Chez Olivia launched in the neighborhood this week, according to the business’s Instagram post. 29-11 23rd Avenue, near 31st Street

Bushwick: Brooklyn coffee roastery Spectrum Coffees now has its own flagship coffee shop, according to the business’s Instagram post. 86 Central Avenue, at Jefferson Street

Chelsea: A representative tells Eater that Wonderland, a new nightlife venue, has debuted. The multi-level club has mirror pillars, LED video walls, and a menu with bites like wagyu cheeseburger sliders. 20 West 20th Street, near Fifth Avenue

Chinatown: Kono is a new chicken-focused omakase spot from Atsushi “ATS” Kono, a former executive chef of Michelin-starred Torishin. His new spot is located in a Chinatown arcade and has just 14 seats at its counter. 46 Bowery, between Canal and Bayard streets

Downtown Brooklyn: According to a representative, clothing brand Maison Kitsune has opened a second outpost of fashion-centric spot Cafe Kitsune in Brooklyn. This location is stocked with baked goods from nearby Burrow bakery. A wine bar is also coming down the street from the team at 104 Bond Street, near Pacific Street. 112-110 Bond Street, near Pacific Street

East Village: Yun Cafe, which first opened in a Jackson Heights subway station, has expanded with a new Manhattan Burmese venture called Little Myanmar. Dishes at Little Myanmar include crab masala curry, tea leaf salad, and Burmese fish curry. 150 East Second Street, at Essex Street

Financial District: According to a representative, Eataly Downtown’s Osteria della Pace, which shuttered in March 2020, has revamped into a new Tuscan restaurant called Firenze Ristorante Toscano & Bar. 101 Liberty Street, at Church Street, third floor

Lower East Side: Atlanta’s hot chicken chain, Scoville Hot Chicken, has opened their first location outside of Georgia, according to a representative. 15 more locations are projected to open nationwide this year. 117 Orchard Street, at Delancey Street

Prospect Heights: Torta ahogada, a sandwich stuffed with meat and dunked in a chile de arbol sauce, is typically hard to find in New York. Now, according to a representative, the Guadalajara staple is getting its own stage at Cruz del Sur, a new Mexican restaurant. In addition to torta ahogada (there’s a carnitas and vegan mushroom version), the website lists lengua tacos, a vegan campechano taco with broccoli, Mexican lime pie, and a horchata with strawberries. A representative tells Eater that the kitchen is run by Guadalajara native Hugo Orozco, an alum of swanky East Village restaurant Rosie’s, and a former owner of Carroll Gardens’s La Slowteria. 622 Washington Avenue, near Pacific Street

Soho: A representative tells Eater that the Arlo Hotel has a new speakeasy, Foxtail, hidden behind velvet curtains. The drinks menu is said to be influenced by midcentury “whimsy,” and features large format punch bowls and a drink nod to pineapple upside down cake. For food, there’s mushroom skewers, oysters, and cheese boards. Burlesque performances will be a part of the experience as well. 231 Hudson Street, near Canal Street

Soho: A new bar inside of the ModernHaus hotel, Jumpin Jacks, is now open to customers, according a representative. The new bar joins the hotel’s other food and beverage offerings including Jimmy, its rooftop lounge. 27 Grand Street, at Thompson Street

Times Square: Hard Rock Hotel New York kicked off earlier this week in Midtown with three dining spots: Nyy, a steakhouse, RT60, a rooftop bar, and Sessions, an all-day lobby restaurant with a bagel-and-lox cart. 159 West 48th Street, near Seventh Avenue

Tribeca:  Chef Roberto Santibañez has cooked up a third location of his Mexican restaurant Fonda, according to a representative. Here, the menu includes duck with a habanero cream sauce, mole enchiladas, and skirt steak with a corn mushroom sauce. 139 Duane Street, near Church Street

Williamsburg: Win Son co-owner Josh Ku has partnered with Paul Cacici of Italian sandwich spot Carmenta’s, and general manager and Win Son alum, Erica Hall, to debut a new “karaoke saloon” and restaurant. Chino Grande’s full-service dinner menu includes cabbage skewers with soy paste, scallop ceviche with green strawberries, and whole lobster Sichuan au poivre. At 10 p.m., when karaoke begins, the restaurant shifts into a more casual menu with sandwiches like fried chicken with coconut ranch or sword fish with aji panca and Kewpie mayo. 253 Grand Street, near Roebling Street

Williamsburg: The New York Times has the scoop on Locanda Borboni, a new Southern Italian restaurant that is now open in Brooklyn. According to the publication, it’s owned by a partner in glitzy Sushi Nakazawa, with pastas featuring swordfish and fried eggplant. 284 Grand Street, at Roebling Street

April 21

Bed-Stuy: Last month, a new West African takeout counter opened in Bed-Stuy called Rodo Foods, according to its owners. The menu features dishes such as salmon, joloff rice, sweet plantains, and akara (black eye pea fritters). Rodo comes from Ayo Agbede of nearby coffee spot Brooklyn Kettle Cafe, and Seun Ade, who previously worked in the finance world and is a self-taught cook. 420 Putnam Avenue, near Tompkins Avenue

East Village: New Italian spot, Viva Cucina, debuted this month, according to EV Grieve. The menu features lobster ravioli, fried burrata, and a pesto pizza pie. According to the publication, the new spot is connected to Cafe Viva Gourmet Pizza on the Upper West Side. 85 Second Avenue, at East Fifth Street

Gramercy: A cocktail bar, Martiny’s, is now open from Takuma Watanabe, an alum of Angel’s Share. 121 East 17th Street, near Irving Place

Harlem: According to the Infatuation, Vegan Hood intends to bridge “the gap between veganism and the ‘hood” with a menu of vegan dishes like its take on fried chicken and mac and cheese. 2100 Frederick Douglass Boulevard, near West 114th Street

Meatpacking District: Mollusca is a new downtown venue with, as the name suggests, mussels with 35 different accompanying sauces. 1 Little West 12th Street, near Hudson Street

Midtown West: French-leaning Cafe Maman has continued its citywide expansion, now at Moynihan Train Hall, according to a representative. 421 Eighth Avenue, between West 31st and 33rd streets

Noho: A wood-fired, pan-Asian barbecue spot, hailing from Miami, has arrived in Manhattan. Dubbed Kyu, the kitchen is led by Chris Arellanes, an alum of Eleven Madison Park. 324 Lafayette Street, between East Houston and Bleecker streets

Tribeca: Gai Chicken and Rice, specializing in Thai-style fried chicken known as khao man gai, has opened the latest location of its fast-casual operation, according to Tribeca Citizen. According to its Instagram bio, Gai also has locations in Sunnyside and the Lower East Side. 118 Fulton, near Dutch Street

Williamsburg: A new disco opened in Williamsburg called Cafe Balearica, according to a representative. An Instagram post from the business lists cocktails with rose vermouth, pomegranate molasses, and salted caramel liquor, among its offerings. A representative tells Eater that one of the owners of the business is behind Queen, the Bushwick falafel spot. 44 Berry Street, near North 11th Street

Williamsburg: Two new Mexican restaurants, Xolo and Bar Milagro, debuted in Williamsburg this week. According to a representative, Xolo is the team’s daytime cafe — stocked with al pastor meatballs, blue corn pineapple upside down cake, breakfast tacos, and tamales — while Bar Milagro, the team’s downstairs nighttime operation features ahi tuna nachos and cocktails like pineapple margaritas and mezcal negroni. The dual space comes from Jorge Boetto (behind Williamsburg Mexican spots Mesa Coyoacan and Zona Rosa) as well as Gigi Boetto, an artist, and Willians Lopez. 29 Dunham Place, at South Sixth Street

April 14

Bed-Stuy: Oddly Enough, a cocktail bar that’s a “queer space for all,” is now open, according to its owners. The new spot comes from operators Laura Poladsky, a former employee at Eugene & Co. (the previous business in this space), and Caitlin Frame (formerly a bartender at Frenchette, Marlow & Sons, and Diner). The kitchen is run by chef Lauren Schwichtenberg, another former staffer at Eugene & Co. 397 Tompkins Avenue, near Jefferson Avenue

East Village: Sushi bar Mine Craft Sushi and to-go bento box operation Boxed To-Go have a new sibling in the basement of the restaurant, according to a representative. Speakeasy Gongo has opened its doors, with a menu led by Yasuhiro Honma (the chef behind the property’s other ventures), that features tamago, roast duck cured in kombu, sea urchin roe aged in soy sauce, and cocktails with Japanese-leaning ingredients. 15 St. Mark’s Place, between Second and Third avenues

Long Island City: Salad chain Sweetgreen has opened the doors on another NYC outpost, according to a representative. 25-35 44th Drive, at Jackson Avenue

Midtown East: Hot off his live-fire cooking spot, Sweetbriar, that opened this past October at the Park South Hotel, chef Bryce Shuman now has a second restaurant in the same building. According to a representative, GG Tokyo features karaage chicken with tartar sauce, cold noodles with fish cakes, miso-maple salmon, and more. 127 East 27th Street, near Lexington Avenue

Midtown West: Goldie’s Tavern is a new, upscale sports bar teeing up in Manhattan from the team behind pub the Ditty in Astoria, according to a representative. 135 West 30th Street, between Sixth and Seventh avenues

Midtown: Chef Michael White is now at the helm of celebrity magnet the Lambs Club, according to a representative. The relaunched restaurant is now run by Grand Tour Hospitality (behind fashion industry hot spots American Bar and Saint Theo’s). 132 West 44th Street, near Sixth Avenue

Midtown West: Sicily Osteria has joined historic Restaurant Row, according to a representative. Sicilian street food dishes like the fried chickpea dish pannelle start out the menu, followed by pasta dishes like its almond pesto dish, as well as two different styles of pizzas made either thin-crust or in a Sicilian style. The kitchen is led by co-executive chefs, Asi Maman (an alum of Osteria Morini and Marea), alongside Heather Pelletier (also an Osteria Morini alum, as well as a former staffer of Chumley’s). 330 West 46th Street, between Eighth and Ninth avenues

Mott Haven: A new Latin-leaning vegan spot, Mae Mae Cafe, has sprouted up on the ground floor of catering company Great Performances, according to the New York Times. A representative shares that the menu includes dishes like a mushroom mole burrito, a red cabbage and nopales taco, and a plantain and pumpkin stew. 2417 Third Avenue, at East 134th Street

Noho: Funny Face Bakery, known for its face-shaped cookies, often featuring celebrities, is now open with 100+ options, according to a representative. The original version of the bakery opened in the East Village a few years prior, but closed during the pandemic. The team also has a South Street Seaport location, which opened in 2021. 319 Lafayette Street, near East Houston Street

Tribeca: North Bar has launched in the neighborhood, according to the business’s Instagram post. The bar’s menu boasts several beers and cocktails as well as snacks like deviled eggs with avocado, zucchini fritters, and oysters. 458 Greenwich Street, near Desbrosses Street

Tribeca: New bar Warren Peace has debuted in the neighborhood with burgers, duck fat fries, and fried oysters, according to Tribeca Citizen. 77 Warren Street, near West Broadway

Tribeca: The New York Times reports that Casa Carmen is now cooking up Mexican food in Manhattan. The menu, according to the publication, features duck tostadas, plantain empanadas, shrimp served in a chipotle sauce, as well as several Mexican wines. The new Mexican restaurant is a family affair from Santiago Ramírez Degollado and Sebastián Ramírez Degollado, the grandchildren of the restaurant’s namesake Carmen Ramírez Degollado, an operator who has opened 18 restaurants since 2006. 114 Franklin Street, at West Broadway

Upper East Side: The Times also reports that the owners of East Pole, Tom and Anthony Martignetti, have opened a nearby piano bar called Melody’s. 1020 Lexington Avenue, at 73rd Street

Williamsburg: A new ‘70-inspired bar with a light-up dance floor, Ciao Ciao, is boogieing in Williamsburg, according to a representative. The bar is run by Brice Jones and Brad Gallagher, behind Freehold Hospitality, with a cocktail program led by Rikki Nobre, a Freehold Hospitality veteran and Major Food Group alum. 97 North 10th Street, near Wythe Avenue

April 7

Astoria: A new coffee shop called Elevenses has opened in Queens’ World Artisan Market, according to GiveMeAstoria.com. The bakery specializes in pastries such as a strawberry and almond muffin, cardamom bun, and cheese-filled croissants. 31-05 35th Avenue, near 31st Street

Bushwick: A sprawling, bi-level bar and club dubbed No Aloha has landed in the neighborhood. Bushwick Daily reports that the neon-accented space includes a DJ booth, stages on both floors, and six bathrooms featuring art curated by a seasonal rotation of artists. A pizzeria, Bootsie’s Pizza, has also opened on the premises. 17 Ingraham Street, between Morgan Avenue and Bogart Street

Carroll Gardens: Named after the Italian word for aroma, Aromi is firing up with ten different wood-fired pizzas, the Infatuation shares. Appetizers included fried calamari, salmon croquettes, and meatballs with garlic bread. 552 Court Street, near West 9th Street

East Williamsburg: A new Taiwanese restaurant called Blessing debuted in Brooklyn, according to Food Beast. The menu lists the Taiwanese pork dish lu rou fan, and steamed taro or custard buns, among the offerings. In addition, there are a few Japanese items on the menu, like an eel bowl with sushi rice and a chicken curry, as well as a few off-menu specials. Shaved ice will be added in the summer. According to the publication, Blessing is run by a couple who are in their ‘70s. After living in Brooklyn for 40 years, this is their first restaurant. 216 Humboldt Street, near Scholes Street

Flatiron: Carrot Express, a salad and smoothie chain hailing from South Florida, has opened its first location in New York City, according to a representative. Carrot Express first launched in Miami Beach back in 1993 from owner Mario Laufer, and now counts 16 locations along the East Coast. 18 West 23rd Street, near Fifth Avenue

Greenpoint: Coffee chain 787 Coffee, known for sourcing all of its coffee from Puerto Rico, has opened its first outpost in Brooklyn, according to Greenpointers. This is the company’s fifteenth location in NYC. 211 McGuinness Boulevard, between Calyer Street and Greenpoint Avenue

Greenpoint: The city’s collection of Halal food businesses continues to grow with this casual new restaurant in north Brooklyn. According to Greenpointers, Jewels Grill sells gyros, kebabs, and other Mediterranean fare, along with burgers and cheesesteaks, according to Greenpointers. 185 Norman Ave, at Jewel Street

Kensington: Café Fés, a restaurant specializing in Moroccan fare and margaritas, opened its doors last month, bringing chicken kebabs, lamb tagine, and merguez to the northern edge of Kensington. The restaurant has an eye for mezcal and tequila, which appear in a half-dozen margaritas — infused with everything from coconut to elderflower — and flights. 709 Church Avenue, near East 7th Street

Ridgewood: A new restaurant has sprouted in the former home of local burger favorite Onderdonk & Sons, Bushwick Daily reports. Mia Marie’s, from owner Manuel Torres, still has a burger on the menu, although its vibe is “more Red Robin than Greenpoint,” according to the publication. 566 Onderdonk Avenue, at Menahan Street

Upper West Side: Family-run Mexican restaurant Homemade Taqueria has opened its first Manhattan outpost, the West Side Rag reports. The restaurant serves burritos, tacos, nachos, quesadillas, and more. Owners Hilario and Felicita Morales run over a dozen outposts of the taqueria throughout Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island. 99 Columbus Avenue, between 109th and 110th streets

Upper West Side: Earlier this week, the Migrant Kitchen opened its biggest location yet on the Upper West Side, owner Nasser Jaber tells Eater. The restaurant will continue to serve its popular, fast casual Arab and Latin dishes alongside a bigger menu that includes a Palestinian twist on the New York bagel (kaak bread with smoked salmon and labne cream cheese), a zaatar brioche, and empanadas with Armenian cheese. 157 Columbus Avenue, at West 67th Street

West Village: A new French spot called Mino Brasserie has opened with staples like steak frites and croque monsieur, according to the Infatuation. 225 West 12th Street, near Greenwich Avenue