A Southeast Asian Bar With Singaporean Snacks and Fish Sauce Cocktails — 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 Champagne bar tucked inside of a party store, an Elmhurst Thai spot, and a new spot from the Wayla and Kimika team.

Here’s a roundup of the restaurants and bars that opened in May. 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.

May 26

Bed-Stuy: Nigerian favorite Buka ended its 13-year run in Clinton Hill this spring, only to reopen at this new address a few blocks over. The sizable menu includes white yam fufu, fish pepper soup, and lamb and steak suya. 1111 Fulton Street, near Claver Place

Chelsea: Maison Kintaro is a new Japanese comfort food spot, according to the restaurant’s Instagram bio. 401 West 24th Street, at Ninth Avenue

Chelsea and East Village: This new fast-causal prepared foods chain operates with a sliding-scale model of pricing determined by “the median household income in a particular ZIP code,” per the New York Times. Everytable has opened three Manhattan locations this month and plans to expand with several more: Locations in Harlem, the Financial District, and Flatbush are to come. 229 Avenue B, near East 14th Street, 750 Avenue of the Americas, at 25th Street, and 362 Eighth Avenue, at 28th Street

Crown Heights: Both the chef and owner of Arden are alums of the Mermaid Inn, the team tells Eater, and so count on crowd-pleasing seafood dishes like fried skate and oysters topped with gochujang, bacon, and crumbled Ritz crackers. The restaurant takes over the former home of neighborhood Caribbean hangout Glady’s. 788 Franklin Avenue, at Lincoln Place

East Village: Saint, a new restaurant specializing raw seafood, lobster gratin, and steak tartare, is now humming along in Manhattan, led by a former chef of Mexican mainstay La Esquina. The space, which used to be home to the chandelier-clad Brasserie Saint Marc, retains the same decor. A speakeasy is located in the basement, and there’s also a V.I.P. room, according to the New York Times. 136 Second Avenue, near Ninth Street

Little Italy: Tribeca’s decades-old ramen and sushi shop Zutto has opened this second location with poke bowls and DIY sushi hand roll sets priced between $40 and $70, according to Tribeca Citizen. 384 Broome Street, near Mulberry Street

Tribeca: Filé Gumbo Bar is a new Cajun and Creole restaurant, whose name nods to the filé powder used in the gumbo-making process. The website menu lists crawfish bread, jambalaya, and, of course, several gumbos. 275 Church Street, at White Street

Union Square: Salil Mehta — behind several Southeast Asian restaurants in NYC such as Laut, Laut Singapura, and Wau — has opened a Singaporean cocktail bar on the second floor of a townhouse, according to a representative. Singlish’s cocktail menu includes savory ingredients such as salted egg vermouth, fish sauce, and sesame oil. Beverages can be paired with several bar snacks ranging from beef jerky to marinated duck tongue and fries with a salted egg aioli. 17 East 13th Street, near Union Square West

Midtown West: Ipanema, a stronghold of NYC’s Little Brazil area since 1979, closed last year. According to a restaurant spokesperson, it’s since reopened 10 blocks from the original, now helmed by owner Alfredo Pedro’s sons, who are also running a daytime cafe from the same location. Here, find Brazilian and Portuguese dinner offerings like the bean stew feijoada and fish stew moqueca. 3 West 36th Street, near Fifth Avenue

Soho: The New York Times has the scoop on Nikutei Futago, a luxurious new steakhouse that’s charging $320 per person for a nine-course meal focused on wagyu beef from Japan. 341 West Broadway, near Broome Street

May 19

Brooklyn Heights: L’Appartement 4F, a pandemic-born French-leaning bakery, now has a standalone venture in Brooklyn, according to the bakery’s Instagram post. 115 Montague Street, near Henry Street

Chinatown: The larger bi-level space at Kitchen Co Ut allows this newly opened Vietnamese restaurant to build on the success of its sister restaurant Banh Mi Co Ut. Crusty baguettes used for a variety of banh mi are still on the menu, but the selection of dishes has expanded to include hu tieu nam vang (a classic recipe for pork-and-shrimp noodle soup) and plates of broken rice served with grilled, paper-thin pork chops. 85 Chrystie Street, between Grand and Hester streets

East Village: A bakery with “Middle Eastern roots and Danish technique” landed in Cooper Square this past weekend, bringing chai shortbread, babka with black lime, and tahini rye chocolate chip cookies to the neighborhood. Librae Bakery comes from Dona Murad, a Bahraini coffee roaster who runs a cafe in Bahrain. 35 Cooper Square, at East Sixth Street

East Village: Frank Prisinzano — the owner and social media star behind East Village restaurants Lil’ Frankies, Supper, and Frank currently being sued — has opened Lil Frankie’s Grocery, a small grocery store stocked with Italian ingredients, deli products, meal kits, and more. 21 First Avenue, between East First and Second streets

East Village: A new bar to wiggle in, Wiggle Room, has launched from the team behind party spot Mister Paradise, according to a representative. 9 Avenue A, at East Houston Street

Financial District: Daniel Boulud’s Le Gratin has risen inside of the Beekman Hotel, replacing Keith McNally’s Augustine. According to prior reports, the restaurant is a more “informal” look at the cooking of Boulud’s native Lyon, France, with a menu that includes savory and sweet baked gratin. 123 Nassau Street, at Beekman Street

Flatiron: Music and meat share a stage at Vinyl Steakhouse, a restaurant that spins records and pours wine from a bar outfitted with vintage show posters. The cheapest cut of meat here, an 8-ounce filet mignon, is priced at $49 before adding on sauces, which range from a $3 house steak sauce to a $27 option called the “Kings Topping” with crab, lobster, shrimp, and bearnaise. 35 West 19th Street, between Fifth and Sixth avenues

Greenpoint: A new coffee shop, Honeybird Coffee, has debuted conveniently close to a city ferry terminal spot, according to Greenpointers. Balthazar baked goods are available. 2 North Sixth Place, at North Seventh Street

Greenpoint: Upside Pizza, a ’90s-themed pizzeria with three additional locations in the city, has opened in a stretch of Brooklyn already bustling with neighborhood slice shops, Greenpointers reports. 640 Manhattan Avenue, near Nassau Avenue

Hudson Square: Pine & Polk, a new provisions shop, has a speakeasy bar called PS, hidden behind its shelves of chocolate bars. 300 Spring Street, near Hudson Street

Lower East Side: Gugu Room claims to be the city’s first Filipino Japanese izakaya, opening on Orchard Street with bone marrow ramen, balut (fertilized duck egg), and tenga (pig’s ear served with a banana ketchup barbecue sauce). 143 Orchard Street, near Rivington Street

Midtown: New to the intersection of 43rd Street, Broadway, and 7th Avenue is Bisbee’s Beer Garden, a year-round outdoor kiosk with lobster rolls, Italian sandwiches, and beer on tap. 200 West 43rd Street, at Seventh Avenue

Midtown East: According to a representative, Pure Grit Vegan BBQ, a home for all things, — you guessed it — vegan barbecue, has debuted in Manhattan. The new spot features various meat-free dishes such as jackfruit in the style of pulled pork, and sides such as charred broccoli salad and a vegan mac and cheese. 36 Lexington Avenue, near 24th Street

Nomad: A new donut shop, Bear Donut, from Suhum Jang, of Asian fine dining spot Hortus is now sweetening up this corner of Manhattan. 40 West 31st Street, at Broadway

Seaport District: The hospitality group behind Rule of Thirds in Greenpoint and El Quijote in the Chelsea Hotel has opened Makitaki, a seasonal outdoor bar where tiki drinks flow and a full menu of wine, sake, and beer by the glass clocks in under $15 each. 19 Fulton Street, between Front and Water streets

Tribeca: Ice cream chain Van Leeuwen has expanded its reach with its latest NYC outpost, according to Tribeca Citizen. 310 Greenwich Street, at Duane Street

Union Square: Fast casual salad chain Dig has opened a new all-day cafe called Dig on 4th hoping to capture more than just a dying office lunch scene. 127 Fourth Avenue, at East 13th Street

Upper West Side: The Hudson River view from the terrace at Bellini isn’t exactly like being in Venice, Italy. Still, this restaurant from the Cipriani family is now open and will be the main attraction at Harry’s Table, a food hall slated to open in June, the New York Times reports. Italian favorites like vitello tonnato and beef carpaccio will be on the menu. 235 Freedom Place South at Two Waterline Square, near West 60th Street

Upper West Side: A second location for Street Taco, a Mexican cantina which first opened in Gramercy, is now spicing up upper Manhattan. 2672 Broadway, at West 102nd Street

West Village: Los Angeles breakfast import Breakfast by Salt’s Cure opened at this address last year. This week it gets an after-hours roommate. According to the New York Times, Bella Dea, a restaurant specializing in North Atlantic seafood, will now operate out of the space during dinner service. 27 Morton Street, near Bedford Street

May 12

Bed-Stuy: Two hospitality industry veterans are teaming up at Secret Pour, a new bar with a juke box, pool table, and arcade games. The bar — located on the border of Bed-Stuy and Bushwick — comes from owners Roberto De Jesus and Jaime Koons, who confirmed the opening with Eater and most recently worked at Chelsea brunch spot Cookshop and Dominique Ansel Bakery. 1114 DeKalb Avenue, at Broadway

Downtown Brooklyn: Arcade and restaurant chain Dave & Buster’s now has a location in Downtown Brooklyn, according to a representative. 625 Atlantic Avenue, at Fort Greene Place

East Village: Taiwan-based bakery chain Bake Culture has opened its fourth NYC location on St. Mark’s Place, according to EV Grieve. 22 St. Mark’s Place, between Second and Third Avenues

East Village: EV Grieve reports that Luz Market + Restaurant, a new plant-based restaurant with zucchini noodle lasagna, has arrived. 97 St. Mark’s Place, between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Edgemere: Not far from Far Rockaway, a cafe and market called Beach Dunes Eats & Arts Cafe has opened at a new affordable housing complex called Beach Dunes, the New York Times reports. The farm-to-table restaurant aims to provide affordably priced food for dining in, delivery, and takeout. Produce from a local farm will also be sold on site, and a cooking classes will also be offered. 45-15 Rockaway Beach Boulevard, at Beach 45th Street

Flatiron: The duo behind Oiji, one of the city’s best modern Korean restaurants, heads to Flatiron this week with Oiji Mi, a larger, more upscale restaurant. The focus at this 80-seat restaurant is a tasting menu (five courses for $125), with plans to offer a la carte service from its lounge and bar in the future. 17 West 19th Street, near Sixth Avenue

Flatiron: According to the New York Times, the owner of Shorty’s, a Philly cheesesteak chain, now operates Olde City Cheesesteaks & Beer, a new venture with locations in Hell’s Kitchen and Chelsea already in the works. 66 Madison Avenue, at 27th Street

Greenpoint: Neighborhood blog Greenpointers has the scoop on the latest location of Hungry Burrito, a Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurant with another location already in the neighborhood and a third in Ridgewood. 1079 Manhattan Avenue, at Dupont Street

Hudson Yards: The owner behind several NYC food halls, including Dekalb Market in Brooklyn and the Hugh in Midtown, has opened a prepared foods shop inside the glitzy, sprawling mall at Hudson Yards, according to the New York Times. Ana Bar and Eatery has a hot and cold buffet, a coffee bar, and a weekend brunch menu with smoked salmon and eggs available by the pound. 20 Hudson Yards, at 10th Avenue and West 31st Street

Lower East Side: A hip new restaurant, called Bongos, has popped on the Lower East Side. According a representative, the spot has charbroiled oysters, chicken with chiles and relish, and chamomile martinis. Bongos comes from the team behind downtown Manhattan party bars Kind Regards and Dingaling. 85 Orchard Street, near Broome Street

Lower East Side: The city gained another Parisian-style natural wine bar and cafe this week with the opening of Le Dive, from veteran restaurateur Jon Neidich. Wines start at $13 per glass and $42 per bottle, and the team has paired the drinks with a light menu that includes grilled artichokes, tinned sardines, and burrata. 37 Canal Street, at Ludlow Street

Midtown West: Patrons enter through a faux sex shop to get to speakeasy the Woo Woo. The bar’s theme nods to the Deuce and Times Square’s plethora of sex shops in the 1980’s, according to a representative. 266 West 47th Street, at Eighth Avenue

Nomad: Plant Bar, a vegan restaurant that’s operated by the hospitality group which runs Sushi by Bou, is now also home to a sushi counter called Omakaseed, the New York Times reports. A 15-course omakase ($85) is completely meat free. 1204 Broadway, between East 29th and 30th streets

Park Slope: Pasta Louise, a family friendly Italian restaurant known for serving one pasta shape each night, opens tonight at its new address, an expanded 70-seat restaurant in the former space of neighborhood bar and grill Johnny Mack’s. The menu has grown to include morning pastries served until 11 a.m. and cocktails, mixed by bar manager Tim Miner, formerly of cocktail bars Death & Company and Long Island Bar. 1114 Eighth Avenue, at 12th Street

Riverdale: Sheza Coffee, a new cafe focusing on Pakistani-style whipped coffee, has debuted in the Bronx, according to the Bronx Times. 6050 Riverdale Avenue, near West 261st Street

St. George: The sixth location of beer bars, Clinton Hall, has opened on Staten Island. 55 Richmond Terrace, at Empire Outlets

Tribeca: After running several bars in New York City attached to bodies of water, or, in the case of Grand Banks, on an anchored schooner, the New York Times reports that Alex and Miles Pincus have set sail with their first bar on land. Holywater, now open, has a nautical menu that features blue fish dip, surf and turf, and lobster frites. There’s also hush puppies and a cocktail made with Kool-Aid. The kitchen is led by Carbone alum Sam Gasner. 112 Reade Street, at West Broadway

West Village: The seafood-focused Mermaid Inn team has branched out with Mermaid Mexicana, a new Mexican spot, according to the New York Times. 79 MacDougal Street, at West Houston Street

West Village: Israeli chef Eyal Shani is expanding his empire of restaurants with a new spot called Shmone. According to the New York Times, Shmone will seat 50 in an open kitchen format serving white asparagus and bourkas, as well as other Middle Eastern-leaning dishes. 61 West Eighth Street, near Seventh Avenue

May 5

Carroll Gardens: The red sauce joints that used to dot this section of Brooklyn have dwindled over the years, but Bensonhurst native Sal Lamboglia (who was also a 15-year veteran of Andrew Carmellini’s restaurants) is putting forth his version of a classic Italian restaurant with Cafe Spaghetti, according to a representative. A bevy of family recipes appear on Lamboglia’s menu, including his mother’s eggplant parm and his father’s tiramisu. 126 Union Street, between Columbia and Hicks streets

Chinatown: In addition to its Hell’s Kitchen original, fast casual Thai restaurant Three Roosters has opened a second outpost, according to its team. Eater critic Ryan Sutton stopped by the original in summer 2021 to declare its Thai-style fried chicken rice platters “damn fine.” 23 Pell Street, at Doyers Street

Downtown Brooklyn: Food delivery app DoorDash is getting into the food hall game with a splashy new Downtown Brooklyn space. Partners include Chinese favorite Kings County Imperial and Southern comfort spot Pies ‘n’ Thighs. 383 Bridge Street, near Willoughby Street

Dumbo: Grub Street has the scoop on Randolph Beer’s new Dumbo location (the original one is in Williamsburg), that, in addition to functioning as a bar, has something called Belgian “feather bowling” as one of its activities. 82 Prospect Street, at Sands Street

East Village: Vegan-focused restaurateur Ravi Derossi has relocated his James Beard-nominated Southern restaurant, Cadence, a few doors down. The larger space — that will be able to seat nearly five times the amount of customers — is still led by the decorated chef Shenarri Freeman. 111 East Seventh Street, between First Avenue and Avenue A

Elmhurst: New York City’s growing cadre of restaurants focused on Isaan, the northeast region of Thailand, now includes Zaab Zaab. Eater critic Robert Sietsema gave this Queens establishment an early visit and praised chef Aniwat Khotsopa’s menu with lesser-seen dishes that incorporate offal, roast duck, plenty of herbs, and a generous dose of fish sauce. 76-04 Woodside Avenue, at 76th Street

Midtown: Brazilian and Portuguese restaurant Ipanema is making a comeback in Midtown’s Little Brazil after initially shutting down during the pandemic. The main dining room is still under construction, but in the meantime, an all-day cafe called Bica has opened in the front of the shop, according to a representative. The cafe, run by Per Se alum Alejandra Nicolon, showcases Brazilian and Portuguese baked goods including cheesy pão de queijo and the egg custard tarts pastel de nata. 3 West 36th Street, near Sixth Avenue

Nolita: Daisuke Nakazawa’s new sake bar, Saito, won’t be as difficult to get into as his high-end omakase restaurant Sushi Nakazawa in the West Village. For one, there are more seats with room for 18 people in the dining room and a forthcoming bar with 10 seats, according to a representative. The head chef here is Daniel Tun Win, whose seafood-centric menu includes a sashimi of the day, an uni tasting, and toro tartare with caviar to complement a selection of 60 sakes available by the glass and bottle. 72 Kenmare Street, between Mulberry and Mott streets

Nolita: The hitmaking group behind Kimika and Wayla have added Wan Wan, a stylish Thai and Chinese restaurant, to the fold. Bangkok-born chef Tom Naumsuwan has put together a menu of regional Thai dishes — including moo tod nam pla, or fried pork belly glazed in fish sauce; and yum hoi, or crispy scallop tempura — influenced by Chinese immigration in the country, according to a representative. 209 Mulberry Street, near Spring Street

Penn Station: A trio of high-tech coffee shops called About Time Coffee debuted across the city in recent weeks. Customers can order all the expected coffee drinks, which are prepared by a machine in about 60 seconds. Hot drinks are served in paper cups and iced drinks are dispensed into recyclable aluminum cans. The chain also runs shops in Gramercy and Midtown, and more locations are forthcoming, according to a spokesperson. 355 Seventh Avenue, at West 30th Street

Soho: A new Champagne bar, Champers Social Club, has opened inside of a party store called Feste, according to a representative. The New York Times reports that in addition to bubbles, a snack menu — collaborated on with Milu’s Connie Chung — includes deviled eggs, chicken liver mousse, and more bites. 39½ Crosby Street, at Broome Street

Williamsburg: After closing down its original Bed-Stuy location during the pandemic, it appears Fan Fried Rice Bar, a casual spot serving, as the name suggests, fried rice, has reopened in Williamsburg. 740 Driggs Avenue, at South Second Street

Williamsburg: Famed Philly chef Michael Solomonov has returned to New York City with rooftop hangout Laser Wolf at the top of the Hoxton hotel. The skewer shop — a more casual offshoot to Solomonov’s acclaimed, upscale Israeli restaurant Zahav — is an expansion of an existing restaurant in Philadelphia. 97 Wythe Avenue, between North Ninth and 10th streets

Williamsburg: Time Out New York reports that a new sandwich shop, Mission Sandwich Social, has launched. The new spot serves twelve sandwiches, made using Dutch crunch bread, a crunchy style of bread popular in San Francisco. Mission Sandwich Social is owned by Brian Tsao, an alum of clubstaurant Beauty & Essex. 326 Bedford Avenue, at South Second Street