A New French Italian Restaurant Replaces a Little Italy Icon — And More Openings

Pandemic be damned, restaurant openings have been picking up in New York City. Hundreds of new restaurants have opened over the past year — so many in fact, it can feel like whiplash. Consider this your guide to all the new restaurants, bars, and cafes, that have opened recently. This month, that includes an East Village breakfast burrito option, an Upper West Side mariscos spot, and a Clinton Hill modern Cambodian restaurant. Here’s a roundup of the restaurants and bars that opened in March. This list will be updated weekly. If there’s an opening in your neighborhood that we’ve missed, let us know at ny@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.

March 16

Astoria: Mike Himani, the owner of a Mexican clubstaurant, Ixta, and business partner Lefteris Daskalopoulos opened Nisi Estiatoria in early March. The Astoria restaurant serves Greek dishes like avgolemono shrimp, calamari, and lavraki seabass, as well as other seafood dishes like crudos. 32-07 30th Avenue, near 32nd Street

Bed-Stuy: Elliot Bey, Alphonse Janvier Jr., and Michael Gittens, the owners of the Bed-Stuy wine shop Franklin Cellars, have opened the doors on the Franklin next door. The corner space, which used to house a bodega, has been overhauled with wooden furniture and a marble bar top, where cocktails, wines by the glass, tinned fish, and more are served. 448 Franklin Avenue, at Putnam Avenue

Bushwick: Oops Tea, a new restaurant highlighting inarizushi rolls made with yuba (aka tofu skin) alongside milk and fruit teas, has landed in Bushwick. 344 Knickerbocker Avenue, between Stockholm Street and Dekalb Avenue

Bushwick: A chef specializing in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and a nightlife producer have teamed up at Red Pavilion, a new venue that operates as a teahouse and dim sum spot during the day and a club with cabaret at night. Dishes like congee, made with purple rice and Chinese millet, nod to the chef’s upbringing, while herbal “shots” are available with vodka, baijiu, and blends of herbs. 1241 Flushing Avenue, at Ingraham Street

Crown Heights: With the reopening of Superiority Burger nearly upon us, Grub Street has the scoop on what they’re claiming is Brooklyn’s next-best veggie burger. At Crown Heights’s Akara House, which first opened in February, black-eyed pea fritters are seasoned with garlic, onion, ginger, and chile; fried; then wedged between pieces of agege, a white bread owner Funso Akinya sources from Atlanta. 642 Nostrand Avenue, between Bergen and Dean streets

Downtown Brooklyn: Mochii is the latest to open in the underground Dekalb Market Hall. The desserts shop sells its flavored rice cakes from a handful of storefronts across Manhattan and Queens — and ships nationwide on Goldbelly — but the food hall stall is its first shop in Brooklyn. 445 Albee Square West, inside Dekalb Market Hall

Gramercy: Pierre Loti Mediterranean Kitchen & Bar, which opened on March 15, comes from the team behind neighborhood wine bar Pierre Loti next door. The menu features mezze like tzatziki and larger plates like eggplant shakshuka, per a spokesperson. 55 Irving Place, East 18th Street

Greenpoint: Greenpointers has the first word on north Brooklyn’s new ramen spot. Enerugi Ramen, which landed in this corner space along Manhattan Avenue on February 25, serves bowls of noodles in slow-cooked broths with pork belly, ground pork, and chicken, plus appetizers like dumplings and okonomiyaki. 1020 Manhattan Avenue, at Green Street

Greenpoint: Also new to Greenpoint this month is Verge, a corner restaurant whose menu lists sushi and sashimi, along with more unusual items like Thai soft shell crab and wagyu beef toast. Reservations can be made by calling the restaurant. 159 Franklin Street, at India Street

Hell’s Kitchen: Slices start at $3.50 at the new Zillions Pizza in Manhattan. The hyper-branded slice shop sells round and square pies in various flavors, ranging from vodka to Hawaiian and Buffalo with ranch. 360 W. 42nd Street, near Ninth Avenue

Morningside Heights: Nils Noren, the former executive chef of the Michelin-starred restaurant Aquavit, is behind this new Vietnamese and pan-Asian restaurant uptown. Ban Ban Shop, located near Columbia University, lists a short menu of banh mi sandwiches, maki rolls, steamed buns, salads, and rice bowls. 2911 Broadway, between West 113th and 114th streets

Noho: Raf’s, the hotly anticipated restaurant from the team behind Michelin-starred tasting menu spot the Musket Room opened this week. The restaurant, which will eventually house a daytime bakery, is led by Musket Room executive chef Mary Attea and pastry chef Camari Mick; both chefs are currently named on the longlist for the 2023 James Beard Awards. The dinner menu at Raf’s features a bread basket, beef tartare, pastas, branzino, and budino (an Italian pudding), and makes use of one of the two ovens built into the wall that had been in place when it was Parisi Bakery, the former tenant. 290 Elizabeth Street, near East Houston Street

Times Square: Manhattan is home to a new modern Japanese restaurant called Fushimi. The 135-seat space with a 10-seat bar and attached lounge serves dishes that range from untampered with — sushi and sashimi — to those that verge into unexpected territories, like an Amish chicken with yuzu chimichurri and a truffle lobster bisque with shisho. After 10 p.m., the 135-seat dining room becomes a nightlife venue with live DJs. 311 W. 43 Street, between Eighth and Ninth Avenues

West Village: Korean fried chicken establishment Bloom Chicken opened a follow-up to its original location in Hackensack, New Jersey, in early March, according to the team. 62 W. Fourth Street, at Eighth Avenue

Williamsburg: New to Williamsburg’s Moxy Brooklyn hotel is Mesiba, a restaurant from the team behind the acclaimed Broken Shaker cocktail bar chain that pulls inspiration from Tel Aviv. The new spot opened on March 15 with mushroom shawarma, Frena bread (a Moroccan bread prepared here with sesame and sage oil), and a 48-hour lamb neck for sharing. 353 Bedford Avenue, inside the Moxy Brooklyn Hotel

March 9

Astoria: 35 Avenue Diner started serving comfort food classics last month in what had been RAR Bar. 30-01 35th Avenue, near 30th Street

Brighton Beach: Gosht, is a new halal-friendly steakhouse hailing from Uzbekistan. 3215 Coney Island Avenue, near Brighton Beach Avenue

Chinatown: Flushing’s 3Dessert is opening an outpost on Canal Street, serving red bean soup or grass jelly with items like taro balls and mung beans. 197 Canal Street, near Mulberry Street

East Village: The York is a new downtown Manhattan bar that already feels lived-in, per Hell Gate. As the publication reports, it serves several burgers and nighttime breakfast sandwiches from a longtime East Village bartender who worked at spots like Niagara. 186 Avenue B, near East 12th Street

East Williamsburg: Vegan spot Ro’s Diner has opened, taking over Champs Diner. The new spot is co-owned by former Champs chef Ro Seaward and Andrew Gelles, founder of Substance Skatepark. 197 Meserole Street, near Bushwick Avenue

East Williamsburg: A new ice cream shop, Thick Ice Cream, has opened inside the Williamsburg Houses with flavors like caramel-pecan-cornbread, rum raisin, caramel flan, and carrot cake, according to North Brooklyn Dispatch. 208 Graham Avenue, near Scholes Street

Forest Hills: The first fast-casual sibling of soup dumpling go-to Nan Xiang Long Bao Express has opened with a menu of appetizers, dim sum, and noodles. The first location sit-down location opened in Flushing, followed by outposts in Manhattan, and Cherry Hill, New Jersey. 107-50 Queens Boulevard, near 70th Road

Harlem: A second location of Atlanta-based sensation, Slutty Vegan, has opened following the first in New York, the Fort Greene location. 300 W. 135th Street, near Frederick Douglass Boulevard

Herald Square: Top Chef Masters cast member and co-founder of Little Beet, Franklin Becker, and pastry chef and OddFellows co-founder, Sam Mason, are among the team behind the new Press Club Grill in Herald Square, with Mad Men vibes and a menu of retro classics like its spin on Waldorf salad and beef Wellington, among others. 1262 Broadway, near West 32nd Street

Midtown East: The team behind the Spaniard and the Penrose have a new cocktail spot, Albert’s Bar. 140 E. 41 Street, near Lexington Avenue

Midtown East: Inside Le Méridien Fifth Avenue, is a new restaurant Allora Fifth Avenue, said to be a “tour of Italy” per the New York Times. The chef Elio Albanese, also owns Antica Ristorante in Fidi and Allora 47 in Midtown. 292 Fifth Avenue, at 31st Street

Midtown West: A new women-led concept from the Sushi by Bou team has landed. It’s one of several Trust Bae locations owner Erika London has planned, with a Japanese menu with Filipino touches. The kitchen is led by Frances Tariga, who has been on Top Chef, Beat Bobby Flay, and Chopped, while Rachael Ray served as a consultant, per the New York Times. 1204 Broadway, at 30th Street

Prospect Lefferts Gardens: Speakeasy Ruth’s on Flatbush has opened, serving cocktails and meat-and-cheese plates. 665 Flatbush Avenue, near Hawthorne Street

Ridgewood: Honeymoon Coffee bean brand has planted down roots with its first coffee shop. It’s a collaboration with nearby bookstore-cafe Molasses; at Honeymoon Coffee, look for books and records on sale, too. 517 Onderdonk Avenue, at Bleecker Street

Soho: Alums of Nomad, the Eleven Madison Park follow-up, run Principe: Abram Bissell, is the executive chef, who met owner, Robert Goldman while working there, while Rebecca Isbel, also an alum, handles pastry. The menu leans heavily on Italian seafood with its raw bar, but pastas are also available. Goldman also owns the influencer spot Saint Theo’s. 450 West Broadway, at Prince Street

March 2

Bed-Stuy: A new coffee shop from a married couple and service industry lifers, Passionfruit Coffee has opened. The gratuity-included business sells passionfruit pound cake, cookies, and madeleines made to order, in addition to coffee drinks. 733 Madison Street, at Patchen Avenue

Downtown Brooklyn: Atti is a new Korean barbecue restaurant from the team behind Ohho, a coffee shop with Korean food in Greenpoint, according to a spokesperson. There’s kalbi, steak tartare, pork belly kimchi stew, and bingsoo, Korean shaved ice for dessert. 294 Livingston Street, at Hanover Place

Dumbo: Gair, named after a Dumbo printing magnate of the 1800s, is a new cocktail bar with small plates, according to the New York Times. The kitchen is led by Gabe McMackin, formerly the executive chef of Clinton Hill’s the Finch, now closed. 41 Washington Street, at Water Street

Midtown East: Midtown fine dining restaurant Le Jardinier has turned its upstairs event space into the Art Deco Bar Bastion, according to the New York Times. 610 Lexington Avenue, at East 53rd Street

Midtown West: Cafe Paradiso has opened next to the Film at Lincoln Center screening room, a casual spot serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner with an Italian-ish menu. 144 W. 65th Street, near Columbus Avenue

Prospect Lefferts Gardens: Tara Glick, an alum of Maialino and Locanda Verde, has opened Brix Haus. The ice cream parlor has flavors like blackberry sherbet and popcorn, according to the New York Times. 406 Rogers Avenue, at Sterling Street

Ridgewood: Following in the footsteps of Panina, from the team behind North Brooklyn bakeries, Bakeri, and Velma, from the owners of Gordo’s Cantina in Bushwick, Decades Pizza is now open in the neighborhood. The new pizzeria is owned by Zach Hughes (formerly of Roberta’s), and Paul Cacici (a co-owner at Chino Grande and Carmenta’s). 690 Woodward Avenue, at Palmetto Street

Williamsburg: Mighty Quinn’s BBQ is opening a Williamsburg location its 16th spot to date, according to a spokesperson, with plans to expand and franchise along the East Coast; its Tampa location, for example, has its first drive-thru. 62 S. Second Street, near Wythe Avenue

Williamsburg: Rosette from Brooklyn Winery has opened in a bigger spot than the original Brooklyn Winery home, which allows enough space for a sit-down restaurant. Shaun Lafountain is the chef overseeing a New American menu, while the wine list shows off a collection of sparkling, white, rose, red, and orange wines. 61 Guernsey Street, near Nassau Avenue