The New Wave French Restaurant Trend Keeps Coming — And More Openings

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. 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 ny@eater.com.

May 25

Chinatown: Mabu from Toronto is the first U.S. location for this Hong Kong-style cafe. It’s already drawing lines in Chinatown for dishes like lava toast, baked spaghetti, and Thai soup with mussels and shrimp in a Cup Noodles mug. 18 Doyers Street, near Pell Street

Lower East Side: A clubby new restaurant aiming to bring the spirit of Parisian bistros and artists' salons to the East Village has opened. The restaurant, Ella Funt, is one part of a larger project which includes a performance venue and cinema. 78-80 E. Fourth Street, near Second Avenue

Lower East Side: Spicy Moon, a vegan Sichuan spot with locations in the East Village and West Village, now has a sibling on the Lower East Side, according to EV Grieve. Their biggest place yet will have a performance venue and bar, with a cafe element by day. 265 Bowery, between Stanton and Houston streets

Greenpoint: As if the warning signs weren’t enough, Greenpoint, a neighborhood that’s seen an influx of openings of the last year, has entered a new era of unattainability with Restaurant Yuu, a $250 per person, 18-course French Japanese tasting menu; the owner-chef is Yuu Shimano, a former executive chef of Mifune in Manhattan, according to a spokesperson. 55 Nassau Avenue, at Guernsey Street

Hillcrest: NYC is seeing a meager but encouraging increase in all-you-can-eat restaurants this year: the latest to join the pack is Boon Dee, a Thai buffet with 20 raw meats and seafood to pick from alongside noodles, veggies, and six dipping sauces. 168-11 Union Turnpike, between 168th and 169th streets

Noho: The team behind West Village party restaurant Bandits, and the speakeasy above a Greenwich Village Five Guys, the Garret, now has a sports bar. Rocco’s Sports & Recreation, has snacks that include chargrilled barbecue oysters with five spice and pickles, merguez sausage pigs in a blanket, and dips like a vegan Buffalo chicken dip, as well as porterhouse for two with nori butter. W. Third Street, near Broadway

Soho: Ashley Rath, an alum of Major Food Group’s the Grill, who later went on lead the kitchen at influencer hot spot Saint’s Theo’s, has a new venture called Twenty Three Grand inside the ModernHaus Soho hotel. 27 Grand Street, near Thompson Street

Tribeca: Sophie’s Cuban, which first opened in the Financial District in 1997, later opening a Tribeca outpost that has since closed, returns to the neighborhood. 325 Broadway, at Worth Street

West Village: Many have speculated what would replace the former Spotted Pig, which closed in 2020 following scandal when owner Ken Friedman was ordered by New York state to pay $240,000 to 11 former employees subjected to various forms of harassment. This week the building returns as Golden Swan, a retro-clubby bar and restaurant that evokes the early aughts, from Matt Abramcyk of Tribeca’s Smith & Mills. 314 W. 11 Street, at Greenwich Street

West Village: Libertine is the latest new wave French restaurant to debut in Manhattan. The spot, led by Cody Pruitt, general manager of nearby Anfora wine bar, and chef Max Mackinnon, an alum of Pistou in Burlington where he nabbed a James Beard nom, and later, Relae in Copenhagen and Rose’s Luxury in D.C. The friends blend their experiences in a menu that leans French with dishes gougéres with aged Comte; oeuf mayo with trout roe; beef tartare; and crispy gnocchi with asparagus. 684 Greenwich Street, at Christopher Street

Williamsburg: Los Angeles’s buzzy Sugarfish touches down in Williamsburg with its first Brooklyn outpost, joining versions from the brand in Manhattan. 57 Wythe Avenue, near North Sixth Street

May 18

East Village: A modern new slice shop, Saint Pizza, has debuted in the East Village, according to EV Grieve. 223 Avenue B, between 13th Street and 14th Street

Chelsea: New vegetable-forward fast-casual concept Rooted is the latest to join Chelsea food hall Olly Olly Market, according to a representative. 601 W. 26th Street, near 12th Avenue

Gowanus: Cafe Mars, a maximalist Italian restaurant with Memphis Milano-style interiors, pork ribs and spaghetti salad, Negroni jelly olives, and cakes made with black olives is now open. 272 Third Avenue, at President Street

Greenpoint: Mariscos El Submarino found success when it opened as a seafood spot in Jackson Heights, now the team is turning its attention to meat at Mitica that’s billed as a Mexican steakhouse, where tacos and mashed potatoes commingle. 222 Franklin Street, near Green Street

Greenpoint: Radio Bakery, from the team behind Ridgewood hotspot Rolo’s, has debuted in Greenpoint with pretzel bear claws, spicy ‘nduja croissants, focaccia, and sandwiches. 135 India Street, near Manhattan Avenue

Midtown West: Palermo is an Argentinian steakhouse located inside a three-story brownstone. 373 W. 46th Street, near Ninth Avenue

Noho: A revival of Bleecker Street Bar, a neighborhood dive staple of three decades before shuttering in 2020, has returned in a new location, according to EV Grieve. 648 Broadway, between Bleecker and Bond streets

Nolita: Kolkata Chai Co., a chai shop of the East Village, with the aim of reclaiming the drink, is expanding with a second location and roti breakfast sandwiches in Nolita. 60 Kenmare Street, at Mott Street

West Village: Donna, a Williamsburg cocktail bar that closed during the pandemic, has relaunched as a worker-owned venture — now in Manhattan. 7 Cornelia Street, near Sixth Avenue

Williamsburg: Michael Solomonov’s takeover of the Williamsburg Hoxton Hotel continues. In addition to K’Far and Laser Wolf, the restaurant owner has debuted a rooftop bar, Jaffa, with seafood. 97 Wythe Avenue, at North 10th Street

May 11

Bed-Stuy: Winfield Harrell Jr. has opened a diner, Winfield’s with an emphasis on affordable prices. He previously operated Want’z Pizza and Crave in the space, inside of the building which he owns, according to Brownstoner. 212 Patchen Avenue, near Macon Street

Chinatown: Soft serve spot Soft Swerve, known for its ube and matcha swirls, has added a Chinatown location. That makes four locations in Manhattan for the growing brand, with a Brooklyn outpost on the way. 85B Bayard Street, near Mulberry Street

Dumbo: Located inside the Museum of Digital Experiences, Junsui is a two-tiered halal omakase with a price point that starts at $108 for 13-courses or $150 for 18 courses. Museum of Digital Experiences, 65 Jay Street, near Front Street

Flushing: The 20-seat fourth location of Zaab Zaab has opened in Tangram Food Hall, the Northeastern Thai restaurant from chef Aniwat Khotsopha and owners Bryan Chunton and Pei Wei. This location features new dishes, such as Leng Zaab Volcano, stewed pork spine in a spicy lime chile sauce popular in Bangkok. Tangram Food Hall, 133-33 39th Avenue, near College Point Boulevard

Harlem: The team behind Harlem Caribbean restaurant the Edge have opened their latest establishment. The restaurant led by Denzell Washington, a former chef of the Edge, serves items like “jerk mushrooms, roasted yams with honey peri peri, codfish fritters, coconut fish sandwich,” at the Good Good, per the New York Times. 1694 Park Avenue, at 119th Street

Long Island City: Gulp, conceived as a Taiwanese breakfast place, has opened first with bar food takeout, where customers can head over to speakeasy 929 next door to drink and graze. Once the gas is turned on, the owners will roll out breakfast fare like soy milk, you taio, fan tuan, and lu ro fan. 42-45 27th Street, between 42nd Road and 43rd Street

Lower East Side: Parcelle wine has a next-door sibling: Pig Bar, a craft beer watering hole with a short menu of charcuterie, cheeses, and salads. 139 Division Street, near Canal Street

Midtown West: Creamline, a burger and shakes spot, has debuted a location inside of food hall Gotham West. 600 11th Avenue, near West 45th Street

Upper West Side: Earlier this season, Five Napkin Burger opened another branch uptown —but this one has a restaurant within a restaurant: a sushi bar, an integration with Namazake Sushi, led by Nobuhiro Hamazaki. 2315 Broadway, near 84th Street

Upper West Side: French sandwich shop Le Petit Parisien, has opened, replacing Boule & Cherie. It’s the fourth location for Le Petit Parisen, though only two are listed on the website. Its Facebook page notes customers who order baguette sandwiches get a free macaroon through May. 172 Amsterdam Avenue, near 68th Street

Upper West Side: The Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation, part of the Museum of Natural History, has opened the Restaurant at Gilder, a new table-service option for the neighborhood, that nonetheless, requires visitors to pay the price of admission to the museum to dine. The lunch menu highlights local suppliers as well as minority and women-owned businesses. American Museum of Natural History, 200 Central Park West, near West 77th Street

Williamsburg: ElNico is in the dog-friendly Penny Williamsburg hotel, an 11th-floor restaurant with skyline views of the city. Chef Fernanda Serrano — having worked in restaurants like Pujol and Cosme — runs the kitchen, putting together her menu of items like tlayuda with tzatziki and sumac, pink mole with tahini, and clam tostada with ’nduja, calamansi, and jasmine. Drinks are by Leo Robitschek (NoMad Bar, Eleven Madison Park). 288 N. Eighth Street, near Havemeyer Street

May 4

Astoria: New wine bar Tootles and French has debuted in Queens with bottles from Serbia and Jurancon, per Resy. For snacks, expect charcuterie boards, panini, and small plates. 3615 Ditmars Boulevard, near 37th Street

East Village: Korean-style pizza parlor Appas is now open in the East Village, in a sunny yellow-and-white polka dot dining room. The kitchen at Appas is led by chef Yong Seo who ran several franchises of Pizza Hut in Seoul for more than two decades, which makes sense with the style of pies offered, with toppings like bulgogi and kimchi-bacon. The restaurant is a part of Ume Hospitality, behind Ume, a Japanese restaurant in Williamsburg, as well as several others. 210 First Avenue, near East 13th Street

Flatiron: Sol Mexican Cocina, a Mexican chain hailing from South California, with locations in Arizona, Colorado, and Nevada, has opened its first East Coast location in a bi-level dining room. An outpost in Boston will subsequently debut, per the New York Times. 220 Fifth Avenue, at 26th Street

Financial District: London & Martin Co. has taken two floors of a Stone Street building that’s been in place for more than 100 years. The menu sticks the classics with steak frites, a burger, and a French dip offered, per the New York Times. 6 Stone Street, at Whitehall Street

Fort Greene: Margot is a new Fort Greene wine bar restaurant with French flair. It’s run by Halley Chambers, Kip Green, both of June wine bar, and chef Alexia Duchêne, who’s worked at top restaurants in Paris and London. The seasonal menu lists dishes like carrot tortellini with green curry butter, or nettle cavatelli with cockles and radicchio. Desserts include a chocolate tart with maitake mushrooms, a ricotta tart with rhubarb and pistachios, as well as a vanilla sundae with miso fudge and peanuts. 69 Lafayette Avenue, at South Elliott Place

Greenpoint: Mary’s Bar, a sibling queer Irish bar to Ginger’s of Park Slope, for a time, Brooklyn’s only lesbian bar, is now open. The new venture is a partnership with One Stop, a bar that resided in the space for 12 years and closed last month. 134 Kingsland Avenue, at Beadel Street

Park Slope: Bar Vinazo is a new Spanish wine bar, poised to be the latest addition kicking Park Slope’s once-sleepy dining scene, into high-gear. The restaurant, which follows the footsteps of others of its ilk, focuses on conservas, aka tinned items, operated by Joe Campanale and Ilyssa Satter. Campanale is an owner of Fausto, an Italian pasta spot, and the duo are behind LaLou, a natural wine bar, also nearby. 158 Seventh Avenue, near Garfield Place

Tribeca: Osteria Carlina found success in the West Village, with what Eater critic Robert Siesema calls “cozy Alpine fare.” Now the team also has an outpost of Osteria Carlina in Tribeca. 11 Varick Street, near North Moore Street

South Street Seaport: The recently opened 33 Seaport Hotel now has Restaurant Pearl. The menu leans to Korea for inspiration, with options for a kimchi burger, filet of beef with gochugaru hollandaise, or a beef tartare that uses doenjang, the New York Times reports.