Aska is the big Brooklyn surprise of the fall. This new restaurant operates out of Kinfolk Studios at night (during the day, the space is used as a coffee shop and design studio). The chef here is Fredrik Berselius, a young gun who earned critical acclaim for Frej, his pop-up restaurant with Richard Kuo. Berselius's menu of modern Scandinavian food includes dishes like mackerel with "soured cream," pork ribs with rutabaga, and fried broccoli with oyster cream. The beverage menu features eight original creations from cocktail guru Eamon Rockey. The food and drinks are sophisticated, but the vibe here is super relaxed.

After hosting a string of successful pop-ups, pitmaster Daniel Delaney decided to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant specializing in brisket. Delaney learned how to smoke meat from Aaron Franklin of Franklin Barbecue and Wayne Mueller of Louie Mueller Barbecue. The menu here is simple: just brisket, homemade Pullman-style white bread, daily sides, and pie. This place is already packed.

The Pines is the new restaurant from Aaron Lefkove and Andy Curtin of Littleneck, and chef Angelo Romano, formerly of Roberta's and dearly departed Williamsburg restaurant Masten Lake. Romano coaxes a lot of flavor out of simple proteins and fresh market vegetables, and his pastas are incredible. The dining room has a nice, worn-in feel.

This Roman import serves solid pastas and excellent meat dishes in a stylish, but comfortable setting. Order the lamb chops and the baked mozzarella with prosciutto.

After garnering acclaim for his tasting menus at Roberta's, chef Carlo Mirarchi decided to bring the operation to whole new restaurant next door. The meal includes about 25 small courses, including pasta, fish, meat, and vegetable dishes. Reservations for the $180 dinner are only available by phone on the first of the month. (Photo)

At La Vara, chefs Alex Raij and Eder Montero are serving a style of Spanish cuisine that has Moorish and Jewish influences. The food coming out of the kitchen here is unique for New York, but it's also very easy to enjoy. Make sure to order the fideúa and the chicken hearts.

This casual new American restaurant on Smith Street features a menu by Angelo Schifilliti, who previously worked as the executive chef of Landmarc Tribeca. The menu includes several homemade pastas, plus entrees like a mushroom pot pie, a roasted chicken with Brussels sprouts, and a pork shoulder braised in milk and honey. All of the dishes are made with locally-sourced ingredients, and many of the entrees are under $21.

San Francisco chef Elizabeth Falkner and Brooklyn native Nancy Puglisi recently opened this Boerum Hill Italian restaurant. The menu includes pastas and classic Neapolitan style pizzas, plus a few pies with untraditional toppings like goat cheese and padron peppers. So far, people love what's coming out of the kitchen.

The big draw at this new Carroll Gardens restaurant is the "deli ramen" made with matzo balls and smoked meat from Mile End. But so far, early diners also love the more traditional noodle soups, and the small plates like pork buns and mackarel tartare. To drink, Dassara offers several sake and shochu-based cocktails developed by Alchemy Consulting.