New on Resy: Fausto, 1 or 8, The Blue Box Cafe, and More

A starkly designed, all-white restaurant that also functions as a wine and sake bar, 1 OR 8 is a Williamsburg establishment from a team of New Yorkers born and raised in Japan. The result is Japanese-focused cuisine that incorporates influences from a diverse set of culinary languages. Eclectic and sometimes adventurous, the menu offers a range — from simple snacks and creative crudos, to more elaborate dishes, and some sushi. As for drinks, seasonal sakes and natural wines are a highlight — and keep your eyes peeled for special monthly beverage promotions.

Aldea is chef George Mendes’ Michelin-starred Portuguese restaurant, where delicious and artful dishes are prepared for all to see (the restaurant is outfitted with a sleek open kitchen). It’s a lovely place to eat any night of the week, but Monday nights are special: Mendes offers a Harvest Dinner Series, which includes 4- and 8-course tasting menus comprised of new dishes, seasonal ingredients, Portuguese flavors, and a dose of special effects (read: Osetra caviar and first-of-the-season white truffles from Alba).

Nestled in the heart of Brooklyn’s Crown Heights, Alenbi serves the food of modern-day Israel. The menu is influenced by the rich cultures of Jewish kitchens, from across the Middle-East and Europe. Chef Elior Balbul, a veteran Israeli chef who worked under the tutelage of acclaimed chef Meir Adoni (Nur) in Tel Aviv, helms the kitchen.

At long last, one can now have breakfast at Tiffany’s. Located on the fourth floor of the iconic brand’s Fifth Avenue flagship – with a view of Central Park – The Blue Box Cafe serves refined riffs on signature New York dishes (a smoked salmon & bagel stack, chopped salad, club sandwich), in addition to finger sandwiches and sweets during high tea. The space, which is outfitted entirely in Tiffany Blue – from the plush chairs to the marble walls, and tableware — is enough, in and of itself, to lure eager fans.

A bona fide Chelsea institution, Cafeteria has been serving American comfort food classics since the late ’90s. The ambiance is modern and electric, an array of mac and cheese varieties grace the extensive menu, and best of all, it’s open 24/7.

Charc is a casual, 25-seat restaurant and bar with a focus on house-made charcuterie. The chef-owner is Danny Brown, whose eponymous Queens restaurant was awarded the borough’s first-ever Michelin star. Here in Manhattan, he’s serving local cheeses, fun sandwiches (read: foie gras butter & jelly), and vegetable-centric plates alongside a global wine list, cocktails, and beer.

Tucked away on a quiet street in the West Village, Coarse is an intimate restaurant and interactive culinary experience – with a menu that showcases raw and low-heat cuisine – from chefs Vincent Chirico (Daniel, Jean Georges) and Marco Arnold. Sit at the one-of-a-kind concrete chef’s counter for a spontaneous menu (with optional wine pairing) or dine à la carte.

This storied Chelsea diner—one of the last standalone diners in New York City—has been a neighborhood and industry staple since 1976. While the landmarked Art Deco building has had a number of past lives, the restaurant’s current iteration is helmed by chef John Delucie and managing partner Stacy Pisone. The kitchen dishes out refined takes on traditional diner favorites, like rye pancakes and sourdough pretzel fried chicken.

A modern trattoria and new Fort Greene stunner, Evelina offers seasonal, Italian fare with Mediterranean overtones. The daily-changing menu incorporates a range of creative standouts (think short rib cappelletti with bone marrow jus and shaved truffle and charred octopus with fava bean purée). With its exposed wood beam ceiling, marble slab bar, and giant front windows, it’s a handsome restaurant (and a very a good choice for a date).

Following the closure of beloved Park Slope restaurant, Franny’s, comes newcomer Fausto– a restaurant from wine expert Joe Campanale (L’Artusi, dell’anima) and chef Erin Shambura (L’Artusi) that now occupies the remodeled, swoon-worthy space. The market-driven menu, which forgoes pizza in favor of crudos, homemade pastas, and wood-fired proteins, pairs extraordinarily well with a wine program featuring Italy’s top producers alongside bottles from Burgundy, Champagne, the Loire Valley, and Northern Rhone. Out with the old, in with the new.

Stephen Hanson is back. That’s right, the industry vet has made a grand return to restaurants with a brand-new opening– the first since he departed his behemoth BR Guest Hospitality empire in 2013. Housed inside of NoMad’s Life Hotel, Henry is a neighborhood bistro with chef Michael Vignola at the helm. Dishes are designed to be shared: there’s dry-aged beef tartare, a crispy whole scorpionfish, and a slew of pizzas. As for drinks, this is the kind of place where you’ll want to order at least one cocktail.

This chic, Bushwick bistro is a family affair. Rachel and Catherine Allswang are a mother-daughter team with serious design and chef skills, respectively. A lifelong cook, Catherine’s recipes are rooted in French cuisine and spiced with flavors and ingredients from around the world (think ginger beef tartare, foie gras with apricot turmeric compote, and hanger steak à la plancha with potatoes in duck fat and béarnaise). Rachel, a former interior architect, can be credited for the sleek Art Deco décor, with details like burnt orange banquettes and heavenly skylights—creating a warm and welcoming vibe. Seasonal house-made aromatic liqueurs and natural wines from Europe round out the offerings.

Madame Vo is quintessential Vietnamese home cooking served in a vibrant and modern East Village setting. The menu is an eclectic selection of traditional family recipes, executed with love and passion. As for the sought-after pho — brisket steeps for 24 hours in stock, amplifying the soup’s bone-brothiness, which diners can supercharge with a short rib.

Chef PJ Calapa, formerly of Michelin-starred Ai Fiori and partner in The Spaniard, is behind Scampi — a new Flatiron restaurant showcasing the bold flavors of Southern Italy. The restaurant’s name is a tribute to a favorite childhood restaurant in Calapa’s Texas hometown, and its menu offers delicately composed crudos, handmade pastas, seasonal vegetables (procured from the greenmarket), and masterfully-prepared grilled items. Don’t miss the mafaldini “scampi” – shrimp, parsley butter, and lemon (natch).

Seamore’s is a seafood restaurant from Michael Chernow, the man behind The Meatball Shop. His first NoLita location (also on Resy!) opened a few years back, generating significant buzz. Thanks to its success, there’s now one in Chelsea, too. Expect a health-focused menu of seafood classics like poke, fish tacos, and po’ boys served in a space that’s bright, airy, breezy, and beachy.

Tetsu is three-Michelin-starred chef Masa Takayama’s first downtown restaurant — a modern Japanese robatayaki in TriBeCa. Tetsu – Japanese for “iron” – is reflected in the restaurant’s dramatic industrial design (housed in a landmarked loft building, the multi-level restaurant features original cast iron framework), centered around the robata grill. The menu, which is inspired by Masa’s world travels, is divided into sections (raw, sizzling, fried, surimi pasta, and more). Signatures include tuna butsu guacamole, beef tripe tomatillo, fried pork spare rib with garlic, and Masa’s first-ever burger.

Williamsburg’s Walter Foods is a modern-day bistro and cozy neighborhood staple. The menu, which is comprised of mainstays, includes a raw bar and chops, alongside artichoke dip, and roasted half chicken. Best of all, the décor practically secures good vibes — dark wood booths, a restored vintage bar, and, in warmer months, a lovely backyard garden to eat and drink in.