New on Resy: It’s Reopening Season

Outdoor Dining

Is this a luxe see-and-be-seen yacht club or a below-the-radar fixture for great dining? Thanks to chef Josh Capon, Lure Fishbar is both, serving seafood and glitz to a buzzy Soho crowd. Don’t miss the raw bar where some excellent sushi is served, or the lobster roll — it’s one of the city’s best and most underrated.

What was once known as The Jones (and before that, the Great Jones Cafe) is now Jolene. Inspired by the utterly charming Café de Flore in Paris, Happy Cooking restaurateur Gabe Stulman has transformed The Jones into a new classic American bistro, cafe, and bar with partner and executive chef James McDuffee (McDuffee also helped Stulman open beloved West Village spot Joseph Leonard in 2009). That means an extensive wine list, clutch cappuccinos, snackable bites like a “Della” tea sandwich, and satisfying mains like chopped steak frites. And yes, the name is a reference to Dolly Parton’s classic ode of the same name.

The diner is dead, long live the diner! An all-day restaurant dreamed up by the married chef-owners behind Uncle Boons, Thai Diner takes your greasy spoon classics and reimagines them with Thailand in mind. The result? Ingenious and delicious bicultural plates (Thai tea babka French toast, anyone?) and a couple of Uncle Boons favorites for those still in mourning. We see you, crab fried rice.

A corner shop with flair, Rolo’s delivers the sort of unfussy wood-fired cooking that Brooklyn always needs more of. A restaurant, grocery, and bakery piled into one, this Ridgewood spot fires pizza-like focaccia, homemade pasta, and cinnamon buns, courtesy of chefs who worked and met at Gramercy Tavern, then became good friends.

Arguably one of Greenpoint’s favorite brunch spots, Esme is a bright and lively American bistro dealing in fried chicken sandwiches and buttermilk pancakes. But beyond its lovely backyard, great wines by the glass, and delicious steak (dinner only), Esme is a true neighborhood anchor, partnering with Greenpoint Community Kitchen and Rethink Food.

Whether you opt for the beautiful omakase or color-studded rolls, there is some stellar sushi to be found here. Taking its name and cues from the art of Japanese floral arrangement, Ikebana-Zen is one elegant Hell’s Kitchen venue that crafts its fish preparations with the utmost care. Pro tip: The very pretty patio, plant-lined and twinkly, makes a lovely backdrop for all that sushi.

When she opened Pro Thai, owner Sommy Putthida dove into her grandmother’s passed-down recipes. And the resulting food is not only the essence of Thai comfort, it also packs a punch, too. You’ll know one bite into the drunken noodles: These are classics like you’ve rarely had them before.

From Morocco to Israel to New York City, Mémé tells the story of a culinary education spent across the Mediterranean. Helmed by chef Jacob Cohen and in tribute to his mother, the eponymous Mémé (who still ships him spices all the way from Israel), this restaurant plates tagines, kebabs, shakshuka, and the like to delicious effect.

For a true taste of Tuscan hospitality in the heart of Tribeca, look no further. Here, chefs Patrizio Siddu and Enzo Pezone credit extra virgin olive oil and thyme direct from the mother country (the name of the restaurant comes from a particular type of Tuscan thyme) for elevating their dishes, but it’s really everything that makes your meal sing, from the warm hospitality to the lovingly handmade pastas, robust red wines, and expertly grilled meats.

Group Dining

Live DJ sets, mezcal-heavy cocktails, and sashimi all seamlessly exist at the wild scene that is Ponyboy. At this Greenpoint hotspot, Wednesdays feel like a Saturday night, soul and disco weave in and out, and patrons of every stripe huddle in green velvet booths over yakitori and cans of Kirin Ichiban, before dancing the night away.

The second location of an Italian favorite, Rosemary’s is bringing handmade pastas and sourdough pizzas to Stuytown, but not just that. Expect a pantry stocked with cheese, sauces, and wines to-go; a wine bar with a 40 for $40 bottle list; and one of the best patios around.

You can thank Georgian restaurants far and wide for sharing the blessing that is khachapuri, that most delicious sulguni cheese-filled bread boat. And you can thank Chito Gvrito for offering not one, but five varieties, including the next-level khachapuri on a skewer. Pro tip: This is an unexpected vegetarian haven, with a treasure trove of Georgian wines to boot.

Was it really in 2008 that Roberta’s planted its Bushwick roots? From makeshift backyard parties to LA’s Culver City views, the pizza destination is now bringing its roll call of wood-fired pies, natural wines, and good vibes straight to Domino Park. A Bee Sting by the waterfront? Yes, please.

What happens when three good friends from all over Thailand open up a restaurant? You get Soothr, or a dizzying taste of regional specialties not often seen before. Look no further than the koong karee, a dish pulled from Bangkok’s Chinatown that’s already a cult favorite in the making. Trust us: This is one to add to the city’s pantheon of great Thai dining.

In a city with no shortage of excellent natural wine bars, Skin Contact brilliantly stands out, thanks to a smartly curated bottle list (owner Eben Lillie grew up in his father’s wine shop, and that wine shop just happens to be the pioneering Chambers Wine Street), and a feel-good ambiance that spills out onto Orchard Street.

Casa is a deep dive into Brazil’s diverse state cuisines, serving up the homey stews of the north and the pit masters’ churrasco culture from the south, alongside a basket of pão de queijo (a non-negotiable that should begin every meal) that’ll make more than one homesick expat happily sigh.

Every neighborhood wishes they had a place like the Rookery and its garden — a place that puts out really good pub grub, fusing classic British fare with a West Indian twist. An after-hours hangout where the bartender at the busy U-shaped bar not only remembers your face but what you like to drink. And as a sponsor of the NYCFC, it’s the place to be for any and all game nights.

Inspired by the taco trucks and seafood shacks dotting Mexico’s beaches, Ho’ Brah turned a small Bay Ridge fish market into a surf-loving taco joint, and the result is wild. Expect Mexicali tacos big on flavor wrapped in homemade corn tortillas, zippy margaritas, and a 1950’s pop playlist for all the nostalgia-infused surf vibes.

Yorkville’s beloved watering hole has been a neighborhood stalwart for more than 40 years for a reason. Whenever you want a taste of New York’s classic pub culture, this is the ideal place.

The Best of Queens

A Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient and an LIC stalwart, Bellwether serves up seasonal new American dining from a kitchen headed by Le Crocodile and Oxomoco vets. A restaurant fit for all occasions with an enviable Manhattan skyline view, it’s one of those gems you’re bound to revisit time and again, thanks to a killer cocktail list that keeps things fresh. (Pro tip: Try the Airplane Mode.)

Tucked along Ditmars Boulevard, Rosatoro feels more like a beautiful greenhouse garden than a Peruvian restaurant. Yet amid the lush backdrop, it’s the colorful plates that truly stand out, heaped with bright ceviche, lomo saltado, and rotisserie chicken, alongside an excellent bar mixing up pisco and agave-laced drinks.

Tucked away on a bustling corner, Mar’s is as special as they come, doling out oysters on the half shell and pitch-perfect martinis within a twinkly gastropub setting. This may be Astoria’s best raw bar, so bring a date, order a half dozen, and know that a stool at the wood-paneled bar is de facto seating.

Date Night

Because chef Xila Caudillo heads this Ravi DeRossi coctelería y cocina, and her plant-based Mexican bites will have you lingering at the bar with more than a shot or two of mezcal. Think chanterelle tacos, tamale as a cake, huitlacoche tlacoyo, and the like. Carnitas, who?

The latest and greatest from chef Daniel Boulud extols the fruits of both land and sea in a stunning floral-edged oasis that will instantly make you forget you’re in Midtown. (10,000 pounds of lush black olive trees imported from Florida will certainly do the trick.) Named in homage to Henri Soulé’s iconic restaurant, which defined the culture of haute French dining in Gotham as far back as 1941, Le Pavillon celebrates the tradition of the grand restaurant, making it ideal for posh dining both day and night.

Dressed up in bricked-up walls and dim lighting, this two-decades-old Nolita stalwart now helmed by Marc Forgione keeps things anchored in rural Italy, where most of the menu gets a lick from the wood-fired oven. And the food is stupendous, whether you’re tucking into Peasant’s signature whole suckling pig dinner — was that a pig’s head that just passed you by? — or a simple, stunning plate of charred octopus.

One step in and you’ll feel as though you’ve entered the set of a period movie: Blue Willow bottles 1920’s China, and the cinematic décor will leave you breathless. As for the food, expect Hunan cuisine rooted in tradition (the house-smoked bacon is a must) and uncompromising (read: spicy) Sichuan specialties. Come hungry, and do stop by the apothecary-like bar. 

Because Rucola is Boerum Hill’s answer for date night. Thanks to a dining room wrapped up in warm woods and brick walls, this Italian bistro has a way of making you feel worlds away. Throw in Northern Italian fare prepared with a lot of care (the best of the greenmarkets, a carbon neutral ethos, handmade pastas) and know that you’re in very good hands.

Picture a moody wine bar where natural wines are sipped alongside platefuls of handmade pasta. Now picture it again, but make it vegan. Not convinced? Then you haven’t been to a Ravi DeRossi venture. The restaurateur, known for his chorus of vegan restaurants in the East Village, turns everything he touches into meat-free gold, and Soda Club — headed by Amira Gharib of the old Honeybee’s — is not one to miss.

Come for the comedy, stay for the food. Nudged along Bleecker Street (and not the Bronx River waterfront like you might’ve believed), the Yacht Club delivers American bistro standbys, alongside cocktails (get the Vinny Vella, or a whiskey sour with a twist), a warm staff, and one unmissable chicken sandwich.

Because Mamo still feels like a delicious secret. An elegant Italian kitchen hidden in the heart of Soho, this exclusive venue is more private townhouse than restaurant. You only need to head up the staircase and enter the intimate dining room to know: This is one meal that’s going to be special.

Hidden inside the basement of a Korean fried chicken wings shop, Sushi Nonaka proffers the kind of sushi that’s well worth a trip to the Upper West Side. The fish is expertly prepared, the service top-notch, and the results are impressive, no matter whether you’re sitting at the sushi counter, the private backyard, or getting a boxed set to go.

A roving fine-dining speakeasy, Maison Sun hops from one stunning luxury residence to the next, offering an exclusive West-meets-East tasting to a lucky few. Think of it as a bespoke supper club experience, with unparalleled service, thoughtful wine pairings, and eight courses dreamt up by chefs whose résumés include Le Bernardin and L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon.

At this Flatiron gem, lunch calls for the thali plates (get the butter chicken) while dinner promises specialties out of the ordinary. Feast your eyes, and stomachs, on heady curries (do order the melagu chemeen — a phenomenal and creamy fish-based curry), jackfruit biryani, and unexpected cocktails.

After training in Hong Kong kitchens, Philippe Chow unleashed his vision of Beijing fine dining upon the Upper East Side in 2005, serving up chicken satay and Peking duck to a loyal upper-crust following. And the original location is going strong today, for a family-style feast shared amid dangling chandeliers and gold-hued walls.

Because there are no less than 17 versions of lasagna at this longstanding Chelsea haunt. From braised short rib to lobster lasagna, and everything in between (truly, there’s a baked-to-order lasagna for everyone), this has been a trusted spot for Italian comfort food since 1993.

At this family-owned osteria, the rich flavors of Northern Italy shine through, from a luscious risotto to a thinly pounded veal chop, prepared as the Milanese would. Even better, there’s something to please every palate, from a crisp pizza topped with mozzarella and smoked swordfish and an entire menu of dishes (desserts included!) accompanied with black truffles, to a few vegan options as well.