The May Hit List: Ssäm Bar, Stretch, Cervo’s, Cosme, Porcelain, and More

Long live Ssäm Bar — in any of its formats. The latest revamp of Momofuku’s iconic second restaurant is here —now located in the South Street Seaport, and helmed by Eunjo Park, the celebrated former executive chef of Kāwi (RIP). So what are you waiting for? Grab a table (or set some Notifys) for a meal of “extremely” spicy scallop kimbap, cacio e pepe rice cakes, and sizzling galbi-marinated skirt steak on the restaurant’s scenic waterside patio. (And if you want the secrets to that kimbap, Park is hosting an online class June 2, available to Amex cardmembers via Resy.)

Dining status: Reservations open for patio dining.

Everyone’s making pizza these days, it seems, and we’re better off for it. Now in the mix is WD-50 legend Wylie Dufresne, who after a year’s worth of pandemic pizza making is now serving up his pies out of Breads Bakery under the moniker Stretch Pizza. Offerings range from classic to romesco-and-ramp, and include an egg-and-cheese calzone. More info here.

Dining status: Prepaid pick-up only.

The team behind Hart’s and Cervo’s are the masterminds behind two of the most lovely restaurant-as-grocery pivots this city has seen. But as things crawl back to normal, the latter of the two is shifting gears to its former self. Come May 4, Cervo’s will again be a seafood restaurant — serving garlicky wine-soaked clams and nuanced glasses of Spanish sherry on Canal St.

Dining status: Outdoor tables are first come, first served. More info here.

A pair of industry vets reimagines fine dining classics in a former bank in south Williamsburg. Thus Francie, whose opening was overshadowed by ever-changing COVID restrictions — yet mustn’t be overlooked. You’re here for soufflé cakes with seaweed butter and caviar, handmade lobster ravioli with saffron and tarragon, and the dry-aged crown of duck served with seasonal vegetables and soppressata jam.

Dining status: Reservations open for indoor dining. Takeout is available as well.

Big news in Ridgewood: Kate Telfeyan, the former chef de cuisine at Mission Chinese Food, who has been hosting her Vaguely Asian weekend pop-ups at Porcelain for the past several months, has officially joined the team as co-owner and executive chef. That means vanilla custard buns and Korean breakfast sets in the morning, crispy lamb sandwiches and mouthwatering butter-bean crepes during the day, plus plenty more. More info here.

Dining status: Outdoor tables are first come, first served.

Add Cosme to your reopening radar, because Enrique Olvera’s Flatiron sensation is back. As a reminder, the classics are the duck carnitas and of course the dessert that launched a thousand ships, the corn husk meringue. But seasonal creations are also likely to stun; and beverage director Yana Volfson makes a mean margarita and more, not to mention her mezcal list.

Dining status: Reservations open for indoor dining.

Go on, see and be seen at Le Crocodile, where a twinkly courtyard and handsome dining room serve as the backdrop for hearty brasserie fare from co-chefs Jake Leiber and Aidan O’Neal. We all know about the chicken-frites and the profiteroles, but have you tried the pickled mussels, or the boudin blanc with peas and morels? The menu is all hits, and that includes croque monsieurs at lunch.

Dining status: Reservations open for outdoor and indoor dining.

Popular pandemic pop-up Edith’s, known for garnering lines down the block out of Paulie Gee’s, is now permanent. Head to Williamsburg for an expanded menu of hand-twisted wood-fired bagels, brisket sandwiches, schnitzels in pita, and bakery items ranging from schnecken to rugelach. Bonus points for the rare grocery items, including Israeli Doritos. More info here.

Dining status: Takeout and delivery only.

Oui, Frenchette has returned—for dinner, and for lunch, too. Springtime brings white asparagus with mushrooms and bottarga and confit suckling pig with ramp soubise, in addition to mainstays such as gnocchi Parisienne, and whole rotisserie rabbit. Grab a reservation, and enjoy.

Pro tip: on Sundays and Mondays through Mother’s Day, Vietnamese pop-up darling Ha’s Đặc Biệt resides at Frenchette, serving lime leaf-and-lemongrass roast chickens and glazed and crunchy soft shell crabs for takeout and delivery.

Dining status: Reservations open for indoor and outdoor dining.

Rockaway season is almost upon us, and while the water isn’t yet warm enough to swim, you may as well dip your toes in with dinner on Bar Marseille’s seaside patio. Provençal cuisine and wine are the focus at this beachy spot, with oysters multiple ways, pasta picatta, and bouillabaisse in addition to two burgers — tuna with red peppers, watercress, and tarragon aioli, and beef with Brie and onion jam.

Dining status: Reservations open for indoor and outdoor dining. Takeout is available too.

Bad Habit is a burgeoning ice cream company run by industry alums Jesse Merchant and Javier Zuniga, a couple whose combined resume includes Contra, Lilia, and Llama Inn. Their scrumptiously creamy pints come in clean flavors like maple, olive oil, and blood-orange creamsicle, and can be purchased for pick-up in Bushwick, delivery around Manhattan and Brooklyn, or in-store at Rhodora Wine Bar and Zabar’s. As temps rise, it’s a good habit to keep your freezer stocked. More info here.