Now Open on Resy: Dame, Lil’ Frankie’s, Ichimura, PDT, and More

Hot Openings

While Dame previously moonlighted as the city’s best fish and chips shop, that was only a fraction of what makes it so special. Built around modern British cookery with a team that’s honed their chops at the Beatrice Inn, The Spotted Pig, and Cherry Point, Dame is a riveting take on the seafood bar where the wine list is a playful as it is delectable (categories include “What James Bond is Drinking”). Pro tip: The warm lobster tart is non-negotiable.

This is what Saigon eats. Or rather, what the city’s night owl crowd veers toward: noodle soups rich with marrow, spring rolls that crackle with every bite, and garlic butter clams dripping in fish sauce. There’s no wrong order at Ly Nguyen’s second, deeply personal, and just as electric restaurant, so bring a crowd — you’re going to want to eat your way through the menu.

Leave it to chef David Lee to reengineer plant-based cuisine for a high-energy, well-heeled crowd. From Coconut Grove to New York City, Planta Queen has unleashed its meatless brilliance in the shape of a wild pan-Asian menu, where the sushi rolls and wok-fried noodles are as craveable as “the real thing.” Don’t sleep on the cocktails — we like the kyu-kiki.

The Brooklyn offshoot of a buzzy Parisian chef incubator program, Fulgurances has landed in Greenpoint and set up shop in an old laundromat. And what can you expect? Prix fixe menus from a rotating cast of up-and-coming culinary whizzes, who’ll take over the minimal yet warm space for three to six months. Up first: Victoria Blamey, of Gotham Bar & Grill fame.

What happens when a Korean American chef hones his craft in Italian and French fine dining kitchens? You get something akin to LittleMad. Backed by Hand Hospitality (Her Name Is Han, Cho Dang Gol, Izakaya Mew), chef Sol Han gets personal with a menu that twists and turns Korean flavors with French techniques. Shiitake beef tartare, anyone?

Because chef George Mendes (of the beloved, bygone Aldea) is back and better than ever. Come for the piri piri chicken, and amend that with a cocktail (preferably the Wanderlust) at the bar or the lush garden terrace. Mendes’ seasonal American menu does not disappoint, and best yet: Veranda is enclosed in a retractable glass pergola, making for a most cinematic meal come rain or shine.

One of the city’s premier sushi institutions has turned a new leaf: 69 Leonard Street has a new sushi chef in tow, and not just any — Shion Uino of Tokyo’s esteemed Sushi Saito and New York’s Sushi Amane, who brings an intimate Edomae-style experience to Leonard’s stone counter, going so far as to source rare fish from the islands that make up his hometown of Amakusa.

Because the West Village’s latest drinking den is an ode to diner culture with a tiki vibe to boot. Start with the terrific Bobby Wasabi cocktail, order the surprising vegan “tuna” melt, and let your party be swayed by the friendly bartenders and stunning space, disco ball included.

Back Open

This pioneering East Village speakeasy is as famous for its (in)accessibility as its cocktails: To get in, you have to call from a payphone inside Crif Dogs, the subterranean hot-dog stand next door. Under the guidance of owner Jeff Bell (a former PDT barback), the cocktails remain as superb as ever.

Because Frank Prisinzano’s East Village spot always feels like a party. Anchored by a custom-built pizza oven where everything from the Neapolitan pies to the melt-in-your mouth eggplant gets a lick of the flames, Lil’ Frankie’s is the place for simple Italian fare that packs a punch (see the spaghetti limone, which is required eating) — consistently delicious and always fun.

When Major Food Group (Carbone, The Grill, Sadelle’s) opened this French bistro, it took the classic concept and gave it a decidedly New York accent, with an attitude to boot. The neon pink sign glowing outside the Ludlow Hotel is hard to miss, and it certainly sets the tone. As for the food, don’t sleep on the millefeuille with king oyster mushrooms, or the duck à l’orange with ras el hanout and preserved oranges. And don’t forget to peruse the extensive wine list, which has plenty of old Bordeaux.

Because Karczma is Greenpoint’s go-to for all things pierogis. A Polish landmark over a decade in the making, Karczma is like taking a step back into the old country, where the waitresses are dressed up in traditional garb, and the wood bar is still the best place for an ice-cold beer and a kielbasa.

With its French bistro style, noted wines, and inviting patio, Le Singe is a slice of Paris in the middle of Chelsea. You’re here for people-watching over the French classics — from perfectly executed moules marinières to coq au vin — a glass of wine in hand.

A sleek wooden counter bordered by 10 seats is the only setup Eiji Ichimura needs. The yukata-clad master chef serves only 20 patrons at two seatings a night, with each course building upon the previous, for an all-encompassing look into the flavors of Japan. Layered and seasonal, no two tastings are ever the same, though you can expect Osetra caviar and Hokkaido uni (known Uchū favorites) to grace the menu.

Group Dining

The second location of Chama Mama is just as impressive as the first, offering a taste of Georgian cuisine you’d be hard-pressed to find outside of South Brooklyn (or the Caucasus). This is the place to get to know the three pillars of the cuisine — toné, khachapuri, and qvevri — from a chef who cooked for Georgia’s president in a previous life.

Set inside a beautiful space lined with ink-stained murals (courtesy of artist Qiu Anxiong), Atlas Kitchen is an Upper West Side gem that plays with the regional cuisines of Hunan and beyond. Must-orders include the seafood egg custard and spicy pig feet, but order with your eyes — there’s a reason the hanging sliced pork belly is on every table.

Because CocoPazzeria makes one of the best pizza riffs in town: The house specialty focaccia, which oozes and gushes with melty robiola cheese. Plus, with a holy trinity of bubbles, oysters, and pizzas, you really can’t beat this Coco Pazzo sequel in Soho.

You haven’t played shuffleboard like this before — or rather, you have, if you were one of Royal Palms’ legions of devoted fans before the pandemic. If you weren’t, let’s just say this Gowanus club takes it to the next level: 11 courts, two bars, one tropical-themed cocktail menu, food trucks, a DJ booth, and a roof deck, for good measure.

Speaking of rooftop, sometimes, a well-situated one is all your summer needs. And if you’re in NoMad, the Made Hotel’s Good Behavior is the move, for tropical cocktails sipped to the very best of panoramic views.

Date Night

When a restaurant becomes known for a dish as simple as spaghetti with tomato and basil, you know it’s going to be something special. And Scarpetta continues to deliver in every way, handmaking pasta on the daily — seasonal produce aplenty — with the same attentive service and luxe feel that made it so renowned.

Because sitting in a bistro chair on the sun-drenched patio of Café du Soleil with a croque monsieur in hand is enough to fool you into thinking you’re parked along a bustling Parisian boulevard… and not on Broadway. Throw in moules-frites Mondays and date night specials, and you’ve got your “bistro du coin,” your absolute go-to.

From the minds behind Miss Lily’s and Lure Fishbar comes a neighborhood bistro bent on fresh pasta made in-house. Say hello to Hancock Street, an update on the supper club of lore where your meal better start with oysters and end with their fresh-from-the-oven cookies with just a sprinkle of salt.

A true labor of love, Fresco is run by the always-present Scotto family, where the service is as generous as the Italian plates — order the veal chop to see what we mean, or catch the towers of piled-high chips whizzing by. White tablecloths, plush booths, and modern-day frescoes are the backdrop to your meal, where it’s not unusual to spot the occasional VIP or power lunch happening.

After training in Hong Kong kitchens, Philippe Chow unleashed his vision of Beijing fine dining upon the Upper East Side, serving up chicken satay and Peking duck to a loyal upper-crust following. His downtown sequel remains just as much of an event, where a mirrored staircase leads the way to one dazzling dining room, DJ booth included.