The August Hit List: Achilles Heel, Angel’s Share, Nowon Bushwick, and More 

Andrew Tarlow’s Achilles Heel has always been an ideal spot to linger during golden hour, and while we’ve always loved the food and drink here, we’re even more excited to go there now that it’s become a full-time home for Banchan by Sunny, the roving pop-up from venerable chef Sunny Lee (formerly of Eleven Madison Park, Insa, Estela, and Blue Hill). At Achilles Heel, Lee’s menu extends way beyond banchan and into heartier territory: think hiramasa collar with dandelion, potatoes, and olives, or grilled beef short ribs served ssam style. Paired with some cocktails, beer, and natural wines, it can’t be beat on a warm August evening. Oh, and pro tip: Save room for the sesame mochi cake.

One of New York’s most beloved speakeasies is back, and while it’s now located in the West Village instead of the East Village, it hasn’t lost any of its charms or allure — or that distinctively cheeky cherubic mural, either. These days, you take the stairs down instead of up, but the bar rules remain the same (no parties larger than four, no reservations, and no standing at the bar), and the cocktails are as good as you remember, with returning classics (we’re partial to the Evidence and Flirtibird) and new inventions, too.

Walk-ins only. 

The East Village’s favorite Korean gastropub, known for its decadent burgers and chopped cheese rice cakes, has expanded to Bushwick, and this time they’re serving wood-fired pizzas, too, with a distinctly Korean perspective. That means a K-Town Smokeshow pie with Korean barbecue-style mushrooms, smoked mozzarella, garlic chives, and pickled shallots, or a Bushwick buldak pizza with gochujang-roasted chicken, rice cakes, mozzarella, and cilantro.

At first glance, The Noortwyck seems like yet another New American restaurant that you’d find in the West Village, with an exceptional pedigree (founded by two Eleven Madison Park alums no less) — and it is that, for sure, but also so much more. There’s an easygoing elegance to the place, and the food hits the mark effortlessly, whether it’s the housemade pasta, the simplest of salads, or a beautifully cooked slab of porcelet. But whatever you do, don’t forgo ordering any of pastry chef Ileene Cho’s breads — especially the seeded Parker House rolls or the char siu milk bun — or her desserts, including the mascarpone rice pudding. You won’t regret it.

The latest New York restaurant from Miznon and Shmoné chef Eyal Shani definitely feels like a bit of an outlier for Hudson Square, the city’s former printing district: It’s a warehouse-like vinyl listening party with a solid menu of snacks, sandwiches, desserts, and an eclectic playlist, making it an ideal spot to bring a crew. Don’t sleep on the lamb kebab or the beef carpaccio with tomato seeds, and save room for a slice of Basque burnt cheesecake.

Similar to Angel’s Share, iconic Italian stalwart I Sodi also recently relocated to new and much more spacious digs in the West Village, taking over what was once home to A.O.C. The formerly tiny I Sodi now has room for more than 100 diners, significantly upping your chances or grabbing a seat, but aside from the new space, not much else has changed, thankfully. The lasagnas are as perfect as ever, the salads as fresh as you remember, the Negronis as strong as before, and the chocolate cake as rich and decadent as it should be.

One of Chinatown’s most beloved street vendors now has a brick-and-mortar space to call home, and it’s the perfect spot to stop in for a quick breakfast, lunch, or early dinner of Hong Kong-style rice noodles (cheong fun) topped with your choice of ingredients, from fish balls and crispy pork skin to beef tripe, and a variety of sauces. Pair your noodles with a refreshing kumquat and lemon juice drink and you’re set.

Located at 55 Bayard St., Unit B. Walk-ins only. 

Kanoyama chef Nobuyuki Shikanai has found a new home in Queens for his much-loved ramen — and much more — at this bright, airy, and plant-filled all-day café that serves dishes like fluffy matcha soufflé pancakes, three different types of ramen (including a vegan version), Japanese omurice, chocolate cake, coffee, tea, and cocktails, too. Don’t sleep on their version of a Negroni, made with housemade pineapple-infused Campari, or the Silk Fashioned with a blood orange bitter ice cube.

Walk-ins only. 

Regardless of how hot it is outside, trust us when we tell you that the bulgogi, cooked in bubbling hot broth at this new spot near Madison Square Garden and Koreatown, is worth sweating it out for. Cool yourself off with some cold kimchi noodles, and snack on some hand-chopped red shrimp pancakes and gujeolpan, a traditional spread of nine Korean dishes, and you’re more than ready to take on the heat.

The pizzas (and sundaes) at Mel’s are always a good idea, especially so this month now that chef Melissa Rodriguez has invited some of her friends — chefs Gabriel Kreuther, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and Junghyun Park — to collaborate with her for a F.O.M.O. (Friends of Mel’s Oven) pop-up. Kreuther’s pizza, available through Aug. 4, takes inspiration from Italy with black dry-cured olives, cured anchovies, and ricotta, while Vongerichten takes advantage of the greenmarket with a Sungold tomato sauce pizza topped with squash and squash blossoms, available from Aug. 5 to 18. Park’s K-Mediterranean pizza has fried sardines, pork belly, kimchi, and fresh arugula and is available from Aug. 19 to Sept. 1.