The Resy Guide to Autumn in New York
It’s back to school and work, and back to dining out at restaurants for New Yorkers. Herewith is our checklist for all the dining experiences we’re most excited about this fall, a.k.a. everywhere we want to eat right now.
P.S. And if you’d like a chef-approved list of where they’re planning to dine this fall, head here.
1. Savor the last few days of ideal outdoor dining …
By booking yourself a table at Laser Wolf Brooklyn. Skewers, salatim, brown-sugar soft serve, and incredible 360-degree views of the city — what more could you want? Pro tip: Here’s how to get in.
Looking for more outdoor dining suggestions? Check out our guides to the city’s best outdoor dining options and rooftops.
2. Toast to the new season by …
Grabbing a cocktail over at Sugar Monk where you should consider ordering a Marie Laveau with notes of cardamom and applewood, or The Grateful Matador, a Tequila and mezcal drink with chile, yuzu, ginger, cinammon, honey, and Palo Santo.
Looking for more drink suggestions? We’ve got you covered with some of the best fall cocktails in the city, the best places for French wine, optimal places for bar food, refreshing zero-proof cocktails, and ideal beer halls and breweries.
3. Put some time on your calendar …
To check out all the new restaurants opening this season. Maybe it’s booking yourself a seat at the intimate chef’s tasting counter at Nōksu? Or checking out Gem Wine, now operating out of the old Gem space on Forsyth? You can find a list to all the latest restaurant openings in New York here.
4. Take a weekend trip to …
Ithaca, N.Y. Maybe to go on some trails, or stop by one of the local breweries, taking in the changing fall foliage along the way, of course. And then head to the iconic Moosewood for lunch or dinner.
P.S. Here are some other upstate N.Y. restaurants well worth the trip.
5. Or if you can’t get out of town …
Check out a new neighborhood you haven’t been to just yet. Or haven’t visited in a while. Maybe it’s grabbing pizza from Decades in Ridgewood, or a rich cochinita for two at Tobalá in Riverdale? We’ve got plenty more suggestions here.
6. Indulge in a steamy bowl of udon …
Over at Raku Soho (we’re partial to the Niku, with beef short ribs, honeycomb tripe, and tendon) now that the temperatures are starting to chill a bit. More cozy noodle soup recs here, too.
And if you’re looking for more comforting food options this fall, we’ve got you covered, from the best roast chicken in the city to prime pasta spots, both classic Italian and new-school. Or how about some great sit-down pizza spots? Oh, and a whole list of restaurants that are particularly cozy, too.
7. Stop by the Brooklyn Museum …
To check out the “Africa Fashion” exhibit (running through Oct. 22) and “Spike Lee: Creative Sources” (Oct. 7 through Feb. 4), and then reward yourself with a satisfying meal at the beloved Café Rue Dix in Crown Heights.
ICYMI, do check out Black-Owned Brooklyn’s guide to A Perfect Day of Eating in Black-Owned Brooklyn, featuring Café Rue Dix and many other standout restaurants like Ras Plant Based, & Sons Ham Bar, and Dept. Of Culture.
8. Don’t forget to treat yourself …
To a seasonal tart from Lysée, in addition to the experimental shortbread cookies, kouign-amann, and that signature corn dessert (or well, pretty much everything they’ve got). You can purchase items for take-away, or book yourself a Resy to dine in the café on the ground floor.
To satisfy even more of your sweet cravings, check out our guide to all the restaurants where you should never skip the dessert course, as well as a list of some of our favorite bakeries in the city. Also, who says it still isn’t ice cream season, too?
9. Hang onto summer Fridays …
With a veritable power lunch at Mischa in Midtown East and, of course, do order the $29 hot dog because you will not regret it.
For more power lunch ideas throughout the city, we’ve got your covered here. And if you really want to know how the sausage gets made over at Mischa, read on. Also, who says hot dog season is over? New York is a hot dog town, among other things, after all.
10. Now that everyone’s back from vacation …
It’s time to gather the crew for brunch. Our perennial favorites would have to be two spots with, arguably, the best pancakes in the city: Chez Ma Tante in Greenpoint and Golden Diner in Two Bridges/Chinatown. Honorable mention goes to Le Crocodile, Chez Ma Tante’s sister restaurant, which now has gluten-free banana oat pancakes.
Note: Golden Diner only takes walk-ins for brunch but, should you crave pancakes for dinner, make a Resy and order accordingly in the evening. You’re welcome.
If you’re seeking even more options, check out our ultimate guide to brunch here. And if you, like me, consider dim sum to be the best kind of brunch, period, we’ve got you covered, too.
11. Alternatively, bring everyone together for …
A fun Korean barbecue experience over at COTE Korean Steakhouse or Baekjeong. Or share a bubbling, simmering pot of spicy fish stew from ARIARI or some Seoul-style bulgogi from Samwoojung.
For more ideas on where to celebrate with a group, head here. And if you happen to be looking for a restaurant to host your private shindig, check this out. P.S. Here’s a primer on how to get into COTE, too.
12. Now that squash is in season …
It’s time to go all in on it with the roasted squash salad from Houseman, which also happens to be a prime example of the quintessential neighborhood spot where you want to be a regular.
Honorable mentions: Stop by Family Meat at Blue Hill where you know everything is pretty much farm to table in the truest sense. Chef Alex Raij says she’ll have local peppers, late-harvest tomatoes, and fresh pole beans through November, making sure she spotlights them over at Txikito, La Vara, and Saint Julivert Fisherie. And deeper into fall/winter, do look for hoshigaki, or dried persimmons, over at Lingo.
13. Cozy up to a good book …
At these spots that are perfect for solo dining. We personally can’t wait for Chinatown’s Yu & Me Books to reopen soon in its new temporary space over at The Market Line at Essex Market, and heading over to Dimes afterward, book haul in hand.
14. Another benefit to living in New York?
There’s always something fun to do, from weekend drag brunches at The Standard Grill and pasta-making classes over at Forsythia to Oktoberfest celebrations at Black Forest and Wednesday wine dinners at Gus’s Chophouse, to makgeolli tours and tastings over at Hana Makgeolli.
Check back here frequently for the latest and greatest.
Resy Presents
Everywhere We Want to Dine This Fall
- 18 Restaurants Across America We Can’t Wait To Try in Fall 2023
- New York’s Newest Restaurant Openings, Now on Resy
- Where New York’s Top Chefs Plan to Dine This Fall
- The Resy Guide to Where (and What) to Drink This Fall in New York
- The Resy Guide to Cozy Noodle Soups in New York
- The Resy Guide to Bars and Restaurants for Music Lovers
- Eight Things to Know About the New Gem Wine
- All About Nōksu, the Chef’s Tasting Counter Hidden Inside a New York City Subway Station
- How to Get Into Libertine
- All About Café Chelsea, New York’s Newest French Bistro
