The New York Restaurants We Loved in September

As a child of former restaurant owners…

… it’s always inspiring to see the next generation carry the torch, and that’s exactly what I felt with Potluck Club. Every dish tugged at emotional strings that reminded me of dishes I ate growing up, but infused with a fun, fresh take. My favorites were the oyster mushroom rice roll noodles with hangar steak, the salt and pepper chicken with scallion biscuits, and the XO fried rice with tea egg. I’m constantly rooting for this group and can’t wait to try their new restaurant, Phoenix Palace, next!

— Charles Zhao, Director of Restaurant Product

I had so much fun dining…

… at Noreetuh that the whole experience made me question how I’ve gone so long without it in my rotation. It’s a perfect place for a group with their large, shareable portions of modern Hawaiian dishes that cover a range of dietary preferences and restrictions.

Order at least a handful of different musubi and don’t skip one of the spam ones, obviously. We also loved the Taiwanese flat cabbage, the macaroni salad, the chow noodles, and the Szechuan Bolognese. I’m already eyeing a handful more dishes that I can’t wait to go back to try, including the mentaiko spaghetti with smoked butterfish and uni, as well as the mochiko fried chicken, and any and all of the desserts that we were too stuffed to try.

They also have a really fun wine list that the staff will excitedly talk you through. Everyone we encountered was incredibly kind and hospitable through the whole night — the Aloha Spirit truly come to life!

— Isabelle Andrews, Director of Technical Product

This place was made for dads to celebrate their birthdays…

Peter Luger has been on my old-school Brooklyn-born mother’s Hit List forever, and lived up to the hype enough for my “new-school” Brooklyn-based brother to boast that he’d been to his friends.

My dad loves any place he can toast to another year around the sun with a perfectly balanced Old Fashioned. And as someone who would put whipped cream on literally anything, I loved the “Schlag” piled high atop the “Holy Cow” hot fudge sundae (with a candle!) we all shared. The dry-aged steak was perfectly juicy in its drippings and the German fried potatoes were a crowd pleaser. It’s an institution for a reason.

— Adrianna Harris, Restaurant Success Manager

I was initially not supportive…

… of my friend’s suggestion to dine at Cervo’s because I was under the assumption its menu mainly consisted of shellfish, which I’m allergic to, but wow, was I wrong. Not only does Cervo’s have great non-shellfish options, it also has one of the best chicken dishes I’ve had in recent memory. The salt cod croquetas, tomatoes with salt cod, and the French fries were also incredible. I will definitely be returning and hope to get to the team’s new concept, Eel Bar, soon!

— Shane Gilligan, Senior Strategic Partnerships Analyst

We basically ordered half the menu…

… at Eel Bar, and everything was insanely good. The wet martini hype is real — can confirm that it was different, but the vermouth made it so refreshing. The black rice with tuna and tomatoes really blew me away though, and I can’t wait to order that, plus the other half of the menu upon my next visit!

— Juliana Dutan, Senior Business Enablement & Operations Manager

Don’t be fooled by the name…

… Eel Bar doesn’t serve eel at the restaurant, but they do have some of the most unique and flavorful seafood dishes I’ve had in a while. Coming from the team behind Hart’s, Cervo’s, and The Fly, Eel Bar is the perfect mix of Basque and French cuisines — definitely don’t skip the rainbow trout pil pil, the fried squid pintxo, the fried mussels on the half shell, the black rice, and the half chicken al ajillo.

— Felicity Lin, Resy Benefit Management Manager

I really enjoyed my meal…

… at Eel Bar. We ordered a lot, but my favorites were the shrimp dishes (the stuffed piquillo peppers with shrimp and the white shrimp in tomato sauce) and the grass-fed burger, which had a fun twist to it with Roquefort cheese (Pro tip: Order the filthy martini — it was a great complement to our meal).

— Richa Mehra, Consumer Product Manager

Shoutout to one delicious burger…

I split the burger, fries, and mussels with a friend at Fairfax — it was a simple meal but I really enjoyed the ambiance, the friendly staff, and the freshness of the food. The restaurant was packed on a Friday night, so definitely make a Resy in advance or set a Notify for last-minute tables — they will do their best to accommodate you!

— Santana Williams, Card Marketing & Programming

This place always hits…

I love any restaurant that brings you complimentary bread, and Altro Paradiso takes it up a notch by serving theirs with a cute little ramekin housing half olive oil, half butter, because why choose? Our group shared arancini, prosciutto-wrapped melon, three glorious pastas, and a suckling pig special that our server was so excited about, we couldn’t say no to. Everything was delicious, but it’s the desserts I’m still thinking about. I’ve long been a fan of Altro Paradiso’s chocolate cake but this time, we branched out and had our chocolate in ice cream form (heavenly), plus a tiramisu for good measure.

— Alex Johnson, Senior Marketing Manager

I still haven’t gotten over…

… the phở that Mắm briefly had on their winter menu, and though Nam Sơn will always have my back (especially on those mornings after a particularly late night out), I was excited by the arrival of Phở Gà Vàng in Two Bridges. Early diners whispered that the restaurant made some of the best chicken phở in the city, and they weren’t wrong: The broth was rich and shimmering with yellow chicken fat, and perfect on one of the the first breezy nights of fall. I cannot wait to go back and try way more from the menu.

— Noëmie Carrant, Senior Writer, Resy Editorial

It’s impossible not to indulge…

… when we go to Coletta. This vegan and kosher Italian restaurant in Gramercy honors tradition, while simultaneously shattering all expectations. The cocktails are amazing and they make their own cheese in-house. Our favorite dish was the puttanesca meatballs, which are out of this world: They’re plant-based but packed with flavor, and are bursting with umami from the capers, olives, and slow-simmered tomatoes. It’s hard to believe they’re vegan. The dish also came with the juiciest garlic knots I’ve ever tasted.

Pro tip: Get the olive oil cake. It’s super airy and tender, and it’s garnished with crunchy bits of rosemary, which was a nice touch.

— Pang Chiang, Global Dining Business Enablement & Operations Manager

My usual gripe with desserts…

… is when they’re too sweet in general, but the ones at Lysée were perfectly balanced. We had a reservation for the $60 signature prix-fixe, which included the following: the corn cake (one of their staples), the Lysée (their signature cake with Korean brown rice mousse), a seasonal tart (ours had strawberry), and a kouign-amann — my favorites were the corn pastry and seasonal tart.

— Harkirat Anand, Technical Product Manager

I had such a good time…

… at Tha Phraya on the Upper East Side. The restaurant’s design is a vibe and plays into the creative and inventive Thai dishes they serve. A highlight was the Can Smash cocktail (lemongrass-makrut lime leaves infused with tequila and plum sake), which came in an actual tin can. As for food, you truly can’t go wrong, but we especially loved the chicken khao soi and the tod mun goong (homemade shrimp and ground pork cakes).

— Lindsey Block, Product Designer

The pancakes are incredible…

… at The Commerce Inn. Specifically, the pancake breakfast set, which hit that perfect sweet and salty balance (thanks to the sunny-side egg and bacon that tag along) — exactly what I want in a brunch. Definitely a hidden gem from the I Sodi and Via Carota team that’s absolutely worth checking out.

— Melissa Linder, Strategic Partnerships Analyst

I celebrated a friend’s milestone birthday…

… at COQODAQ, and while everything there is glam and novel (Champagne and fried chicken! Served on Lazy Susans! With caviar on nugs!), the standout dish for me has always been the cold perilla seed noodle. Growing up in a Korean household, perilla leaves were a frequent banchan (side dish) that was served during meals at home, and to see perilla leaves used in this inventive dish is equal parts nostalgic and awe-inspiring. Luckily for everyone, the noodle dish comes as part of COQODAQ’s “Bucket List” menu.

— Gina Chun, Senior Technical Product Manager

As part of the Resy 10-Year celebration dinners…

… I finally got to go to Diner and had the loveliest time. It’s one of those cozy spots you’ll always want to come back to, especially when the menu changes constantly. The dinner started with a complimentary drink (courtesy of Resy) and was followed by a perfect order consisting of the Caesar salad, the mussels and beans on toast, and the brick chicken.

— Felicity Lin, Resy Benefit Management Manager

Don’t sleep on…

… the seasonal menu or the cocktails at Sukh in Fort Greene. The last time we went for dinner, we had the khao pad rod fai (the crisp on the pork in this dish is perfect in every way), the khao soi, and the pad see ew. If you like spice, definitely try the pad ngor-ngae while it’s still in season!

— Jonathan Cespedes, Senior Software Engineer

This place continues its reign…

… as my favorite Sichuanese restaurant in New York. More specifically, it’s the crispy fish that keeps bringing me back to Antidote. I’ve never quite had anything that tastes like it – perfectly fried fillets drenched in an uber-savory cured egg yolk coating. They also do excellent Chongqing chicken and spicy wontons, too.

— Harkirat Anand, Technical Product Manager

I’m a sucker for beloved neighborhood spots…

… especially if there’s fresh pasta involved. And that’s exactly what I found on my first visit to Pasta Louise in Park Slope, where there’s a daily pasta shape that you can pair with a collection of sauces.

Our shape of the day was campanelle and we paired it with four different homemade sauces: green pesto short rib, red pesto with shrimp, classic tomato with meatballs, and an incredible sausage-and-peach ragù. Pasta Louise has everything you’d want: wholesome hospitality, delicious food, and it’s easy to simply walk into. As an added bonus, there was a direct connection to my wife’s hometown of Oakland, Calif., which made it all the more special.

— Charles Zhao, Director of Restaurant Product

Being seated right by…

… the bread oven at Sawa meant that my husband and I got to enjoy pita seconds after it was cooked. It was perfect with the fresh and smoky baba ghanoush. The real star of the night was the lamb shank though, which fell off the bone and was served over garlicky freekeh.

— Lori Goldberg, Senior Software Engineer

Kindly requesting that…

… the escargots at Kru be made a permanent dish on the menu! This perfect small bite (snails on toasted white bread smeared in Southern Thai chile paste with a coconut milk barbecue sauce — yes, doesn’t that sound nice) was part of a one-night-only, Thailand-meets-France menu in honor of Kru’s kickoff “Wine & Thai” dinners, featuring A+ pours from two wine gurus: Resy Editorial’s very own Jon Bonné and Popina’s James O’Brien. (Keep your eyes peeled for an Italian-Thai dinner in late October.)

Thankfully, we feasted on Kru staples, too, including an incredible beef tongue “massaman” curry that I’m not about to forget anytime soon.

— Noëmie Carrant, Senior Writer, Resy Editorial

Be sure to line up early…

… as reservations are hard to come by for Double Chicken Please. I was able to get into the back room and ordered the chicken sandwich, which was cooked to perfection and extremely crispy. It paired nicely with their specialty cocktails — I tried the cold pizza (it might sound unappetizing but it works, trust me), the key lime pie (my favorite), and the mango sticky rice cocktails.

— Dan Snitzer, Card Membership Marketing & Capabilities

For the perfect girls’ night out…

… head to Gelso and Grand, which had all our favorites: pizza, pasta, and salad. We had a classic Margherita pie, a grilled (!!) wedge salad, truffle mushroom arancini, spicy Brussel sprouts, and campanelle alla vodka (which is vegetarian, fwiw!).

Pro tip: Request the sidewalk table right outside the kitchen, so you can people-watch both the awesome kitchen team and passerby out on the streets of New York.

— Kara Pietrafesa, Specialized Hospitality Coordinator

With major Lower East Side vibes…

… Dhamaka was just cool to the core, and with impeccable service to boot. The menu was intimidating at first, but listening to our server and ordering everything she recommended was the best thing we ever did: there wasn’t a single miss in the bunch! Our favorites were the lasooni palak, paneer Nawabi korma, Kashmiri gosht champ, the butter pepper garlic crab (the most unique-tasting dish we had), and the nalli biryani.

— Stephanie Cohen, Director of Sales

I love Sichuanese food…

… and thankfully went to Chili for the first time on a recent Saturday. We ordered spicy pork wontons and mapo tofu — both were amazing, but I’m finding myself thinking of the mapo tofu and its symphony of flavor every day since.

— Gavin Maisel, Director of QA Engineering

I was lucky to snag…

… a Pastis x Dishoom breakfast reservation, and I was so glad I did. The place was packed and we ordered pretty much the entire menu. I am so impressed that both teams were able to replicate the dishes in a completely new environment, and bring a personal level of hospitality to the space. I was a big fan of the akuri (fluffy scrambled eggs, heavily seasoned, alongside homemade buns) as well as the naan roll with bacon, eggs, sausage, and tomato-chile jam.

— Aaron Ginsberg, VP of Strategic Partnerships & Industry Developments

Go for the vibe…

… stay for the delicious food and breezy service. I went to Casino in the Dimes Square area of Chinatown with some Resy colleagues, and we had a lovely dinner in their gorgeous dining room, catching up over Negronis and bottles of wine. Food standouts include the baccalá mantecato (a whipped cod spread), rigatoni all’arrabbiata, and the torchio pasta.

— Gina Chun, Senior Technical Product Manager

I loved the vibrant atmosphere…

… and the welcoming staff at Tatiana. The food was great and paired really well with their cocktails. My favorite dish was the short rib pastrami made with boneless Wagyu — it just melted in your mouth. And know that dessert here is a must: the famous bodega special cosmic brownie more than lives up to the hype.

— Dan Snitzer, Card Membership Marketing & Capabilities

If you want dinner and not just drinks…

… definitely head to the Greenwich Village location of Parcelle. The favorite dish of the table was the crab wrapped in hearts of palm with Hollandaise sauce — it was such a different and tasty dish. Pro tip: Go with a group, so you can try a lot of different dishes and small plates, and get a bottle of wine — they have a great selection.

— Richa Mehra, Consumer Product Manager

You get to pick from three sets…

… when you dine at new sushi counter Sendo: the Kyoto, the Tokyo, and the Hokkaido. They range from $32-$47, and I opted for the Tokyo ($39), which came with nine nigiri, two handrolls, and one kaisen-don. As the list of “lite” omakases at approachable price points in New York continues to grow, I thought Sendo was an exceptionally good deal for the quality of the fish. They have a small (for now) sake and beer menu, and the ones we tried were all great.

— Harkirat Anand, Technical Product Manager

This dish lived up to the hype and then some…

We were able to dine at Bungalow with a large group and got to try most of the incredible menu, but the unanimous favorite was the yogurt kebab. It was perfectly balanced, both delicately sweet and a savory flavor bomb.

— Gina Chun, Senior Technical Product Manager

This was my second visit to…

… San Sabino and I can’t wait to go back. The restaurant is small and intimate with just 11 tables, and every dish is a hit. My group of friends and I decided to ball out because how could you not?

The cocktails are fun and inventive — we especially loved the Sanzese spritz and the Belmar Special (their take on an espresso martini). As for food, you can’t go wrong: The cheesy frittelle are a great starter, and for the token green of the meal, I loved the charred broccolini. We ordered every single pasta (oops) and they accidentally sent us the lobster triangoli twice (nobody was upset by that). The pasta alle vongole and pepperoni carbonara were the crowd favorites for sure.

— Lindsey Block, Product Designer

I had a perfect Sunday dinner…

… at San Sabino. I sat at the bar, which was actually a great vibe (and potentially preferable, vibe-wise, to a table?) and ordered the stuffed mussels (a must!), the vongole (with gluten-free fettucine), and the shrimp parm in arrabiata sauce. I loved everything and was pleasantly surprised by the options available for gluten-free diners.

— Richa Mehra, Consumer Product Manager

After far too long…

… I found myself having dinner with dear friends old and new at M. Wells on a Friday night. As always, the service was so kind, warm, and welcoming, with pitch-perfect recs (“coconut cake from the mind” and “blueberry pie from the heart”), and the food was simply incredible. We started with the insanely good mortadella mille-feuille, rich Roquefort terrine, and an heirloom tomato salad, and then moved onto our mains, which stole the show: beef cheeks with gnocchi, artichoke stuffed cabbage, Montreal smoked meat ravioli, and the tête de porcelet — an entire half of a pig’s head, perfectly roasted and topped with creamy mushrooms. We finished as much of the pork as we possibly could, and then asked: Could we take the bones home to make a stock with it? To our surprise, the staff kindly obliged, bringing out a gigantic cardboard box that we then brought with us to Dutch Kills for post-dinner drinks. It’ll probably be the first and last time I ever bring a half of a pig’s head to a bar. (P.S. The soup was perfect for homemade ramen that weekend.)

A night like that was a lovely, bittersweet reminder of just how much I’ll miss M. Wells when it closes its doors on Dec. 31, and I know I’m not alone in my love of M. Wells. I just hope everyone has a chance to enjoy it one last time before then.

— Deanna Ting, New York & Philadelphia Editor, Resy Editorial

Noëmie Carrant is Resy’s New York-based senior writer. Some of her other favorite meals this month took place at Play Ground and Mariscos El Submarino. Follow her on Instagram. Follow Resy, too.