The Resy Hit List: Where In New York You’ll Want to Eat in July 2025

New York City is certainly not in want of any more excellent French restaurants, but Le Chêne, much like Gregory Gourdet’s Maison Passerelle, is distinctive enough to separate it from the pack. Helmed by chef Alexia Duchêne, it brings a very Parisian sensibility to a stretch of Carmine Street in the West Village. That is to say, it’s still very classically French, but it’s also not afraid to play with your expectations of what French food is today. Lobster thermidor becomes crab thermidor, filled with sweet crab meat and accented with vadouvan. The showstopping pithivier, large enough to feed at least three of four, is expertly layered with pork, smoked eel, and potatoes, gingerly wrapped in a layer of savoy cabbage and enclosed with a golden puff pastry. Her version of oeufs mayonnaise, inspired by, of all dishes, the tuna melt, is another must-order. Cocktails are similarly classic but playful, and the wine list, overseen by Ronan Duchêne Le May and Simon Chaudey, runs deep.

Like we said, New Yorkers have always had a thing for French restaurants, but this one, from chef Gregory Gourdet, is particularly special, and especially worth your attention. While Maison Passerelle hews to classic French brasserie standards like steak frites, roast chicken, and duck confit, every dish possesses a thoughtful, novel, subversive twist: 30-day-aged New York strip gets rubbed in Haitian coffee; roast chicken is accompanied by soubise and a harissa jus; and duck confit gets glazed in cane syrup and accented with a tamarind jus. By drawing from the diaspora of cultures impacted by French colonization, Gourdet masterfully weaves a menu that feels wholly French — the restaurant is inside the new Printemps department store, after all — but also uniquely one of a kind, a sort of woven tapestry of flavors you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else.  Whatever you do, don’t overlook the warm plantain bread and butter, the green asparagus soup with chunks of peekytoe crab, or the coconut chiboust, a delightful dessert take on chaud-froid.

For nearly a decade now, Houseman has been charming New Yorkers as the quintessential neighborhood spot. On an unassuming stretch of Hudson Square, chef Ned Baldwin and his steadfast team are still cooking up everything from creative vegetable dishes to a standout roast chicken and a classic all-American burger. And the front-of-house staff, many of whom have been there since the beginning, make you feel right at home, whether it’s your inaugural visit or simply your latest. Case in point: While dining there with a vegan friend on a recent visit, they used a Sharpie to note each and every vegan dish on the menu, as well as an off-the-menu special. With an oft-changing menu that can satisfy everyone, and warm hospitality, Houseman is a must visit for all of us who long for the kind of restaurant that you can return to again and again.

Seven years in, Sofreh remains perpetually packed, and for good reason: It’s one of the city’s best restaurants, period, but also one of the best restaurants for its distinctly thoughtful, modern interpretations of Iranian cooking. Everything, from the seemingly simple yet complex dips and the fragrant tahdig to the comforting ash noodle soup and showstopping dried lime and beef stew, will leave a lasting impression. That’s why it’s so rewarding to see the restaurant and chef-owner Nasim Alikhani receiving her kudos as a Best Chef: New York State finalist from the James Beard Foundation.

The original Fish Cheeks in NoHo was a true phenomenon when it first opened nearly a decade ago in 2016, showcasing Thai food in bold and exciting ways and that magic continues at their newest location in Williamsburg. The flavors are still as dialed in as ever on dishes like their signature dishes like grilled pork cheeks, coconut crab curry, and steamed fish with Thai herbs. And while it’s comforting to know that the menu in Brooklyn is nearly identical to the one in NoHo, we can’t overstate the importance of two new additions to their repertoire: the mama tom yum noodle soup, brimming with crispy pork belly, shrimp, squid, and crab, and the marinated raw blue crabs, bathed in lime, fish sauce, Thai chiles, shallots, and cilantro. The fresh crabs are particularly meaty and flavorful, with a heat that builds and lingers.

While New York is home to many excellent raw bars and seafood counters, Penny gets our vote for being exceptionally essential. In just a little over a year, it’s proven to be a new classic of its own, drawing from French traditions while also being uniquely New York through and through. This is where you’ll find the Platonic ideal of shrimp cocktail; a buttery, fluffy sesame brioche you’ll want to order multiples of; superbly stuffed squid; exceptional confit oysters; and an incredible French-leaning wine list that won’t leave you disappointed. You should also know that no meal is complete here without the ice cream sandwich, made with slices of that aforementioned sesame brioche.

What was once a tiny 12-seat counter in the back of Marky’s Caviar on the Upper East Side, powered by nothing more than a convection oven and a single induction cooktop, is now a pristine Tribeca showcase for acclaimed chef Buddha Lo’s cooking. Huso is still very much the caviar shop speakeasy that it always was but now, in its new home on Greenwich Street, it’s become even more of a fine dining destination, where Lo can more fully demonstrate his creativity, his experiences (those familiar with Eleven Madison Park and “Top Chef” may catch a few references), and his mastery of techniques and luxury ingredients. The progression of the 12-course tasting menu builds upon itself seamlessly, starting with small bites that nod to New York, followed by an unforgettable brioche course, paired with foie gras, and a lineup of entrees, each more memorable than the next. It’s a meal worth the splurge.

It’s been a bit of a slow burn for New Yorkers to catch onto the incredible food and hospitality coming out of the kitchen at this Ridgewood, Queens, restaurant but now that they have, we couldn’t be happier. From Hellbender’s earliest days, we knew it was some place special, and that could not have been clearer on a recent chilly Sunday, with a line out the door for brunch. Should you go there for brunch, you can (and should) order a juicy citrus and avocado salad, a soft scrambled egg tostada dripping in salsa macha, satisfying chilaquiles with perfectly spiced pork chorizo, and a set of heirloom masa pancakes topped with a slab of cinnamon butter and warm maple syrup. Don’t limit your visits to Hellbender for just brunch however; what chef and partner Yara Herrera and her team are doing for Mexican American cuisine is worthy of a visit day and night. At dinner, don’t sleep on the crispy lamb tacos, three-cheese empanada filled with squash blossoms and Thai basil, or the pork ribs al pastor.

New York is blessed with a multitude of incredible Korean restaurants, but the dishes at this tiny Chinatown spot are truly something else. Those of you who experienced the roving Banchan by Sunny pop-up for the past few years — including a longtime stint at Achilles Heel — know exactly what we’re talking about. Venerable chef Sunny Lee’s cooking is soulful, delivering a lineup of Korean dishes that blend the best of traditional Korean ingredients and recipes with contemporary influences. Now that she has a permanent home in Chinatown, we know we’ll be calling ourselves regulars at Sunn’s, vying for tastes of her refreshing Sunn’s Salad with creamy jang, eager to order the ever-rotating assortment of banchan, finishing our meal with some sesame-crusted mochi cake, and pairing it all with pours from the wine selection at affiliated Parcelle Chinatown.

It can be a bit overwhelming knowing which new bakery to head to in New York, especially with so many outstanding additions, but trust us when we say that Papa d’Amour is worth adding to your roster. This small bakery at the intersection of Greenwich Village and Union Square comes from none other than famed baker Dominique Ansel (yes, of cronut fame), and it celebrates the union of French and Taiwanese culinary traditions, an homage to his wife and children. That means you’ll find everything from a taro and mochi lace batter doughnut and a Kurobuta hot dog spiral with a sticky rice filling to a pretzel salt egg tart and a savory, laminated scallion basil blossom.  And those are just the pastries; there’s also an assortment of cakes and sandwiches on freshly baked shokupan, too.

Walk-ins only. 

This diminutive neighborhood bistro in the heart of Red Hook — a part of Brooklyn that’s increasingly becoming one of the city’s best for dining out — is worth seeking out, no matter where in the city you might be traveling from to get there. Dennis Spina’s menu, rooted in Southern Europe but truly eclectic, changes all the time but features delights like fried halloumi with sage and honey, scallop and golden beet terrine with crème fraîche, pork loin with pickled ramps and cucumbers, and soup “on stormy days.” And whether you’ve been a frequent regular since Cafe Kestrel opened last year, or you’ve just happened to go for the very first time, it’s highly likely you’ll quickly fall under its spell.

Now that we are officially in summer, there’s no better time to escape to the perch of a rooftop bar and restaurant for impeccable views, ice-cold drinks, and stellar food. You’ll find all of the above at Bar Blondeau, situated at the top of the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, with a layout that includes outdoor space and the comforts of air-conditioned dining. We’re especially partial to Blondeau’s frozen piña verde cocktail, blended with rum, amaro, coconut, pineapple, and lime, and the signature martini, accented with lemon oil, olive, and a house-pickled onion. They’ve got a solid selection of zero-proof drinks, too. Dishes are classic crowd-pleasers, done well from the same team behind Le Crocodile and Chez Ma Tante: oysters and tuna tartare, fried chicken with Provence herbs and hot honey, and burger au poivre. Pro tip: On weeknights from 5 to 7 p.m. they have excellent drink specials at the bar.

We are lucky enough to be at a point where there are many excellent taquerias sprinkled throughout the city, from Taqueria Ramirez and Taqueria El Chato to Birria-Landia, and you can now count Santo Taco as the latest entrant. Taking over the old La Esquina street-level space in Soho, they’re serving up a slim menu of just five tacos — steak trompo with prime NY strip and sirloin; pork carnitas; seared chicken; mushroom and squash blossom; and a charcoal-grilled asada — all with heirloom corn tortillas. Santo Taco comes from Santiago Perez, the restaurateur behind Cosme and Atla, and, as with his other restaurants, it delivers on bringing a bit of Mexico City to New York.

Walk-ins only.

The purveyors of our favorite soulful, flavorful vegan takes on Ethiopian food suffered a terrible loss a few months ago when an electrical fire damaged their second West Village location. Luckily, no one was hurt, but while they try to rebuild, there’s no better time to remind you to stop by their original Crown Heights location for a nourishing meal you won’t soon forget.  Slow simmered vegetables and the bounciest of injera are what you’ll find at Ras Plant Based, along with some impressive cocktails and inventive dishes — kitfo brunch burrito or mama’s tofu, anyone? Our suggestion? Order yourself the Mercato and Piassa platters, and don’t forget the sambusa or the Ras special tibs. And if you’re there for weekend brunch, spring for the lentil burger and French toast to finish.

There are many excellent steakhouses in New York City, but few come close to emulating the rich atmosphere and history of the one and only Keens: The ceiling filled with a collection of clay pipes from long-gone luminaries. The long wooden bar with red leather stools. The labyrinth of amber-lit rooms with dozens of framed artworks, including one by Alexander Pope. The imposing deer and moose busts dotted throughout. One hundred and forty years after it first opened, Keens remains a classic for every occasion big and small, and not just for the vibes. You’d be hard pressed to find a better mutton chop in the city, and while most diners gravitate toward that and their wide selection of steaks, do consider stopping by for lunch and giving the turkey schnitzel a try.

Nostalgia is on full blast at this Williamsburg spot where the red sauce flows freely and requisite photos of Sinatra hang on the walls, but you’ll also find Thai basil in the arancini salad and coconut in your rainbow cookie layer cake. The reinvented JR & Son manages to pay loving tribute to Brooklyn’s longstanding Italian restaurants, while also updating a few things, under the deft guidance of chef Patricia Vega and pastry chef Amanda Perdomo. Vega, the former chef de cuisine at Thai Diner, isn’t afraid to add heat to her cooking: a nam prik-like relish accompanies branzino; long beans get a splash of fish sauce; and crispy fried garlic tops the stuffed clams. Perdomo, who also oversees the pastries at Kellogg’s Diner has created an entirely vegan pastry program that stands on its own. Do get the aforementioned rainbow cookie layer cake, and don’t forgo the orange amaro tiramisu.