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

Long before the success of Dhamaka and Semma, Adda was where chef Chintan Pandya and restaurateur Roni Mazumdar first developed their ethos of serving unapologetically honest Indian food, in a tiny storefront in Queens. Last month, they finally moved Adda to a new East Village location; although the new address is bigger and showier, it’s clear they haven’t lost sight of what made their keystone restaurant so special. You’ll still find favorites like the goat biryani, but they’ve also expanded the menu handsomely, with a Nagaland pork fry and a vegetarian pulao studded with morels. And they’ve continued their quest to make diners reconsider what Indian food can be. Case in point: The much-talked-about butter chicken experience, a tableside endeavor that involves your choice of compound butter and wood chips for smoking a whole heritage chicken.

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.

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; and an incredible French-leaning wine list that won’t leave you disappointed.

The purveyors of our favorite soulful, flavorful vegan takes on Ethiopian food suffered a terrible loss a few weeks 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.

If the lines outside the door are any indication, it’s clear that schmuck is one of the city’s buzziest cocktail bars — and for good reason. The cocktails are irreverent and expertly crafted, the vibes are laid back, the decor really is “mid-century-modern-meets-space-age-meets-1970’s basement chic,” and the snacks are satisfying and highly shareable. In other words, you’re pretty much guaranteed to have an incredible time. You should know there are two distinct spaces and menus — the Living Room, which has limited reservations, and the walk-in-only Kitchen Table. You can’t go wrong with whatever drink you order, but we’re especially partial to the Larb Gai, martini, and Bread with Tomatoes.

The latest restaurant from chef Ed Szymanski and restaurateur Patricia Howard (Dame, Lord’s) makes you feel like you’ve been transported to the coasts of Spain and France, and indeed, Crevette is a warm, welcome respite from what has felt at times like a never-ending winter here in New York. The martinis are served ice cold, the raw bar selection is on point, the Spanish tortilla gets topped with a generous portion of morels and ramps, and the grilled golden chicken is served with a heaping pile of the most perfectly crisp fries. And then, of course, there are the desserts, like Basque chocolate cheesecake with kumquat jam, or a rhubarb galette with crème anglaise. What more could you ask for? Even better, their sidewalk patio is now open for the warmer months, and they’re serving lunch on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, too.

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.

Cactus Wren is not your typical neighborhood wine bar. And how could it be, given that it’s from the duo behind Michelin-starred Sixty Three Clinton? Everything, from the food to the service, is done with finesse, in a way that’s still easygoing and approachable, but still manages to surprise from time to time. Take, for instance, the smoked eel tart snack that combines the smokiness of eel with the tartness of apples, and the saltiness of optional dollops of caviar. Or the delightfully rich chicken liver mousse and onion pizza, or another special involving bright basil pesto and morels. The wine list is also refreshing, focusing on lesser-known producers and regions. Whatever you order, you can’t go wrong, and it’s never a bad idea to stop by, whether you’re seeking a full feast, or just a snack or two with some wine at the bar.

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.

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.

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.

Outside of Seoul, New York has become a global epicenter for exemplary takes on contemporary Korean fine dining, and Raon, the latest spot from chef Soogil Lim and his wife and partner, Sasook Youn, is no exception. The 10-course tasting menu revolves entirely around kimchi, and Lim skillfully celebrates the ingredient in a variety of creative preparations: Jang kimchi complements a generous serving of fresh uni in an elegant gimbap that uses delicately mossy gamtae seaweed. He crafts bo kimchi into a playful terrine brimming with bouncy textures. Richly aged doenjang flavors a light broth that pairs perfectly with scallops. And six-month aged mukeunji jang accompanies a beautiful, multi-colored foie gras mandu. It’s yet another way to explore Korean cuisine in the city, and a delicious one at that.

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.

Should you find yourself near the Williamsburg waterfront, stop by this new bakery and all-day cafe from veteran pastry chef Renata Ameni. Ameni, an Eleven Madison Park alum who oversaw pastry at Crown Shy and SAGA, is skilled when it comes to things both sweet and savory. Named for her childhood nickname, Birdee features nods to her Brazilian heritage (pao de queijo and alfajores, anyone?) but also offers whimsy in many forms: pepperoni pizza croissants, a lemon-lime meringue danish, and satsuma ice cream with toasted meringue and honeycomb (a crowd favorite from Crown Shy). If you don’t have a sweet tooth, Birdee sells bacon-egg-and-cheese sandwiches on housemade kaiser rolls, a chicken Caesar sandwich on focaccia, and an Italian dip.

Walk-ins only. More info here.

A year after opening, this hit from acclaimed chef Vikas Khanna is proof positive that the city’s reverence for Indian cuisine only continues to grow. Reminiscent of the clubhouses found throughout India during the British Raj, Bungalow invites you in with all your senses. Khanna’s cooking thoughtfully and elegantly represents lesser-known regions of India. You can’t go wrong with whatever you order, but do take note of these non-negotiables: yogurt kebabs, crisp on the outside and filled with creamy hung yogurt, paired with a fermented purple cabbage puree; and a stunning spice-roasted pineapple with a coconut sauce. Cocktails aren’t an afterthought, either; try the Chai Pani, which took more than two months to perfect.

In the former Periyali space on 20th Street you’ll find this relatively new Mediterranean restaurant in its place. Here, chef Alex Tubero draws on a multitude of traditions — Greek, Italian, and Catalonian, especially — fashioning them into crowd-pleasing, pitch-perfect dishes: gem lettuce dressed in a sesame-anchovy vinaigrette that’s savory and refreshing all at once; king salmon crudo spiced with harissa and lime; and perfectly al dente macaroni di busa in a bright tomato sauce, accented with pecorino Sardo. But perhaps most surprising is what awaits for dessert: a showstopping rich and decadent dark chocolate mousse that’s exceptionally creamy.