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

The heady aroma of browned butter that wafts through the air is a portent of what awaits at this new subterranean spot from Claud alum, chef Nicholas Tamburo, and Momofuku Ko alum Nikita Malhotra. Smithereens is a celebration of New England-style seafood, from the housemade anadama bread served with seaweed butter (a must) to the lobster roll, which places the utmost emphasis on the main ingredient: the potato roll gets brushed in butter that’s infused with roasted lobster shells, and chunks of freshly steamed lobster are tossed in mayonnaise made from reduced lobster stock. Other standouts include the buckwheat pancake with smoked bluefish; and for dessert, the mind-bending celery ice cream float, and the blueberry doughnut. If you love white wine, Malhotra’s fondness for riesling puts you in good company; but there are other playful options, including cocktails. (Order the Chet Baker; trust us.)

Bong encapsulates deeply personal cooking in New York right now. Helmed by partners in life and business, Chakriya “Cha” Un and Alexander “Chapi” Chaparro, it’s a vibrant exploration of Khmer food quite unlike any other restaurant in the city. Dishes draw their bold tastes from a variety of sources, including fragrant lemongrass, galangal, and fiery chiles grown by Un’s parents in South Carolina. There’s a showstopping whole lobster — named for Un’s mom, Kim Mann — slicked with shallots and ginger, as well as a juicy heritage pork chop whose fattiness is tempered by a sauce of tomatillos, mustard seeds, and curry leaves. Cha kapiek, a spicy shrimp and peanut dip served with crudite, packs a punch, and clams machew, swathed in a sour broth of tamarind and lemongrass, is sublime. The art-filled space is tiny, with just 20 seats inside and a few scattered on the patio in good weather, but you never feel quite cramped; the uniquely Khmer flavors, and the hospitality, make sure of that.

The third restaurant from chef Ed Szymanski and restaurateur Patricia Howard (Dame, Lord’s) wants to bring you the vibe of coastal of Spain and France, and thus Crevette is a warm respite, and a welcome addition, to a neighborhood already filled with some of the city’s most beloved restaurants. The martinis are served ice cold, the raw bar selection is on point, the Spanish tortilla gets topped with a generous portion of chanterelles and Ibérico ham, 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 cherries, or a fig galette with crème anglaise. What more could you ask for? Even better, their sidewalk patio remains open for those late summer temps, and they’re serving lunch on Saturday and Sunday, too.

At this unassuming bakery on a quiet street in Sunnyside, the name says it all: Masa Madre is a bakery from veteran chef Jose Luis Flores that celebrates “masa madre,” or sourdough starter, in its many forms, from bolillos and teleras to pan crystal and focaccia. While the aforementioned breads, as well as an assortment of laminated pastries, are excellent, you should know the tamales, conchas, and banderillas, are not to be missed. The tamales are made with a masa dough that’s smooth, creamy, and light, the perfect foil for whatever filling you choose. The conchas are, arguably, some of the best in the entire city; if you really want to treat yourself, opt for a conchita filled with vanilla cream. Buttery, crackly layers of puff pastry in the banderillas make for ever-so-sweet bites, too. Oh, and don’t overlook Masa Madre’s decadent double chocolate cake, perfect for taking home or consuming immediately on the premises. (We’ve done both.)

Walk-ins only.

The New York steakhouse continues to thrive, and more importantly, to evolve. At this spot near Rockefeller Center, ribeyes are crusted salt with from Colima, or served with a side of salsa piquin limón. Skirt steak is served with chiltepin butter, garlic chips, and avocado salsa. Slow-roasted short ribs are glazed with tamarind and pickled onions. And then there are the tacos, filled with everything from ribeye and chicharron to Baja-styled fried branzino to crispy pork belly with avocado crema, or portobello mushrooms with Chihuahua cheese — all with handmade tortillas. If you really want to splurge, you’ll want to opt for the skirt steak tacos paired with fire-roasted bone marrow, prepared tableside. In short, it’s a refreshing and pitch-perfect take on a New York City dining institution.

When it first opened earlier this year, Golden Hof, from Golden Diner chef and owner Samuel Yoo, possessed two distinct personalities: Upstairs was a lively Korean gastropub; downstairs was NY Kimchi, a haven for Korean barbecue and seafood towers. The two concepts have since evolved into one, with a single menu of nostalgic crowd-pleasers. Highlights include cold poached lobster à la kkangpunggi, brightened with a garlic-soy aioli, scallions, and jalapeños; cumin-laced Sichuan ranch Korean fried chicken wings; a juicy chile crisp chicken sandwich on a scallion milk bun; and a rich, spicy rice cake carbonara. Lunch is a steal, with a $22 lunch box. Last but not least, we’d be remiss if we didn’t also mention that Golden Hof also serves a miniature version of Golden Diner’s highly covetable honey butter pancakes.

This Harlem speakeasy draws heavily from the jazz era and the Harlem Renaissance, with its plush, dimly lit space, and it goes deep on cocktails that are complex and utterly unique. The extensive menu ranges from cocktails of “ascension” and “nightfall” to “temptation” and “contemplation,” and no matter what you order, you really can’t go wrong. You’ll find freshly foraged ingredients in many of co-founder and partner Ektoras Binikos’ drinks, as well as housemade bitters from Atheras Spirits, Sugar Monk’s own Brooklyn micro-distillery. It’s an ideal pairing with some of their signature truffle popcorn, and proof that Sugar Monk is one of the city’s premier cocktail bars.

This newest extension of one of Queens’ most acclaimed Indian restaurants builds on the legacy of the original Angel Indian Restauranton 37th Road, where chef and owner Amrit Pal Singh devotes himself to cooking food that’s “simple but good.” That same philosophy is still felt a few blocks north on 37th Avenue, in the former home of the Southern Indian restaurant Samudra, where the fully halal menu of Northern Indian classics is even bigger — as is the space — and the ambitions are much higher. The food at Angel is seemingly simple and homespun, yet so complex and thrilling in the flavors that it yields. You taste that in dishes like tender chunks of salmon cooked in the tandoor; lotus root kofta with housemade paneer; garlicky lassuni gobi; creamy fish moilee accented with mustard seeds; and the fragrant goat dum biryani. P.S. It’s BYOB, too.

For more than a decade, Superiority Burger has been an integral part of the East Village, and specifically Alphabet City, for so many reasons, chief among them being time-honored classics like the burnt broccoli salad, eponymous Superiority burger, and the TFT — a pioneering precursor to the Filet O’Tofu from Mommy Pai’s (see below). But we can’t not talk about the collard green sandwich, made with fluffy focaccia and slow-braised collard greens, studded with Cooper Sharp, or the daily specials, which chef-owner Brooks Headley changes up on a regular basis. And then there are the desserts from Darcy Spence: griddled malt cake, vegan tahini with Concord grape gelato (the flavors change up all the time), and so much more. In other words, you can always count on Superiority Burger to be original, creative, and deeply flavorful.

The original Pig & Khao on the Lower East Side, which closed earlier this year, was a pioneer when it opened in 2012, bringing a national spotlight to a particularly Filipino prism on Southeast Asian flavors. Luckily, the spirit of the original lives on, namely on the Upper West Side. Here, chef-owner Leah Cohen expands the breadth and depth of P&K’s menu, weaving influences from Mexico, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, and China: Think moo ping al pastor “tacos,” dry-aged steak with massaman curry and shoestring fries; and comforting chile pan mee (noodles) that get a loosely nasi lemak-inspired treatment. Brunch is where Cohen gets even more creative, with a savory kra pow sandwich and a Spam, egg, and cheese roti sandwich served with tater tots dusted with togarashi. While you should stop by any time, it’s advisable to come with a crew; the restaurant offers a prix fixe at $38 per person for brunch and $50 per person for dinner.

At a time when many excellent Levantine restaurants call New York City home — including Theodora and Huda — Sawa stands out. There’s something about the light but expert touch to the Lebanese cooking there, combined with the light-filled dining room and expansive backyard patio; in short, Samaya Boueri Ziade and her brother, George Boueri, along with chef Soroosh Golbabae, created an elegant destination restaurant that doubles as a neighborhood spot. It’s contemporary yet deeply tied to Lebanese culinary traditions — a fitting tribute for a restaurant named for the Arabic word for “together.” That’s manifested in the hummus, with its optional wagyu beef cheeks. You also see it among meze like a refreshing gem lettuce salad sprinkled with bits of halloumi, savory rakakat cheese rolls, and octopus that’s cooked to perfection; as well as larger plates like a whole roasted fish. The freshly baked-to-order pita is made from a mix of whole wheat and white flours after a 48-hour fermentation process.

Chefs and owners Jerald and Nhung Dao Head continue to serve some of the most heartfelt Vietnamese cooking in the city, and we can’t think of a better way to spend an autumn day (or night) than gathered with friends here, sharing every single thing on the menu. Before the weather gets chilly and they transition to making phở and bún bò Huế, definitely stop in to order their signature dish: bún dau mam tôm, a bountiful platter of grilled pork intestines, housemade blood sausage, sticky rice sausage, and tofu, along with fresh herbs and rice vermicelli, all to be dipped in a pungent fermented shrimp paste. (They also have an entirely vegan version.) Whatever you do, don’t skip the tofu; they make it in house. P.S. The Heads are working on a new spot, Phê, on the same block, too, with Vietnamese coffee service, and bánh mì.

Odre seems like a bit of a throwback — in the best possible way — channeling the ethos of Atoboy’s earliest days with a $42 pre-fixe menu grounded in the Korean concept of banchan, playfully mixing different traditions and inspirations to delicious effect. Chef Changki Kang fashions mandoo out of delicate squash blossoms and stuffs them with sweet snow crab. Tender slices of pork belly — as part of an add-on course — pair beautifully with a spiced chile jam, apple white kimchi, and ssam. Another optional, but highly recommended add-on, of silky noodles topped with generous chunks of lobster is fiery and cooling. The fourth course finishes with a flourish: a hearty bowl of spicy red shrimp jang bibimbap and soothing, comforting soup from the bubbling iron cauldrons, or gama-sots that sit near the front of the restaurant, whose aroma fills the air.

Cozy, comforting, and soulful Italian cuisine is at the heart of this charming restaurant — a New York fixture since 2007. Originally opened in the West Village, it developed a loyal fanbase of diners, even after a few years spent in Hell’s Kitchen, but now, in a very full-circle moment, Dell’anima has returned to the West Village in the former Pearl Oyster Bar space. In some ways, it’s like nothing ever changed: The charred octopus, ever so tender and chewy, is still there. So is the decadent bone marrow with testa, and the tajarin alla carbonara, sprinkled with speck and topped with a fresh egg yolk. Don’t overlook the new additions, like a zesty cucumber tzatziki salad, or the ever-changing pasta specials. It’s just the kind of place that proves, without a doubt, that you can come home again.

It’s been nearly 20 years since Isao Yamada first came to New York to work alongside David Bouley, first at Bouley Upstairs and then at Brushstroke. In the years since, he’s revolutionized the city’s relationship with Japanese cuisine, playing a pivotal role in introducing New Yorkers to the concept of kaiseki. Dining at his new namesake 10-seat kaiseki counter in Chinatown reminds you why he remains a master, showcasing his skills in sourcing the best ingredients, and pairing them in unexpected ways: chawanmushi topped with Maine lobster, Hokkaido uni, and steamed Santa Barbara abalone, but also paired with sweet English peas; hamo, or pike conger, carefully sliced by hand; and colorful gem-like wagashi, or sweets, crafted from bean paste. Yamada’s signature donabe, which changes with the seasons, is a showstopper, too. In a town awash in omakase frenzy, here’s an unforgettable experience worth the splurge.

The space on Mott Street that was once home to Uncle Boons Sister, the counter-style counterpart to the now dearly departed Uncle Boons (we’re still not over it), is up and running again. This time, it’s a lovely extension of Thai Diner, Ann Redding and Matt Danzer’s successful follow up to Uncle Boons. At Mommy Pai’s, which is a tribute to Redding’s mother, fast-food American classics like burgers and chicken fingers get a decidedly  Thai makeover as only Redding and Danzer could do. The all-thigh chicken fingers are delightful, especially the fried coconut version, and you can choose from a variety of sauces, like Thai hot honey with orange and makrut leaves or a passionfruit pink peppercorn sweet and sour. The Filet O’Tofu, which might remind you of Superiority Burger’s fried tofu burger, features nam prik noom, American cheese, and pickled cucumbers. And no meal is complete without some Thai tea and condensed milk soft-serve ice cream for the finish.

Walk-ins only.