The New York Restaurants We Loved This Month

Looking for some of the most delightfully reliable sourdough pizza in the city…

… we popped into Ops in Bushwick and got bowled over by the salad. But before the radicchio and little gem even arrived (and with a creamy onion dressing, no less), the team wooed us with two cubes of their salty, pillowy focaccia, pre-drizzled with olive oil. Tt’s the best amuse-bouche I can recall. The pizza delivered as always, and we were just happy to be reacquainted with a fantastic standby after far too long. Not to be overlooked is the wine list — star sommelier Pascaline Lepeltier (Chambers) recently mentioned Ops as one of her favorite spots to drink wine in all of New York, after all. (P.S. Ops in the East Village is now open, too.)

— Margo Valiante, Partner Success Manager, New York

We had an unforgettable evening…

… sitting at the chef’s counter at Maison Passerelle. It was a real treat getting to chat with chef Gregory Gourdet throughout the night — I especially appreciated the commentary on the fashion fits coming through the doors. What stood out most — beyond the incredible food — was the warm, collaborative energy in the kitchen. You can feel the culture chef Gregory’s nurtured: The team is respectful, playful, and deeply passionate about what they’re doing.

As for the food, the Haitian coffee-rubbed steak frites was absolutely unforgettable — bold, tender, and packed with flavor. And we never skip the warm plantain bread and butter, or the smoked beet salad — they’ve become our must-haves every visit.

We feel incredibly lucky to have a talent like Gregory right here in the neighborhood. If you haven’t been to Maison Passerelle yet, now’s the time.

— Max Berney, Director of UX Research for Tock and Resy

It’s the kind of place I want to eat at weekly…

Sunn’s, with its tiny, 24-seat space, will make you feel right at home. With a group of three, we ordered the whole menu (my ideal situation), but whatever your group size, start with the banchan and add any of the specials they may have; I’m still dreaming about the eggplant and candied squid specials they had the night I went. The Sunn’s salad (meant to be eaten with your hands) also can’t be skipped and varies by season. And as always in my book: Save some room dessert. There’s only one: a sesame crusted mochi cake, the perfect end to an already perfect meal.

— Lala Liban, Senior Hotel Program Management Manager

Over the years, I’ve found myself returning…

… more and more frequently to Rucola to try their rotating (and always delicious) cast of pastas. An absolute Boerum Hill gem, Rucola is the perfect spot for al fresco dining on balmy summer evenings. Pro tip: If there’s a wait for your table, Anaïs (their delightful sister wine bar) is just down the block.

— Kat Hsu, Senior Product Manager

Kudos to Ed and Patricia…

… because their third restaurant, Crevette, has consistently knocked it out of the park since I went on opening day, and it keeps on getting better. I don’t know if Crevette’s speaking to my French sensibilities (the menu sings of coastal France and Spain), or if Patricia Howard and Ed Szymanski — this being their third restaurant — are simply firing on all cylinders. All I know is that a leisurely meal here is like sunshine on a plate, and I tend to leave way too full but very happy.

By this point, I’ve perfected my order of must-haves and will always start with the morcilla and merguez skewer — one’s enough for two to share, if you consider this a little morsel to get you going. I will never not order the Florence fennel salad (a perfect salad with mint and pecorino) or the grilled wild mushrooms with an egg yolk and foie gras (absolute decadence). There are many other standby items on their menu that I love (The crab agnolotti! The butter beans!) but those first three are my non-negotiables. And I’d be remiss not to give a shoutout to the star entrée on my last visit: a whole turbot for two, which my husband and I devoured. Pro tip: Order the fries as a side to swipe through the fish’s parsley butter sauce. (Yes, you can get the fries without having to order the chicken, but know that the chicken is excellent, too.)

— Noëmie Carrant, Senior Writer & Editor, Resy Editorial

I promise you…

… Kiko is going to be the next raved-about restaurant. The vibe is cozy and sexy (perfect for a date night or a night out with three of your closest friends), the cocktails were perfectly balanced, and we had so many tasty dishes. My favorite bites of the night were the Dungeness crab rolls, the lobster crispy rice, and the thrice-fried chicken wings.

— Adrianna Harris, Restaurant Success Manager

Striking the perfect balance between relaxed comfort and elevated dining…

… King is such a charming spot. The opening panisse set the tone by delivering a golden crunch, while the ravioles with potato and saffron were delicately rich. A rhubarb clafoutis (you have to order it at the start of your meal as it takes an hour to make) capped the evening with just the right touch of tart sweetness. With attentive service and a warmly lit, inviting space, everything from start to finish felt thoughtfully executed.

— David Gold, Senior Partner Success Manager

A big psychic weight…

… comes with opening a modern restaurant on Doyers Street, in the heart of Chinatown — much less right next to the venerable Nom Wah Tea Parlor. For me, as for many people, this part of town holds a lot of memories. But if anyone was right for the task, it would be Annie Shi, one third of the trio that has been delighting downtown for years with the now iconic King. Shi’s role there has been to set the vibe, and select the wines, and both those elements have made King a now revered part of Soho. So, what Shi brings to her new wine bar, Lei, is deep cred as a first-generation Chinese American and a New Yorker. But the effect here is additive.

Slivers of Jinhua-style country ham from North Carolina producer Lady Edison occupy half a plate, with equally dainty slices of Asian pear composing the other, the two harmonized by an evanescent dusting of pepper. It’s the sort of dish, broken to its elemental flavors, that can and should become canon. A shao bing with a pat of cold butter tucked inside would (and, I’ll bet, will) be the craving of any Parisian if it were served in the 2nd arrondissement. These are largely Shi’s ideas, brought to life by Mission Chinese alum Patty Lee and, all told, they provide a snackable backbeat for Shi’s operatic wine selections. Her work here feels more daring than at King — deep on esoteric Champagnes, and esoteric other things, as with the roussanne-based Verre Tige from Savoie’s Côtes Rousses (its burnished elements just right for that ham), and a smattering of iconic Italian picks (Bartolo Mascarello’s dolcetto) and more. With NYC full throttle in another Wine Bar Summer, Lei is the sort of creation that feels charmed, and personal, and meant for the long haul.

— Jon Bonné, Managing Editor, Resy Editorial

It’s a total gem for Serbian food in the East Village…

The dishes at Kafana were so delicious, I don’t even think I can pick a favorite. We got the lepinja sa kajmakom (traditional bread with a cheese spread), ćevapi (grilled minced meat), karađorđeva (pork schnitzel), and blitva (Swiss chard with boiled potatoes and garlic). But the real star was the service: warm, inviting, helpful, it made the whole experience feel like a dinner at a friend’s house. Just be sure to hit up the ATM before going: It’s cash only.

— Jessica DeGeorge, Partner Success Manager

A celebration restaurant with none of the fuss…

… Grand Army stays heavy in the rotation. Happy hour oysters are a go; mini martinis are ideal for weeknight hangs; and shrimp cocktail, artichoke dip, and deviled eggs scratch the steakhouse itch without the white tablecloth. It’s not necessarily trendy, but it’s a neighborhood classic, and I freaking love this place.

— Tess Gostfrand, Senior Travel & Lifestyle Services Manager

Yum, I can’t stop thinking about…

… the new-ish spot from the folks behind LaRina. With its old-school, red-checkered tablecloths, Briscola Trattoria gives Italian joint vibes, where the first round of bread — including some delicious, olive oil-filled focaccia — is free (!). The service was amazing, and all the food was great. The baccala alla Romana (a Roman-style fried cod) was a particular highlight, as was the bright, tangy red sauce atop some al dente rigatoni and the creamy agnolotti. Pro tip: Don’t skip dessert. They have an adorable dessert cart from which to pick your poison. My personal favorite was the pistachio cake.

— Liora Fishman, Senior Email Marketing Manager

I might be a bit biased…

… considering the fact that my Resy Editorial colleague, Jon Bonné, curated a fantastic wine list on the night I stopped by La Compagnie, but the meal I had there was one of my absolute favorites in recent memory. It was also a reminder, for me at least, of how much I missed former Porcelain chef Kate Telfeyan’s “Vaguely Asian” cooking. Together, Kate and Jon collaborated on a tight, compact list of food and wine hits: Think steamed egg custard with chile granola, and prawn and dandelion dumplings with a chile-lime sabayon, paired with a glass of Saumur Blanc from Domaine Du Collier (2020). Or cumin lamb puff pastry pockets complemented by a glass of Maximus from Nicolas Carmarans (2022). And to finish? Champagne Jell-O shots with a sprinkling of blue raspberry Pop Rocks.

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

In what some might call the feat of the century…

… I snagged a last-minute Friday Resy at West10West. This dimly lit West Village hideaway has a phenomenal natural wine list, and our bartender was more than happy to take us on a tour of it. The vegetable- and seafood-focused small plates make it the perfect cozy hideaway to escape New York’s brutal summer heat. The highlight for me was the fennel salad with goat cheese and blood orange, because who doesn’t love a summer fennel salad?

— Adrien Gay-Bellile, Chief of Staff

It’s my second time dining at…

… Rice Thief this year and they absolutely continue to deliver. I ordered the soy platter, which comes with soy marinated crab, shrimp, and abalone. Every bite was packed with flavor and well-seasoned. It’s definitely a hands-on meal, but that’s part of the fun, and it’s worth every bite.

— Alexis Yam, Business Enablement & Operations Project Manager

 “Tiny but mighty” comes to life…

… in the 24-seat Ha’s Snack Bar. This unassuming LES restaurant (only slightly larger than my studio apartment) packed in some of the boldest flavors and best bites I’ve had all year. Run by couple Sadie Mae Burns and Anthony Ha, you can feel the love for food, and for each other, in every bite.

Candles burn quietly and the menu stands proudly on a chalkboard. Folk music plays through the speakers like it’s my own damn living room — like a warm hug. It’s an open kitchen with no frills where they let the food do the talking. And it does. It screams, in fact.

The standout bites were their signature snails with garlic, glistening and snuggled in a caramel-like tamarind butter sauce (get some of their crunchy bread to dip into the dish’s nooks and crannies). I probably think once a day about the trout rillette on toast, which had a flavor so unique I couldn’t put my finger on it until the waitress called it: lemongrass. We finished with a strawberries and cream parfait, which was (unsurprisingly) the most flavorful strawberries and cream I’ve ever had.

Their menu is rotating which only means one thing: I’ll have to go again, and again … and again.

— Amy Schwartz, Senior Restaurant Marketing Analyst

I finally got to try…

… Ha’s Snack Bar and it definitely lived up to the hype. The tamarind butter snails were a standout, and I also loved the chicken liver pâté gougères, the oysters with chile, and the braised pig trotters.

— Amelia Lewis, Product Designer at Tock

I could have left…

… after the complimentary flatbread and herbed soft cheese, and would have been perfectly happy and content. Such is the genius of Dirty French, where the kale salad is very good and you can never go wrong with a classic steak frites.

— Rachel Venuti, VP of Strategy & Integration

This quickly became my new favorite Mediterranean restaurant…

My expectations for Shukette were high, given that their sister restaurant, Shuka, was my previous no. 1 Mediterranean spot. Starting with the labneh with peaches (a perfect mixture of sweet and savory) set the tone for a great evening. I loved the grilled asparagus topped with shredded parmesan cheese, and I have to give an honorable mention to the Joojeh chicken because it was cooked to perfection and so flavorful. I don’t think there was a plate that wasn’t completely cleaned up. The vibes were great because the restaurant was packed, but it wasn’t too loud and overstimulating. I definitely plan on going back here often.

— Isha Shrotriya, Product Operations Analyst

Two-plus years after opening…

… Kwame Onwuachi’s Tatiana is still buzzing and delicious. It’s always a party here, particularly so when you’re out on the patio. Everyone knows to get the curried goat patties, but don’t sleep on the crispy okra, too. Also, they’re serving what is probably one of the best chicken dishes in New York — a riff on halal cart chicken (the best possible version you can imagine), complete with crispy, lamb-topped rice.

— Aaron Ginsberg, Chief Partner Officer

For a cozy, hole-in-the-wall, neighborhood feel…

… head to Emmett’s in Soho. Service was friendly, the food fights in a higher weight class, and if you want to splash out on wine, they’ve got the bottles for it, while also having reasonable by-the-glass options, too.

I ordered their hot dog, which came Chicago-style “with the works” — think mustard, relish, onion, tomato, peppers, celery salt, and a whole pickle right in the dog (which works surprisingly well) — alongside a nice glass of Cru Beaujolais. Their deep-dish pizza was also fantastic, but if you prefer a thin-crust style, they’ve got that, too.

— Leonard Mazzone, Senior Software Engineer

My go-to spot for sea oysters and gin martinis…

… is Jeffrey’s Grocery. Located in a beautiful stretch of the West Village, I always enjoy taking family and friends from out of town to this gem of a place. The staff are incredibly friendly, too.

— Fabian Andres, Senior Digital Product Operations Associate

The service was impeccable…

… at Francie. I was there for a family dinner to celebrate my wife’s graduation, and they seated us in the vault, which was an amazing, semi-private room in the back of the restaurant. I had the duck mortadella, the bluefin tuna, and my absolute favorite dish of the night: the amatriciana bucatini. The table also indulged in Francie’s amazing oysters, some foie gras canelés, the prawns with sauce gribiche, and the casoncelli with suckling pig. Altogether, it was an amazing experience and meal to celebrate a very special event.

— Edwin Rivera, Senior Software Engineer

On one of the first nice days…

… we sat outside at Eleni’s, and the ambience was great. We had espresso martinis to start our night (with Tequila, of course) and ordered a few dishes to share — the seared diver scallops were definitely the highlight of the night.

— Isha Shrotriya, Product Operations Analyst

What Billy Durney has created…

… at Red Hook Tavern is something every neighborhood wishes they had: a delicious menu with classics done right, no pretense, and great hospitality. I couldn’t have been happier, sharing some burgers and a wedge salad with my family (both of which are the best versions you can probably get in New York). I can’t wait to return and will be lobbying for a version of the Tavern in my side of town immediately.

— Aaron Ginsberg, Chief Partner Officer

This place really nails it on all fronts…

The vibe at Tigre is on point, the space is stunning, and the drinks are inventive and fun. We ordered a couple of rounds to try and hit as many cocktails as possible, and I really loved the Se Si Bon, a rhum cocktail with pistachio and Madeira. We kept it light with snacks — Marcona almonds and Wagyu steak skewers — perfect to enjoy between sips.

— Jessica DeGeorge, Partner Success Manager

After being on my Resy List for some time…

… I finally got to try Montague Diner — we walked in and snagged a table on a rainy night, and loved the coziness of the space. We were hungry for a burger, so our server steered us to their signature Montague burger, which did not disappoint (the fries are plentiful, we couldn’t even finish them). The whole meal was a delight; I had an amazing thyme lemonade and some incredible mozzarella sticks, too.

— Margo Valiante, Partner Success Manager, New York

I managed to snag a reservation at…

… Penny on one of their collab nights with Providence, and I’m so glad I did. Chef Michael Cimarusti’s pasta mista special was so delicious — I’ll be thinking about it for a long time. From Penny’s regular menu, I finally got to try the confit oysters (which blew my mind) and the chocolate mousse, which was the best dessert I’ve had in weeks.

— Amelia Lewis, Product Designer at Tock

This place is such a vibe…

From the decor to the food, JR & Son nails it on all fronts. We started with the bread service, which is essential for dipping purposes, especially for the stracciatella with black olive caramel — I could not tell you what black olive caramel is, but it was amazing and I’d highly recommend. We also had to get some greens on the table, so we opted for the Caesar. As for the mains, we had the cacio e pepe (which was a big hit), the ravioli with mint ricotta and English peas, and the chicken parm (which you cannot skip). And speaking of things you can’t skip: dessert. The rainbow cake and pistachio sundae are vital and I will be going back for those specifically.

— Lindsey Block, Product Designer

The perfect place before a night out…

… might just be Swoony’s. Four of us went before a show and we shared the clams, lobster orzo, a wedge salad, and the whipped goat cheese for appetizers. For mains, we split the burger and mussel pasta — both were amazing.

— Erika Greengarten, Restaurant Success Manager

Bonus: Based on a friend’s recommendation…

… we went to Felice in Port Chester, N.Y., for a birthday brunch. Our table was located in the bar area, which had a really nice atmosphere with other family celebrations happening. I ordered the lobster roll, which was packed with meat and served with fries, and my husband ordered the uova al forno, an egg dish that reminded me of shakshuka. Everything was really delicious — I’d highly recommend to those looking for a nice family meal in Westchester.

— Sarah Showers, Software Engineer, Consumer Web

More New York staff picks, right this way.

Noëmie Carrant is Resy’s New York-based senior writer and editor. Some of her other favorite meals this month took place at Lei, the new location of Adda, and Gamja TangTang. Follow her on Instagram. Follow Resy, too.