The December Hit List: Wink & Nod, Mahaniyom, Bab Al-Yemen, and More

960 days. That’s how long Wink & Nod closed after the start of the pandemic. But more than two-and-a-half years after what many guessed was a permanent shutter, the South End speakeasy has proven us all wrong by re-opening its doors. And this time it’s joined by a brand-new kitchen program from chef Louis DiBiccari dubbed SubRosa, which will provide imbibers with less-expected Mediterranean fare like spaghetti crab gravy and garlic-bread crumble, or chorizo-and-squid meatballs with chimichurri.

Jamie Bissonnette and Ken Oringer’s latest contribution to the Boston dining scene is now serving lunch and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. Make a Resy between noon and 3 p.m. on either day to enjoy crudos and housemade pastas in the afternoon, or indulge in brand-new brunchy fare including a cacio e pepe scramble with Burgundy truffles or pancakes topped by caramelized apples and whipped cream.

JP has gained a new purveyor of Italian fare in the form of Tonino, which draws inspiration from the unpretentious trattorias and wine bars that dot Rome. In edible terms, that means Eternal City standards like rigatoni amatriciana or casarecce cacio e pepe, as well as pizza by-the-slice or whole pies in classic flavors like margherita, pepperoni, or mushroom and ricotta. Meanwhile, the potable side of the ledger is populated by Italian pours and spritzy cocktails including the Rome with a View made with Campari, bianco vermouth, lime, and soda.

Call 617-524-9217 for reservations.

Crowned with a place on Esquire’s Best New Restaurants in America list, La Royal is at last garnering the national attention it deserves. To see what all the fuss is about, make a beeline to try contemporary Peruvian fare like scallop and blue cod ceviche or steamed seafood in a wild mushroom mint broth. To drink, try a La Royal Sour made with hibiscus and pomegranate-macerated pisco.

The past month’s sudden switch from the high 60s to the low 30s means two things: it’s time to start layering, and it’s time to start getting ramen. See to that second need at Harvard Square’s most recently introduced ramen shop, which has been rapidly building its reputation on novel broths like the savory enmi prepped with scallions, yuzu skin, and yellow yuzu oil, or an acidic sanmi made with sour cherry tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, and green shiso oil.

The Tremont Street space that for 40 years had been the “Dirty Bird” — or officially, The Eagle — has reopened as Kartal. While the bones of its old self are recognizable, the former dive has received a fresh face lift with hanging glass shelves and lipstick-red booths where you may enjoy a Bald Eagle made with raspberry-muddled vodka and Chambord or the 12:30 featuring Tequila, ginger beer, apple cider, and a cinnamon-sugar rim.

Walk-ins only.

A recent five-star review from The Boston Globe has put the street food-focused Thai spot back on the local food map, and for good reason. So, if you haven’t yet availed yourself of the housemade crab curry or green papaya pad thai, now is an excellent time to discover what you’ve been missing.

The four-story bookstore and café situated in a Charles Street townhouse has at last opened that second part of its concept, which is spread across a sunny, tile-filled space on the bottom floor and a backyard garden patio. Either provides an ideal locale for leafing through a soon-to-buy bestseller and picking over poached eggs with shiitake mushroom vinaigrette in the morning or a spice-roasted butternut squash salad with farro and tahini in the afternoon.

Call 617-945-4713 for reservations.

The South End bacaro has transitioned its menu for the fall season, introducing seasonal plates like monkfish with brown butter and cabbage, chicories with burrata and grapefruit, and pork accompanied by chestnut, pear, and polenta. All would make a fitting start to a meal that inevitably ends with housemade strozzapreti paired to pork and black truffles or chicken risotto with sausage, mushroom, and fennel pollen.

Bab Al-Yemen has emerged in Kenmore square to fill the Yemeni-shaped hole in Boston’s dining scene. And on the chance that you’re not familiar with the Middle Eastern country’s cuisine, allow the newcomer to educate you with such traditional dishes as filo-wrapped samboosa filled with spiced ground beef, or fasha, a shredded lamb stew served in a stone pot with freshly baked bread.

Call 857-250-2943 for reservations.