The Frieze-goer’s Guide to New York

The beauty of Frenchette is all in the details. Flowery stencils cover the cream walls and a sleek, yet domineering, pewter bar set the scene for the delicious modern bistro fare that follows, like soft scrambled eggs with sea urchin and duck frites. Spend some time with the all-natural wine list, and be sure to ask questions—the staff here knows what they’re talking about.

Designed by San Francisco-based Ken Fulk (known for an eye for hyperbolic elegance), Legacy Records is a sight for sore eyes — think neutral tones offset by accents of emerald and gold, and a slab of super-swirly marble as the bathroom sink. Artworks from Mickalene Thomas and Chris Lux exemplify the restaurant’s vivacious setting. Add to that a crudo tower with bursting with color and a magnificent honey lacquered duck for two, presented first as whole at your table, and you’re in for a brilliant evening.

Stepping down into Simon & The Whale is like entering the dining room of a tastefully luxurious yacht. Awash in light wood, with nautical blue tiles throughout and shiny wine glasses and ceramics acting as décor, the space was done by in-demand design firm Roman and Williams. Fittingly, the menu is inspired by the American coasts—think arctic char tartare with finger lime and smoked cream and spaghetti acqua pazza.

If you’ve ever been to Mexico City, you’ll recognize the atmosphere at ATLA: cosmopolitan, chic, and easygoing. Bites here burst with flavor, as in the zingy arctic char tostada (smeared with farmer’s cheese, and topped with bright-pink slices of raw fish, thin discs of jalapeño, and capers), which references the classic New York City dish, bagel & lox.

Tetsu is acclaimed chef Masa Takayama’s loungey, tri-level restaurant adorned in iron (“tetsu” in Japanese) and exposed brick. Creative Japanese plates—from skewers cooked on a Robata grill to nigiri sushi, and meat-focused dishes at the omakase served downstairs—fly through the space, ensuring a thrilling sensory experience.

The culinary offerings at Nur are bona fide works of art. Take the smoked eggplant carpaccio, a dartboard of color, texture, and flavor—spiraled with raw tahini, salty crumbs of feta cheese, bits of squishy dates and crunchy pistachios, and delicate rose water. And then there’s the sculptural mound of kubaneh, a slightly sweet pull-apart bread that facilitates a shared interaction with your fellow diners: grab for a knob off the Yemenite loaf, then pass it along.

Named the most gorgeous restaurant of 2017 by Eater New York, Chinese Tuxedo serves fusion cuisine in a sophisticated, retro, and bustling former opera house on Chinatown’s Doyers St. The exposed concrete walls bring to mind the work of Erik Sommer, while lush palm trees keep things lively. Try the caramelized fried eggplant tinged with Sichuan peppercorn and the whole crispy skin squab with Chinese black vinegar.

A reverence for history is at the heart of Hwa Yuan Szechuan, a son’s remake of his father’s original restaurant of the same name—known as the birthplace of cold sesame noodles, a New York City Chinese food staple. Upon arrival, you’ll take your seat at a blank canvas draped with white tablecloth. Soon enough, a procession of dishes (those famous noodles, slick with peanut sauce; whole fish submerged in a mash of red-hot bean sauce, a pile of tiny potatoes pungent with kung pao seasoning) will paint the table.

Artful only begins to describe the experience of dining at Le Bernardin, the internationally acclaimed fine dining seafood restaurant helmed by chef Eric Ripert. Gorgeously crafted plates showcase familiar and surprising flavor notes, flawless service ensures that every guest feels like a VIP, and a 24-foot seascape painting from artist Ran Ortner courses a serene energy throughout the space.

Playful and whimsy are two adjectives that come to mind when thinking about Olmsted, a seasonally-inspired Prospect Heights restaurant with a magical back garden (where guests can enjoy vibrant cocktails and make their own s’mores). Chef-owner Greg Baxtrom’s globally inspired food is extraordinarily inventive, from egg rolls filled with house-made bacon, farm eggs, and Vermont cheddar at brunch to the rutabaga “tagliatelle” with Burgundy black truffle and brown butter at dinner.

Elegant minimalism defines King, a corner restaurant that quietly sits on the outskirts of SoHo. With its creamy white walls and mid-century modern cane chairs, it evokes the European countryside more than it does downtown New York. It’s idyllic at lunch, when fresh, simple pasta segues into Bicerin con biscotti; but dinner is equally enjoyable, thanks to an always-evolving seasonal menu.

At the core of Mettā is open-fire cooking. You’ll notice that a hearth is the restaurant’s centerpiece, and that the bar seats that surround it are the best in the house—after all, guests there get a front row view of chef Norbeto Piattino and his team performing their craft, roasting whole chickens and charring market vegetables. Don’t miss the ash-roasted sweet potato dessert, which comes with whipped cream infused with elecampane (an herb in the sunflower family).

Dan Kluger’s obsession with celebrating raw ingredients is represented throughout Loring Place, a restaurant trim in white-painted brick and light wood with splashes of fiery orange and verdant green. As the space is vaguely reminiscent of artists such as Ellsworth Kelly and Frank Stella, the food borrows from Minimalism as well—although, instead of being rooted in line, form, and color, its building blocks are greenmarket-fresh ingredients (as in dishes like fluke crudo with citrus, chilies, and radishes and crispy chicken sandwich with carrot bbq sauce and celery relish).

Atoboy utilizes a format that allows guests to try a number of dishes that tickle their fancy, without forcing anyone to share. Inspired by the Korean ritual of banchan (a variety small, mostly pickled, dishes that come free at the beginning of your meal), dinner here comes at a fixed price ($42) for three plates, all carefully arranged on circular ceramic plates. Staples include octopus with kimchi, chorizo, and parsley and fried chicken with two sauces—spicy peanut butter and gochujang.

A bright and airy all-day café with a significant outdoor seating section on warmer days, De Maria is entirely of-the-moment. Art is no doubt an important element—in fact, the restaurant is named after midcentury artist Walter De Maria. The space boasts a palette of muted pastels and a glowing neon blue Virgin Mary artwork in the bathroom, and the health-forward menu is on vibrantly on par (the signature, technicolored Tiger Bowl comes with coconut grains, house-cured salmon, avocado, mango, pickled cucumbers, and seaweed).