The Resy Hit List: Where In New York You’ll Want to Eat Right Now

Stars is assuredly a wine bar, and it punctuates that in a number of ways, from the diminutive size — just 12 seats — to a walk-ins-only policy, a compact list of snacks, and an outsize list of excellent wines. But Stars also isn’t just any wine bar; it’s a wine bar from the team behind Claud and Penny, and like its predecessors, Stars knows how to deliver exactly what you want. On any given night that might mean creamy deviled eggs topped with delicate star-shaped pommes souffles, complemented by a crisp Loire chenin blanc. Or a rustic-presenting mix of marinated vegetables and chorizo, to accompany a bit of Beaujolais. Whether you opt for a quick drink or a longer interlude, you’ll never leave disappointed.

Walk-ins only.

If you love seafood, you’re in very good company at this sleek spot that sits near the base of the Williamsburg Bridge. What was briefly known as listening bar and Japanese sushi counter Hear and There is now Boro Brine, helmed by chef Mark Nobello, an alumnus of Atoboy, Tadhana, and O Ya, whose previous stints are cleverly reflected in the menu here. Smoked eel broth, enriched by confit duck and runner beans, surrounds a generously plated bowl of steamers. The chef’s take on a Filet-o-Fish is playful, and delicious. And pot pie is served piping hot with chunks of lobster, Kurobuta sausage, and clams. And that’s just the à la carte menu. On Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, the restaurant makes full use of its elegant back room and former listening bar, centered around an open kitchen and U-shaped chef’s counter, to serve a seven-course tasting menu ($98) that surprises and delights, without breaking the bank. Think scallops with coconut snow, dotted with shio kombu oil, or kinmedai with yuzu kosho and crab from Busan. We’d also be remiss not to mention the cocktails or the wine list overseen by Omar Bautista (formerly of ZZ’s, Club Torrisi, and Crown Shy); you’ll find everything from a bright tomato martini to deep-cut on the bottle selection.

If Ha’s Snack Bar was the starter, consider this to be the main course. Much bigger than its predecessor, Bistrot Ha builds on the legacy of thrilling Vietnamese French cuisine that Anthony Ha and Sadie Mae Burns have established as the duo behind globe-trotting pop-up, Ha’s Đặc Biệt. It takes its cues, lovingly and fittingly, from Paris (especially the iconic Bistrot Paul Bert) but the couple have made it uniquely their own. Leeks vinaigrette gets topped with Maggi and marinated mussels. Tomato fried rice is dotted with snails. Vol-au-vent is filled with curried lobster and sweetbreads. Beef hearts get a char-siu treatment. Lush slices of cold pork belly are the perfect vessel for bundles of crisp watercress. Whatever you do, don’t sleep on the desserts, especially if you see the ice cream bombe: It’s their version of a baked Alaska, made with layers of coffee caramel, coconut pandan, and black sesame ice cream enveloped in meringue — and it’s a pitch-perfect way to end your evening.

Even if there weren’t a certain saintly holiday approaching later this month, The Dead Rabbit should be on your radar. It’s one of the city’s most beloved bars, precisely because there’s no pretense: just expertly crafted drinks, and warm Irish hospitality. What also makes the Rabbit so special is the fact that you can just as easily grab an Irish coffee and a full Irish breakfast spread (served all day, by the way) in the Tap Room as you can escape to the Parlor Room for an intimate cocktail experience that draws on influences from Ireland and the world over. (We’re partial to the gimlet-inspired Bird’s Eye View, and the Masa Masa, a Mexican-influenced take on the classic brandy Daisy.) While the drinks are the biggest draw here, don’t sleep on the spice bag chips or the dry-aged burger with Irish cheddar. Pro tip: Do consider stopping in for brunch, when they also serve a vegetarian version of a classic Irish breakfast, plus corned beef hash eggs benedict, and boxty, potato bread pancakes topped with whipped cream and golden syrup.

New Yorkers are blessed with so many excellent flour tortillas across the city right now, including optimal examples from Corima and their Brooklyn outpost, Vato, plus Yellow Rose and Los Burritos Juárez. One of the city’s best, however, can now be found in Greenpoint at the first brick-and-mortar location of Border Town, from chef Jorge Aguilar. Since 2020, Aguilar has built a loyal following for his tortillas, hosting pop-ups throughout the city. His Sonoran-style flour tortillas are made with flour shipped directly from Sonora, bits of buttery pork lard, salt, and water, and they’re the perfect canvas for everything from frijoles and queso and chicharron and pickled onions to carne con chile and mushroom al pastor. At the moment, Border Town is only open for dinner service, but they’ve got plans to open for breakfast in the near future, too. We can’t wait.

Walk-ins only. 

Cove marks the evolution of chef Flynn McGarry’s (Gem, Gem Wine) fine-dining roots. That means his precision is balanced with whimsy, a melding of California cuisine with Northeast ingredients (many of which come from McGarry’s ownm Long Island farm) and a touch of Scandinavian influences, resulting in some of the most creative dishes you’ll find in the city today. There’s no better example of this than his take on schnitzel: It evokes the airy and crunchy layers of a perfectly fried tonkatsu, albeit composed entirely of breaded cabbage leaves stuffed with rye bread and maitake, accompanied by a tart quince mustard, hazelnuts roasted in butter, and a generous helping of cabbage salad. That same attention to care and detail extends to everything, from housemade non-alcoholic cocktails to a massive wine list curated by Paris McGarry Gil (Flynn’s older sister), and from the handsome strawberry blonde wood interiors to the sauna-esque waiting room — complete with a heating lamp — that shelters you from harsh winter winds outside.

At its heart, Leland is a neighborhood restaurant that just so happens to serve some of the city’s most thoughtfully prepared dishes. The menu, mostly Mediterranean in its foundation but also bearing a few nods to the partners’ Chinese and Filipino heritages, is comforting and inviting: fluffy slices of focaccia; unctuous smoked pollock fritters dipped in housemade tzatziki; comforting bowls of chicken jook porridge; and a savory whole fried black sea bass paired with fennel salad and Fresno chiles. Brunch brings forth sourdough cinnammon buns, made on the premises, and tortang talong (charred eggplant with eggs). The food is indeed special, but perhaps what makes Leland truly stand out is its commitment to serving the local community, and being a gathering place for New Yorkers far and wide, whether with their weekly Wednesday afternoon mahjong gatherings or frequent butchery classes where they demonstrate their nose-to-tail (or fin) approach to cooking.

The city’s first food truck specializing in Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine now has a permanent home, after serving their delicious injera, tibs, shiro, misir, and gomen across the boroughs, from a commissary in Long Island City to an outpost on Governors Island for nearly a decade. Now, in a cozy, elegant space on Skillman Avenue, you’ll find all your favorite dishes, plus even more: creative cocktails made with hibiscus, cardamom, and cucumber; smoky berbere spiced prawns; and a standout version of doro wot, Ethiopia’s beloved chicken stew that gets slow braised for hours on end. Whatever you do, come hungry, and do order yourself plenty of injera — deeply fermented and bouncy — to pair with nearly everything on the menu.

The original Falansai in Bushwick was the definition of a low-key gem, and the new iteration, now located in Greenpoint in the former Pan Pan Vino Vino space, continues that  legacy. Chef-owner Eric Tran doles out innovative blends of Vietnamese and Mexican cooking with the precision you’d come to expect from a chef who worked at Blue Hill at Stone Barns and West Village classics like Joseph Leonard. There are many standout dishes, chief among them the tuna crunch No. 1 that features a fried sesame rice cracker topped with cubes of fresh tuna and guacamole, comforting Vietnamese tamales with confit duck neck, and a standout lamb neck braised in pho spices, paired with corn tortillas and an array of housemade sauces. Pro tip: Falansai’s incredible dac biet tasting menu is not to be missed.

Long before the success of Dhamaka and Semma, Adda was where chef Chintan Pandya and restaurateur Roni Mazumdar first developed their ethos, in a tiny storefront in Queens. Last year, they decided to finally move Adda to a new East Village location, and 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 bheja (goat brain) masala and the goat biryani, but they’ve also expanded the menu handsomely to include even more, like Nagaland pork fry and a vegetarian pulao studded with morels. And together with chef de cuisine Neel Kajale, 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 Green Circle chicken.

Ramen is always a good idea, especially in this weather. Frankly, though, Rasheeda Purdie’s ramen renditions with a decidedly breakfast-style twist transcend any season, and we’re so elated she’s back after closing her Bowery Market stall last March. Whether you opt for her signature smoked bacon, soy-marinated egg, and parmesan cheese ramen or try one of her newer dishes, like the maple sausage and soy yolk ramen, you simply can’t go wrong. (We’re personally very fond of the everything egg drop ramen, which is now also available in a vegetarian version.) Pair your ramen with a selection of refreshing teas or zero-proof sippers, and do consider adding a filled bao while you’re at it, too. Pro tip: Reservations are a must; the East Village space only has room for about five diners at a time.

Manhattan Chinatown remains a treasure trove of restaurants, both bustling and vibrant, and often with expansive menus. And BYOB stalwart Peking Duck House, in business since 1978, is still one of the city’s best Chinese spots. As the name suggests, their signature Peking duck, served tableside, is not to be missed; it is so exceptionally well roasted, with crisp skin and juicy meat, and equally enjoyed on its own or with fluffy white bao. But Peking Duck House also excels in lesser-seen specialties like braised sea cucumber with shrimp roe, shredded pork with salted cabbage, beans, and yuba, scallops with Mmàlá seasoning, and Peking-style lamb chops. While you could dine there easily by yourself or with another, we always feel like this place is best savored in the company of loved ones, with bottles of wine (of your choosing) competing for space on the lazy Susan with a spread of dishes.

This coffee/tea shop by day transforms into a Korean wine bar by night, led by a talented team that delivers a variety of unique experiences you likely won’t find elsewhere. While you could always walk in for a quick cup of coffee or tea, it’s best to book one of Tera’s coffee or tea omakase experiences at the bar, limited to just eight guests at a time, and showcasing a specially curated selection of coffees and teas paired with seasonal financiers from pastry chef Janice Sung (formerly of Figure Eight). At nighttime, they offer a menu of wines and Korean sool paired with anju that ranges from crisp perilla jeon and a grilled kimchi chicken hot dog to abalone jang bap and potato chips with a yuzu-avocado dip. Pro tip: They also have a private tatami room in the back, where you and friends can sit in a serene space, enjoying tea, coffee, wine, and more.

Much like he does at Lore, his globally influenced restaurant nearby, chef-owner Jay Kumar loves to weave in many inspirations into the drinks and food here. India is the departure point, and from there, Kumar applies a globe-trotting eye to an intricate mélange of flavors. When it comes to cocktails, you’ll find everything from a Hanami Bloom made with cherry blossom sake and rosewater to a Down the Rabbit Hole made with bourbon, rooibos, carrot honey, and cream cheese foam. That’s in addition to three Negroni styles on draft, one of which has a hint of pineapple liquor, and the other with a touch of toasted coconut. For food, you can’t go wrong with the pupu platter with masala seared shrimp and onion pakoras, but we’re also fans of the roti tagliatelle with a kheema Bolognese, the hearty Mumbai pot pie that’s filled with your choice of chicken tikka or a vegetarian ishtew, or the burger, served with hand-cut fries. Do save room for the ebelskivers featuring molten Mexican hot chocolate.

Oku opened in 2023 on a very specific premise: that, yes, there’s no shortage of omakase spots in New York, but what about one in inside a former pizzeria? And not just any pizzeria, but the old Scarr’s space on Orchard Street. The decór was largely left as is, aside from some memorabilia being swapped out with Japanese equivalents, and of course the tweaking of the interior to accommodate a stark white eight-seat sushi counter. A few years in, we can safely say none of this is contrivance; executive chef Kei Yoshino takes his craft seriously, and it shows throughout the delightful omakase ($100 per person at the counter and $85 in the dining room). The chef also offers a variety of à la carte options from otsumami like his signature egg sundae (uni, ikura, caviar, and mochi) to temaki and more.

New Yorkers everywhere were in a period of collective mourning when this Upper West Side institution abruptly closed at the end of 2024 but, a year later, our pleas have been heard: “New Absolute” has returned in the same hallowed space. There’s a new owner, some updated decor touches, and the ability to pay with credit cards now but, most importantly, the recipes remain the same. What made the original Absolute Bagels — and this latest reincarnation — so special was the bagel itself: hand-rolled, kettle-boiled, oven-baked, and exceedingly fresh, with a crisp crust and soft, fluffy insides.