While New York is currently experiencing record-breaking cold shocks this winter, its restaurant scene has never been hotter. Buzzy new evening lounges—including one from Moulin Rouge director Baz Luhrmann—are opening...
While New York is currently experiencing record-breaking cold shocks this winter, its restaurant scene has never been hotter. Buzzy new evening lounges—including one from Moulin Rouge director Baz Luhrmann—are opening downtown, whereas uptown sees an arrival of new fine dining restaurants that are stylish rather than stuffy. Then there are the places that can’t really be put in a set hospitality category: like a high-end bar inside a furniture retail store where everything from croissants to couches are for sale.
Chez Fifi (Upper East Side)
From the team behind critically acclaimed Sushi Noz comes Chez Fifi, a French bistro housed inside an Upper East Side townhouse. The space boasts an impressive art collection—including Calders and Mirós—and menu, serving fare like frog legs, deviled crab filet mignon au poivre, and a blue cheese martini. The jewel box interiors are by Stockholm-based studio Joyn, who also did the three-Michelin-starred Frantzén in the same city. This project marks their U.S. debut. -Elise Taylor
Monsieur (East Village)
Baz Luhrmann’s East Village bar, Monsieur, feels like a gothic medieval lair meets rock ’n’ roll club: suits of armor sit alongside photographs by New York nightlife legend Dustin Pittman. The elevated light-bites menu includes shrimp cocktail, jamon iberico, grilled cheese, and (fittingly) croquettes monsieur with osetra caviar. -E.T.
People’s (Greenwich Village)
This former downtown art gallery—which, upon opening in 1926, became the first commercial gallery in the United States—has a new life as People’s, an evening club that’s quickly become a fashionable stop for after-dinner drinks (and dessert, as their banoffee pie has quite the cult following.) Its three different rooms, designed by interiors firm Workstead, pay aesthetic homage to its carriage house past without being beholden to it: the Parlour, where club chairs lie by a burning fireplace; the Salon, complete with a DJ booth and plenty of room to dance; and The Gallery, where a 19th-century bar sits below the original 1920s skylight. -E.T.
Zimmi’s (West Village)
On a quiet street in the West Village sits Zimmi’s, a Southern French restaurant whose food is served in a warm, simple room with checkered tablecloths and wooden chairs. Homey dishes include poached leeks with egg and dijon mustard, lamb stew, and tagliatelle with chicken ragout and sage. -E.T.
Café Zaffri
Inside The Twenty Two is Café Zaffri, a new restaurant from the team behind the beloved Raf’s in Soho. Michelin-star chef Mary Attea serves up Lebanese cuisine—think spaghetti with crab and saffron, grilled octopus with harissa, as well as table-side skewer-service—all in a romantic mauve pink room designed by the Post Company. Although one doesn't need to limit themselves to dinner: Café Zaffri also serves both lunch and breakfast. -E.T.
The Bar at Quarters (TriBeCa)
Jumping off the store-meets-café concept pioneered by Roman and Williams’s La Mercerie, The Bar at Quarters is a natural wine bar within a furniture and home goods retail space by In Common With’s Felicia Hung and Nick Ozemba. Dine on toast with tinned fish—or maybe even indulge in caviar service—while admiring the vintage furniture you are sitting in. You can even do more than that: everything, including the silverware and the tiles in the bathroom—can be purchased. -E.T.
Mitsuru (West Village)
New in the West Village is Mitsuru, a Japanese restaurant and omakase restaurant with a wine list by cool-kid Dimes Square hotspot Parcelle. It’s a minimalistic menu—don’t expect any fusion rolls here—but an elevated one, with dishes like miso black cod or seared scallop and yuzu sushi. The hole-in-the-wall space also boasts some serious design moments, with a Kagan sofa and a counter crafted from fallen trees harvested from a maple syrup farm. -E.T.
Gus and Marty’s
If you find yourself in the Williamsburg/Greenpoint autonomous zone craving ouzo and small bites, Gus and Marty’s is a must-visit. This newly opened Greek spot offers moody lighting, a welcoming atmosphere, and a menu built for snacking and sharing. The pita, served piping hot and perfectly flaky, is a standout, perfect on its own or as a companion to just about anything on the menu. With its intimate vibe and lively yet relaxed energy, Gus and Marty’s feels like an instant neighborhood favorite. -Maya Layne
Rude Mouth
Wine virtuoso and young sommelier Ava Trilling recently opened Rude Mouth, a charming new wine bar on Metropolitan Avenue. An alum of the beloved Brooklyn restaurant The Four Horsemen, known for its award-winning wine list, Trilling brings her expertise to this cozy space. With a large window overlooking the street, Rude Mouth channels the warm simplicity of a European wine bar and offers an inviting selection of curated wines. The menu leans simple yet satisfying, featuring small plates reminiscent of effortless European snacking—think fresh baguettes with butter, cornichons, capicola, and other classic pairings designed. Crafted with accessibility in mind, Rude Mouth welcomes both casual drinkers and dedicated oenophiles alike, making it the perfect spot for gatherings with friends, dinner dates, and late-night digestifs year-round. A must-visit for anyone looking to drink well in good company. -M.L.