To keep tabs on every New York restaurant and bar opening is folly. But to keep tabs on the most worthy? Yeoman’s work, and we’re proud to do it. Thus we present Table Stakes, a monthly rundown of the five (or so) must-know spots that have swung wide their doors in the past thirty (or so). Bon appétit.
Ainslie
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
You’re here for: A casual dinner or three-hour brunch with 10 of your nearest and dearest buds. A more approachable wine bar you will not find. See also: beer garden.
You’re dining on: Easy-going and easy-on-the-wallet Italian crowd pleasers, from a Crispy Artichoke with Aioli to Carbonara Wood-Fired Pizzas.
76 Ainslie Street, Brooklyn (map)
Website
Serra d’Autunno by Birreria
Flatiron
You’re here for: The charming autumnal decor, which resembles the Italian countryside. Ideal for a convivial dinner with friends.
You’re dining on: Eataly’s renowned artisanally influenced fare, seasonally refocused and heavy on the squash and apples. Case in point, the Zucca Ripiena con Stracciatella e Nocciole features Norwich Meadows honeynut squash and is lovingly doused in a hazelnut vinaigrette. Plus, they’ve got a killer line-up of new ciders served hot, cold and spiked.
Etiquette
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
You’re here to: Work, play and imbibe. The new All Day Café from Four Happy Men (Loosie Rouge and Loosie’s Cafe) is one part co-working space, one part eatery and one part acceptably scene-y chill zone with a full vinyl shop and record players stationed throughout for listening to jams.
You’re dining on: Fancy PB & J’s, creative grain bowls, solid sammies and excellently strong coffee by day, and an intelligently curated beer and wine selection by night.
53 Broadway, Brooklyn (map)
Website
Le Club
Meatpacking District
You’re here to: Pre-party or party party. Both fetch.
You’re dining on: French-inspired shared plates among a menu broken into very Meatpacking District categories: Garden, Sea, Land and Sweet. The cocktail program is as dutifully grand as one would expect. And while coined “speakeasy elegant,” it also includes really fun, really dangerous large-format cocktails and weekly daiquiri specials.
Canal Street Oysters
Tribeca
You’re here for: A solid after-work dinner with colleagues or a pre-movie or show date meal.
You’re dining on: A grandiose selection of raw oysters, obviously, accompanied by scallops, whelks and crab in the form of staggering shellfish towers — all sustainably-sourced. And on the hot side, the Squid Ink Paella is the move.
380 Canal Street (map)
Website
The Elgin
Rockefeller Center
You’re here to: Loosen your collar at happy hour.
You’re dining on: Respectable American tavern fare and a solid beer list. Favorites include the Hot Blue Crab Artichoke Dip, the French Onion Soup Burgers and some seriously satisfying Wings. Be advised that this food will not leave you with good date-night breath. Grab a pal and pint and complain about your bosses.
64 West 48th Street (map)
Website
Daymoves
Williamsburg
You’re here to: Read the paper, chat with a friend or try to get a glimpse of one very particular Brooklyn celebrity — James Murphy’s second outpost (next door to Four Horsemen, his first) is a wifi-less cafe that spins vinyl from his personal collection.
You’re dining on: The kind of coffee that only really seasoned snobs drink, along with pastries from nearby L’Imprimerie. Expect a small menu from Four Horsemen chef Nick Curtola in the near future. There are also rumors that the place could become a small, semi-private nightclub — Nightmoves — after dark.
295 Grand St, Brooklyn (map)
Website
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