New York’s restaurant scene is world-class for practically every cuisine on the planet and at every price point. It is also notoriously hard to crack. Stats from the 2000s presented in the documentary Eat This New York said that 80 percent of city restaurants close in the first five years. The COVID-19 pandemic added additional pressure that caused both industry analysts and restaurateurs to predict an extinction-level event for the city’s eateries. As New York once again banned indoor dining on December 11, that pressure intensified. Places that moved to outdoor dining or expanded into sidewalk cafes during the summer and early fall have gone further as the weather has gotten colder, tenting their tables and breaking out heat lamps, blankets, and tableside sanitizer to push through the New York winter. Perhaps most notable, however, is that during this time of upheaval and creative reimagining of city dining, new restaurants have continued to open their doors. Our editors have been ordering from and eating at many of them (socially distanced, masked around servers), and we're happy to report that, despite an outlier of a year, the dining scene remains one of the most dynamic parts of city life. Here are Traveler’s picks for the best new restaurants in New York to eat at now.
Kokomo
A Caribbean restaurant by Williamsburg's waterfront, Kokomo is as close as we're getting to an island escape this winter. We're not mad about it, because this newcomer with its tropical lush plants (yes, outdoors, and yes, in the winter) and bopping tunes is fun. Fun in 2020—truly a feat. Start with jackfruit tacos, smeared with refried beans, guac, and sour cream—a vegetarian taco this good is very hard to come by. When it comes to the drink list, you can't go wrong, any of the cocktails will make you smile. The Aperol spritz features pineapple-infused Aperol. The jerk chicken as a main, and sweet plantains as a side, are essential orders. —Alex Erdekian
Address: 65 Kent Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11249
Soothr
Soothr might just be my new favorite Thai place in Manhattan. The menu highlights Isan Thai food, including a signature dish, Sukhothai tom yum noodles, a nod to the World Heritage Site in central Thailand. The spicy-meets-sour noodles are addicting, and when I ordered takeout, I loved that the noodles and broth were packed separately to keep everything fresh (they have outdoor seating separated by plexiglass, too). The other can’t-miss dish is the koong karee, an egg and shrimp curry that's full of flavor. I’m definitely planning to order from them again to try a few dishes, including the jackfruit curry and mango sticky rice. Outdoor reservations are easy to make through OpenTable. —Stephanie Wu
Address: 204 E. 13th St., New York, NY 10003
Edy’s Grocer
It’s not a proper sit-down place, but those are fewer and farther between now, anyhow. What Edy’s (pronounced like Eddie) is, is a Lebanese breakfast/lunch stop that can rewrite your sandwich and avocado toast orders. Swing by the takeout window to grab labneh toast or whatever is mixed up in the fatteh—right now it’s winter squash—or a bowl of lemony chicken soup with whole peppercorns that pop and tingle in your mouth. This last one might be the best option if you’re going to sit in one of the handful of seats out front as there aren’t heaters, but everything can be taken to go. —Noah Kaufman
Address: 136 Meserole Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11222
Yellow Rose
I am always, always, always on the hunt for good Tex-Mex in New York City. So when Yellow Rose opened on 3rd Avenue in the East Village in November, I knew I needed to stop by with fellow Texans in tow. I stocked up on saucy, protein-heavy chicken verde and carne guisada tacos on house-made flour tortillas, warm beef chili, and spice-filled vegan queso. (Before I get hate from fellow Texans, the Velveeta queso your mom makes isn’t made with real cheese either, so pipe down.) Chef and co-owner Dave Rizo comes from meatless standout Superiority Burger, so he knows his vegan and vegetarian stuff, as well as the meat-heavy bits. I can’t wait until the bar opens post-pandemic and I can properly appreciate the interior—but for now, I’ll settle for a sidewalk Lone Star, a bag of Rancho Gordo beans from the restaurant’s commissary, and perfectly seasoned, overfilled tacos. —Meredith Carey
Address: 102 3rd Ave., New York, NY 10003
Ernesto’s
When it opened just before the pandemic, Ryan Bartlow’s Basque restaurant had the kind of energy New York restaurants are famous for: A crowd three deep near the door, sipping martinis waiting for their tables in the rambunctious, crowded dining room. The energy is still there, as are the poppable croquetas, expert work with less-seen items like tripe and morcilla (blood sausage), and the Instagram-famous piles of jamon and potato chips, all tented for the rain and snow with heaters for every outdoor table. —N.K.
Address: 259 E. Broadway, New York, NY 10002
Borrachito
Borrachito serves a dish New York is not known for: birria. The Mexican stewed meat traditionally features goat, and here is made with oxtail. Before the pandemic, Borrachito was hidden, speakeasy-style, within the Garret East, but as of last August has upgraded its digs with prime sidewalk real estate on Avenue A and East 13th Street. The tacos are good (not a guarantee in New York City), and while they go old school with the birria, there are some upscale riffs you can order, like the noteworthy rib eye, bone marrow, and smoked cheddar. Wash it all down with some alcoholic paletas or a watermelon agua fresca. —A.E.
Address: 206 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009
Fan-Fan Doughnuts
It was the decadent, shiny, syrup- and nut-covered sticky buns in Grub Street’s story about Fan-Fan Doughnuts’ opening that got my attention. Once I found out that it was led by chef Fany Gerson, of Dough Doughnut fame, in Dough’s original location a mere five blocks from my apartment, I was sold. Fan-Fan’s donuts are (marginally) lighter and smaller than Dough’s creations, and come in equally inventive flavors. My order upon my first visit was two caramelized apple sticky buns; the La Donna, a raspberry–black currant doughnut with a meringue top; a yuzu meringue Fan Fan (Gerson’s rendition of a long John, a thin, straight, filled donut); and a churro-esque round cinnamon sugar doughnut. And that was just for me. The line that has cropped up since opening weekend in October is well worth the wait for these fluffy, flavorful morning delights. —M.C.
Address: 448 Lafayette Ave., New York, NY 11205
Milu
Eleven Madison Park veteran Connie Chung has opened a fast casual spot in the Gramercy neighborhood, serving family-style Chinese food that, if you don't want to eat outside, translates well to delivery and pickup. While dishes like Yunnan brisket, Mandarin duck, and wontons are available a la carte, the best way to try it all is with one of the family-style feasts, which comes with two entrees, duck fat rice, a bunch of cold veggie sides, and dessert. It’s an absolute steal at $45, and easily lasted us for two meals. —S.W.
Address: 333 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10010
Kimika
I’m a big fan of the Thai food at Wayla, so I was thrilled to hear that the same team opened Kimika, an Italian-Japanese restaurant in Nolita. The dishes feel comforting and totally new at the same time. Standouts include summer squash pizzette, on lightly fried pizza dough, and the crispy rice cake lasagna, which combines two of my absolute favorite dishes in a novel way. Whatever you order, don’t skip the dessert—options include the tiramisu kakigori, a soft serve made with Yakult (the cult favorite yogurt drink), and mocha bomboloncini, which tastes just like a fried Ferrero Rocher. —S.W.
Address: 40 Kenmare St., New York, NY 10012
Rule of Thirds
Rule of Thirds opened in Greenpoint just weeks before the pandemic struck. Yet this fledgling Japanese spot has persevered—thanks in no small part to its menu, which is arguably one of the most exciting in Brooklyn right now. Brunch is a major draw here: Japanese omelet with pecorino and trout roe, chicken katsu sandwich with mustard miso mayo, and the souffle pancakes are a few highlights. But it's the izakaya-style skewers that keep me coming back, like the chicken meatball sprinkled with sesame seeds and the sweet potato slathered in miso butter. (Follow up with a bowl of mazemen or the hamachi collar.) Better still, the open-air courtyard setup—candlelit tables spaced out underneath breezy canopies—makes outdoor dining in New York in December almost feel like a desirable choice. —Lale Arikoglu
Address: 171 Banker St., Brooklyn, NY 11222
Forsythia
There is some firepower behind this upscale Italian spot: Jacob Siwak and Mark Coleman come with experience at Olmsted and Rezdora, respectively. After spending the summer in a pop-up kitchen doing primarily takeout and meal kits, they settled into their permanent space in October. Snagging an outdoor reservation for spaghetti carbonara (not easy, even as it gets colder) could be one of those sneaky good finds with heaters for every outside table. —N.K.
Address: 9 Stanton St., New York, NY 10002
More Inspiration from Condé Nast Traveler
Canada's Rocky Mountaineer Train Is Heading to Colorado and Utah
The Best Destinations in the World: The 2021 Gold List
Riding through Russia on the Trans-Siberian Railway
50 Things to Do in Europe At Least Once in a Lifetime
The Most Beautiful Places in the World
The Best Travel Movies of All Time
