There’s no set menu at Semilla (Spanish for “seed”), the pair’s intimate, vegetable-forward chef’s counter, with the rootsy output (8–10 courses for $75) changing weekly, sometimes daily. That spontaneity allows for constant revisions and brainy inventiveness—not a surprise given the couple’s pedigree. José Ramírez-Ruiz put in time in the experimental kitchens of César Ramirez at Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare and the Ignacio Mattos–era Isa, while Pamela Yung honed her skills via serious-minded pastry programs at Roberta’s and Torrisi Italian Specialties. Their cooking is as high-flying as it is powerfully fixed to the earth, a cerebral quality offset by genuinely warm service. (The chefs personally deliver dishes to diners at the stark, 18-seat ashwood bar.)
Tis that time of the year: the season of the “best of 2015” list. And the New York restaurant scene gave us plenty to choose from in 2015, jumping off a banner 2014 (Cosme, Shuko) to welcome Michelin-starred stunners like vegetarian chef’s table Semilla and tempura omakase Tempura Matsui, scrappy wine-fueled spots like Wildair and Rebelle, and one viral-level fried chicken sandwich. These are New York’s best new restaurants of the year.
RECOMMENDED: See the best of 2015