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[title]The following venues are expected to open by December 25th. Always call ahead, as openings can be delayed.
All'onda Classic Italian wasn’t the springboard for Chris Cannon’s rebound into the restaurant scene. Instead, the former Altamarea big gun—who cut ties with partner Michael White in 2011—tapped Al Fiori vet Chris Jaeckle to refract Venetian through a Japanese lens for his 80-seat comeback. Jaeckle—who boned up on high-end Asian fusion during a tenure at Morimoto—connects the purist, ingredient-driven qualities of both cuisines. On the menu are house-made tortellini in Parmesan dashi with ricotta dumplings; roasted strip loin with mostarda and Parmesan potatoes; and crispy suckling pig. The all-Italian wine program is more traditional, with Cannon spotlighting sparkling varieties (prosecco, soave) from the country’s northern regions. 22 E 13th St between Fifth Ave and University Pl (212-231-2236)
Bavaria Bierhaus At this bi-level beer hall, servers have donned traditional lederhosen and dirndls for lugging pints of German beers like Schofferhofer Grapefruit and Hofbräu Dunkel. To soak up the suds, find Deutsch bites like jagerschnitzel and sausages. The wooden bar was imported from German town Erding, and there is a 70-seat outdoor space for warm-weather boozing. 19 South William St at Broad St (entrance on Stone St) (no phone yet)
Dillinger's Brighton Beach seeps into Bushwick with this Russian tearoom, from Soviet-born, Brooklyn-raised duo Ksenya Roz and Mary Kaushansky. Decor nods to the motherland—with porcelain teapots and Ukrainian children’s books on display—as does the menu of homestyle Eastern European fare. Alongside café staples like croissants, there are potato-and-mushroom pelmeni dumplings, blini with three sauces (condensed milk, Nutella and seaberry jam), and buckwheat porridge topped with roasted mushrooms and a poached egg. An outdoor patio features a custom grill for shish kebabs and a large mural of a three-eyed red bear. 146 Evergreen Ave between Jefferson and Troutman Sts, Bushwick, Brooklyn (718-484-3222)
Dover Joseph Ogrodnek and Walker Stern—the chef-owners behind lauded Smith Street spot Battersby—stick to locavore American fare for this 50-seat follow-up. In the dining room—outfitted with burgundy-leather banquettes, an angular bar and exposed brick walls—choose a seven-course tasting menu or go à la carte. Seasonal dishes include winter squash with hazelnut and pecorino; spaghetti Nero with peekytoe crab and preserved chili; and beef rib eye with Pont-Neuf potatoes and bone marrow. 412 Court St between 1st and 2nd Pls, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn (347-987-3545)
Fogo de Chao The three-level midtown outpost of this Brazilian steakhouse chain carves up more than a dozen varieties of all-you-can-eat beef (bacon-wrapped filet mignon, garlic-seasoned sirloin), as well as Parmesan-crusted pork loin, lamb chops and chicken legs. Color-coded cards are doled out to each table so guests can signal servers when they're ready to order more. To drink, find tropical cocktails like mojitos and Brazil's national quaff, the caipirinha (cachaça, muddled lime and sugar). 40 W 53rd St between Fifth and Sixth Aves (212-969-9980)
Grindhaus Soho dominatrix Erin Norris switches to the restaurant business with this 20-seat Red Hook eatery, outfitted with mismatched wood chairs, a zebra-printed ceiling fan and a taxidermied horse. Co-chefs Leon Douglas and Aaron Taber (the Pines) offer meaty small plates like lamb-neck piccole borsa (stuffed pasta), pork cheek with onion jam and cracklings, and merguez alongside chickpeas and artichokes. Cheese, pasta and sausage—hand-cranked vintage grinders top the tables—are all made in-house, and naturally leavened bread is baked in a backyard wood oven. 275 Van Brunt St between Pioneer St and Visitation Pl, Red Hook, Brooklyn (718-909-2881)
Park Kitchen Inside midtown's Park Central Hotel, this 70-seat dining room offers elevated takes on comfort food. On the menu, find a PB&J on toast—here with braised pork belly and pepper jam—chicken-fried chicken with pickled egg and honey, and fish-and-chips with caper aioli. Draft beers skew local (Keegan, Sixpoint), and cocktails are borough-inspired, like the Manahatta (corn whiskey, Martini Bianco, peach bitters, pickled baby corn) and the Staten Island Frappe (rum, pineapple juice, Sarsaparilla dry bitters). 870 Seventh Ave between 55th and 56th Sts (212-247-8000)
The Park 112 This 90-seat Harlem wine bar—styled with illuminated communal tables and brown-leather banquettes—is equipped with a self-serve Enomatic wine machine, allowing guests to pick and pour varieties with a prepaid card. In addition to the 60-bottle wine list, find global fare (carrot-coconut soup, spice-crusted rack of lamb) from Aquavit alum Kingsley John. 2080 Fredrick Douglass Blvd (Eighth Ave) at 112th St (646-524-6610)
Patacon Pisao LES At this takeout spot, decorated with tropical graffiti, the Washington Heights food-truckers dole out gluten-free Venezuelan dishes. Choose from patacóns (fried-plantain sandwiches), cachapas (sweet-corn cakes) and empanadas. 139 Essex St between Rivington and Stanton Sts (646-678-5913)
Ristorante Morini Empire builder Michael White has been on an expansion tear in late 2013, busting out his bi-level steakhouse, Costata, and retro supper club, the Butterfly, in a span of two months. For his third and final venture of the year, White seeks to cement his reputation as Gotham’s pasta authority, propelling beyond the Emilia-Romagna specialties at Soho’s rustic Osteria Morini. The toque tapped longtime Altamarea chef Gordon Finn to helm this higher-end spin-off, covering fare from all over the Boot: cacio e pepe (Roman), duck-heart cacciatore (Tuscan) and gnocchi alla Sorrentina (Sorrento). A ground-floor café leads up to the dining room, outfitted with beige suede, mahogany wood and chandeliers by Italian lighting company Flos. 1167 Madison Ave at 85th St (347-854-0150)
Telepan Local Bill Telepan had a busy 2013—along with redesigning his eight-year-old Upper West Side namesake, the locavore champion also branched off with this small-plates spot in Tribeca. A more casual undertaking than his Michelin-starred flagship, the menu features shareable snacks like foie gras doughnuts and shrimp poppers with green-chili aioli. To sate more ample appetites, the 80-seat spot—decorated with wood banquettes and spherical lamps—also offers grilled short ribs and quail à l'orange. 329 Greenwich St between Duane and Jay Sts (212-966-9255)
Whole Foods Market At its first Brooklyn location, the grocery chain features items from nearby artisans (Anarchy in a Jar jams, White Moustache yogurt), as well as a 20,000-square-foot rooftop greenhouse built in partnership with Gotham Greens, whose produce is sold at the store. Dine-in options includes a Yuji Ramen outpost and the Roof, a restaurant and taproom serving Brooklyn Brine pickles, NY State cheeses and local craft ales (Sixpoint, Captain Lawrence). 214 3rd St at Third Ave, Gowanus, Brooklyn (no phone yet)