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[title]The following venues are expected to open by November 13th. Always call ahead, as openings can be delayed.
Bombay Sandwich Co. At this ten-seat Indian-influenced cafe, find vegetarian sandwiches like the Chana Masala (curried chickpeas, pickled onions, green-apple-and-cilantro chutney) and the Smogasbomb (potatoes, dried mango powder, tomatoes) on Orwasher’s Bakery bread. Also on the menu are smoothies, including the Coco-Cocoa, made with coconut water, coffee, chocolate powder and bananas. 48 W 27th St between Broadway and Sixth Ave (646-781-9756)
Botanic Lab Miguel Aranda (Bar Masa, Apotheke) oversees the drinks program at this 35-seat bar below Casa Mezcal. Choose from vegetal cocktails—including ones made with herbs grown on the building’s roof—like the Cucumber Bramble (velvet falernum, cucumber water, mint) and Midori Tails (gin, yuzu, edamame puree). Vintage apothecary bottles decorate the cozy underground cellar, which hosts live performances by DJ Bobby Nourmand, a fashion-world regular. 86 Orchard St between Broome and Grand Sts (212-777-2661)
Burning Waters Cantina Apotheke alum Esteban Ordonez reincarnates a storied space—previously a ‘60s Beat hang and a Hells Angels haunt—as a throwback cantina. Modeled after Spanish and Italian wine caves, the low-lit basement spot is styled with raw cement floors, cobblestone walls and a 15-seat marble-topped bar. Ordonez highlights South American flavors in cocktails like the Colombian Power (rum, lulo-basil puree, club soda and camucamu powder) and the Diablito (pisco, ginger beer, lime and Cedilla liqueur). Beers both local and Latin (Kelso Pilsner, Negra Modelo) are on tap, with Aguila available by the bottle. 116 MacDougal St between Bleecker St and Minetta Ln (646-707-0078)
Empire Steakhouse At this old-school chops house—equipped with a 50-foot marble bar, dark yellow leather chairs and beige wallpaper—Peter Luger alums dole out seafood alongside meaty specialties. Like the Rockefeller Center flagship, this second midtown location features dry-aged steaks (filet mignon, prime rib), as well as sides like truffled mac and cheese and a fried-mozzarella-and-tomato salad. 237 W 54th St between Broadway and Eighth Ave (212-582-6900)
Glorietta Baldy With bars in Park Slope (Mission Dolores, the Owl Farm) and Carroll Gardens (Bar Great Harry) under their belt, beer-loving brothers Ben, Seth and Mike Wiley venture farther north for their latest drinkery. Housed in a former Bed-Stuy hair salon, the bar joins spots like Bed-Vyne Brews and Black Swan in bolstering the neighborhood’s craft-beer scene. This 55-seat drinkery echoes the divey, low-key vibe of the trio’s other watering holes: exposed brick walls, linoleum floors and two rock-themed pinball machines. Twelve taps rotate among drafts both local (Bronx Brewery, Barrier Brewing Co.) and out-of-state (Michigan’s New Holland, Maryland’s Stillwater Artisanal Ales). A bottle-of-the-month program highlights large-format brews, while four types of chili (lamb, chicken, beef and vegetarian) are available to accompany the booze. 502 Franklin Ave between Fulton and Hancock Sts, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn (347-529-1945)
Gotham West Market Once devoid of gourmet-grocery options, Hell’s Kitchen got a one-two punch in 2013 with the opening of both Brooklyn Fare and this block-long food mall. The 15,000-square-foot retail-dining mecca is divided into eight culinary stalls—such as Blue Bottle Coffee, and Brooklyn Kitchen—as well as a full-service NYC Velo bike shop. The food court includes Ivan Ramen Slurp Shop, where the noodle guru offers his famed shio, shoyu and chili-sesame varieties; Little Chef, the salad offshoot of Caroline Fidanza’s Saltie sandwich shop; and El Colmado tapas bar from Seamus Mullen (Tertulia). Each stall has communal tables, with garage doors opening to sidewalk seating outside El Colmado and the Cannibal’s cocktail-and-charcuterie post. 600 Eleventh Ave between 44th and 45th Sts (212-582-7940)
Otto’s Tacos California native Otto Cedeno doles out Mexican eats at this 13-seat joint lined with wood panels and white subway tiles. House-made corn tortillas are topped with your choice of six proteins, including shrimp with serrano crema and beer-braised carnitas. Along with horchata, there are micheladas and Mexican beers. 141 Second Ave between St. Marks Pl and E 9th St (646-678-4018)
Rôtisserie Georgette Two Daniel Boulud vets strike out on their own with this 90-seat rotisserie on the Upper East Side, decorated with steel columns and caramel-colored banquettes. Led by Georgette Farkas—the toque’s publicist for nearly two decades—the restaurant showcases spit-fired roasts, including organic Zimmerman Farm chicken, huckleberry-glazed duck breast and rib-eye steak with béarnaise sauce. Former Boulud banquet chef David Malbequi—last seen at East Village’s Prima—helms the kitchen, turning out seasonal sides like a cauliflower steak with sunchokes, pancetta-studded brussels sprouts and four takes on potatoes (roasted, fried, pureed and stuffed with black truffles). Legendary Daniel sommelier Jean-Luc Le Dû, now a wineshop owner, curates a vino list showcasing lesser-known French producers. 14 E 60th St between Fifth and Madison Aves (212-390-8060)
Totto Ramen Bobby Munekata doubles down on his midtown noodle-shop holdings, issuing a second outpost of his mobbed 52nd Street ramen-ya. Located one block south of the original, the 35-seat spot offers staple bowls—spicy pork paitan with sesame oil, miso ramen with wavy egg noodles—along with seafood dishes, like a briny noodle soup bobbing with blue crabmeat and shrimp. Beyond the strands, find steamed dumplings, pork buns and donburi (rice bowls) topped with spicy tuna or char siu. 464 W 51st St between Ninth and Tenth Aves (212-581-0051)
Wallflower Daniel bar vet Xavier Herit puts his polished touch on populist tippling at this casual West Village cocktail joint. Outfitted with whitewashed brick walls and a pressed-copper ceiling, the 45-seat space offers a seasonal quaffs. Choose from drinks like a gin-based Betty Draper (calvados, Manzanilla sherry, apple bitters), the Sho Sho (carrot shochu, sherry, Virgil’s root beer) and a bottled Tête de Mule, Herit’s carbonated riff on the Moscow Mule. Offset the booze with a French-leaning menu from Maison Premiere alum Jared Stafford-Hill—shareable plates include beef tartare with horseradish cream, a foie gras sandwich with peach mostarda and sea scallops with smoked caviar. 235 W 12th St between Greenwich Ave and W 4th St (no phone)
Winter Warmers Cozy up with s’mores at this seasonal pop-up, open through March. Make your own version of the campfire treat with flavored marshmallows (coconut, strawberry) and toppings like chocolate mint chips and peanut butter cups. To drink: apple cider and four varieties of hot chocolate, including butterscotch and dark cocoa. 808 Union St at Seventh Ave, Park Slope, Brooklyn (no phone yet)