By Caroline Grogan By Caroline Grogan | August 16, 2021 | Food & Drink,
Gotham Guide is a weekly list of new restaurants, special menus and pop-ups throughout New York City. Support local businesses and head out on a culinary adventure with our suggestions below.
Summer might be winding down, but the number of hot new restaurants in NYC is only going up from here. This week’s Gotham Guide includes weekend brunch at a Mediterranean spot with stunning waterfront views, a Japanese cocktail bar tucked away on the Upper East Side and Good Humor inspired cookies that will have you screaming for ice cream.
See also: Now's Your Chance to Get $10 Cocktails in Brooklyn
NR
339 E 75th St / Website
On 75th and 1st Ave, behind a discreet door only marked “NR Open,” lies a new Japanese restaurant and cocktail bar serving up over-the-top cocktails, delectable light bites and a daily oyster happy hour in a dimly lit, romantic dining room. Seasonal menu offerings include a cold summer ramen with fresh Anago eel tempura as well as a “Yellow” frozen cocktail and a “Watermelon” cocktail inspired by the flavors and colors of long, hot summer days.
Celestine
1 John St / Website
Celestine, which reopened this earlier this year, is now once again offering weekend brunch. The stunning waterfront restaurant in Dumbo touts panoramic views of lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges from their open patio and glass-enclosed dining room. In addition to their well-known and loved cardamom sugar doughnuts, Celestine is offering an all-new brunch menu conceptualized by chef Sean Froedtert, formerly of Buvette and Cookship. Menu highlights include heirloom tomato stracciatella toast with sunny side up eggs, a buttermilk fried chicken sandwich with cabbage slaw and smoked whitefish toast with soft scrambled eggs.
Thief
595 Union Ave / Website
New Williamsburg dive bar Thief offers a taste of the 80s with a 21st century spin, featuring nostalgic decor including a black and silver checkerboard ceiling and original flyers from punk and hip-hop shows. Restaurateur John McNulty pairs the unbeatable energy of a causal dive bar with an elevated, contemporary bar program. While casual bites are offered all day, the star of the show is Thief’s killer wine menu, particularly the Friesling, a frozen riesling perfect for a refreshing pre- or post-dinner drink.
Chip City
30 Rockefeller Center / Website
Beloved cookie purveyor Chip City has opened their seventh brick-and-mortar location in Rockefeller Center, bringing even more ooey gooey cookies to the people of New York. The Rockefeller Center concourse will offer a daily changing selection of four of Chip City’s famous filling-stuffed cookies. Since it wouldn’t be summer without ice cream, Chip City is offering Good Humor inspired flavors including strawberry shortcake, vanilla sugar cookie with a sweet strawberry center topped with strawberry glaze and shortbread cookie crumbs, and chocolate eclair, a vanilla bean mousse base with with milk chocolate fudge filling topped with chocolate icing and cookie crumbs.
Aux Merveilleux de Fred
1001 6th Ave / Website
Iconic Paris pâtisserie Aux Merveilleux de Fred is bringing its famous merveilleux, a cake consisting of light meringue welded with whipped cream and dusted with chocolate shavings, uptown with the opening of its second NYC location in Midtown. The high end artisan pastry brand hailing straight from France offers merveilleux in bite size minis as well as full cakes, with other delights including chocolate chip and cramik brioche, croissants and meringues.
Hidden Lane
129 E 15th St / Website
Steps from Union Square lies Hidden Lane, a bi-level cocktail bar and with an easygoing vibe that is perfect for after-work drinks, a night out with friends or a date in the secluded backyard patio. Guests can head underground for the bar or sit in the lounge while enjoying a bar program with whimsical cocktails served in carved out watermelons and toucan-shaped glasses.
Old John’s Diner
148 W 67th St / Website
Head to the Upper West Side for a taste of the 50s at Old John’s Diner, formerly known as Old John’s Luncheonette, to enjoy classic American comfort food with updated takes on many dishes from the original menu. Resurrected by restaurateur and former Old John’s employee Louis Skibar, the diner is open for dinner and will eventually serve breakfast and brunch items all day long with dishes including buttermilk blueberry pancakes, a fried mortadella egg sandwich and a huevos rancheros skillet.
Photography by: Celestine
