Where To Eat and Drink in NYC This Weekend

Adress and phone: 1261 Park Ave (no phone yet) Website: facebook.com/DoughLoco Good for: Early morning sugar rush, Central Park picnic supply run The man behind uptown dining destinations ABV and Earl's Beer and Cheese recognized it was time to make donuts his latest culinary endeavor. With off-the-wall fillings and flavor combinations, Corey Cova's East Harlem dough rolling operation aims to help us break out our best Homer Simpson impression. Order this: For donuts, opt for the chocolate-and-stout and miso-maple. For caffeine, Blue Bottle espresso will be on hand to wash down dough and help avoid that midday sugar crash.

Adress and phone: 228 First Ave (212-432-0011) Website: tavernakyclades.com Good for: A taste of the Meditteranean without having to board a cruise This long time Astoria standout makes its way west, offering Manhattanites a taste of Meditteranean specialties. Heaping portions of fresh seafood at reasonable prices make this a perfect fit in the East Village. Order this: Grilled octopus, sea bass, and the potato and garlic dip with some extra pita. The wine list features many reasonably priced red and whites, but you may as well opt for one of the Greek selections such as Boutari Santorini, a white wine with hints of green apple, peach, and grapefruit. Opa!

Adress and phone: 80 N. 7th St. (718-388-8833) Website: facebook.com/shelterpizza Good for: Fans of communal tables Freshly baked empanadas and pizza receive star treatment in a lodge-like atmosphere at this new Williamsburg restaurant from the owner's of neighboring Rosarito Fish Shack. There's also tapas and a full service bar focused on whiskey, not to mention an epic antler chandelier and bear's head. Order this: Quattro stagioni pizza, empanadas with spinach, corn, and Béchamel sauce

Adress and phone: 447 Amsterdam Ave (646-684-4615) Website: thesocialhousenyc.com Good for: People who support the local movement The bartenders at this recently opened Upper West Side cocktail bar make their syrups from scratch, and their beverage program is filled with items from local wineries and small batch distilleries. There's also a late night menu for those revelers looking to grab a bite before bed. Order this: Salt and pepper ribs with kale slaw, ceviche

Adress and phone: 24 W 8th St (212-777-6455) Website: 5ozfactory.com Good for: Cheeseheads Frozen custard, cheese melts, and shakes bring a slice of Wisconsin cheddar to the Big Apple courtesy of founder Dan Schuman. The fast casual restaurant is the first of its kind in New York and introduced a new dessert option—Midwestern-style frozen custard—to the Manhattan dining scene. Order this: Birthday cake shake, Smokey & The Meatball Melt

Adress and phone: 36 E 20th St (212-777-8448) Website: trattoriailmulino.com Good for: Fans of Disney's Lady and The Tramp Il Mulino mania continues with the opening of the new trattoria, which also has locations in Atlantic City and Orlando. The scene offers upscale Italian fare like spaghtettini with spicy crab and Meyer lemon in sleek surroundings with a welcoming staff ready to please. Order this: Uovo purgatorio (eggs poached in tomato sauce), cornish hen

Adress and phone: W 79th St at Riverside Dr (212-496-5542) Website: sweeteacity.com Good for: Reliving college tailgates, southerners Bringing southern hospitality—and plenty of that beloved sweet tea—up to New York, this event aims to help bring back the coed in you with a giant pig roast. Tickets start at $70 and include all the BBQ, beer, and college football you can handle. Order this: BBQ pork, sausauge, and pretty much anything that is put on a plate in front of you. To quench your thirst, opt for South Carolina's own Firefly sweet tea vodka in a solo cup and get your best chant ready.

Address and phone: 5-14 51st Ave, Long Island City, Queens (718-937-7494) Website: AlewifeQueens.com Good for: Expanding your oyster palate, tasting fall beers. This weekend is the beginning of Oktoberfest; it's also the end of New York oyster week. To celebrate the confluence of these two great events, Long Island City craft beer bar Alewife is putting on "Oystoberfest," where $65 will buy you unlimited oysters (choose from more than 20 varieties) and seasonal craft beer pours. Order this: In terms of oysters, try the Naked Cowboy, a wild variety from Long Island (most oysters are farmed these days, so wild ones are extra special). Then move onto the briny but mild Beau Soleil, from New Brunswick. Beers: Greenport Harbor Leaf Pile; Avery Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest.

Address and phone: Sara D. Roosevelt Park, Houston between Chrystie St and Forsyth St (212-219-0258) Website: DumplingFestival.com Good for: Getting your dumpling on in a park. This time last year, dumpling king David “Tiger Wings n Things” Brunelli devoured 74 dumplings in two minutes, and this Saturday, he will attempt to top his record against a harem of contenders in the 10th annual NYC dumpling eating contest. Whether the contest itself sounds intriguing or just nasty, this event is also a dumpling feast on the fringe of Chinatown, and the diverse fare includes savory stuffed dumplings from over eight different countries, including pierogies from Poland, mandoo from Korea, and ravioli from Italy. $20 buys you festival entry and dumplings from four vendors. Order this: As many plump dumplings as you can get your hands on.

Address and phone: 133 Essex St (212-674-7100) Website: sonsofessexnyc.com Good for: Noshing over Walter White's final act of self destruction Sunday Night is the series finale of AMC's Breaking Bad, and if the last seven episodes are any indication, we're expecting a shocker. To celebrate, Sons of Essex in the Lower East Side is hosting a viewing party. For those of us without cable—or for those of us who prefer to enjoy a good train wreck in public—the Sons of Essex bartenders will be mixing special cocktails like the "Walter White" (rye, green chartreuse, maraschino, lemon), and the "Heisenberg," a sweet gin tipple with a blue rock candy garnish (get it?). They'll also be slinging a fried chicken dish called "El Pollo Hermano," homage to the late, great Gustavo Fring. Is it Sunday yet? Also, for Brooklynites, Tutu's will host a similar soiree in its back dining room in Bushwick. Order this: Heisenberg, BITCH! Then go eat yourself some Pollos Hermanos... It may be the last chance you get.

Address and phone: 120 Rivington St (212-466-3360) Website: SchapirosNYC.com Good for: Haute cocktails, embracing local LES history Since opening this June, Schapiro's has fostered a hushed but consistent buzz for its homey, Jewish-influenced dishes and swanky cocktails from the mixologists behind Death & Co. The space is loaded with artifacts from eras past in a way that's unpretentious and delightful, and we're glad it hasn't received the mad attention from the presses that other LES openings have. So, stop in this weekend for a solid brunch or dinner before the masses discover it. Order this: Cocktails: Smoke and Mirrors (scotch, lime, absinthe, mint); Green Acres (jalapeño-infused tequila, Mezcal, celery, lime, salt). Snacks: porcini-crusted scallops; potato dumplings.

Address and phone: Res, 372 Columbia St, Red Hook, Brooklyn (no phone) Website: LeFooding.com Good for: Eating your way through French culinary history. Le Grand Fooding is an annual French feast prepared by an international cast of renowned chefs. This year, Anna Polansky and crew are formatting their grand fete as a time capsule, with courses reflecting recent eras in French fare: "Fusion, 1991-1999," "Bistronomy, 1998-2007," and "Farm to Table, 2008-2013." Your $100 ticket buys you a dinner sure to impress, and major foodie bragging rights. Order this: It's a tasting menu, so just enjoy whatever richness the Frenchies throw at you.

Address and phone: Essex St Market, 120 Essex St (212-674-7100) Website: LucaandBosco.com Good for: Expanding your ice cream horizons; eating ice cream in inappropriate weather OK, we get it: it's fall now. But that doesn't mean you can't continue taking advantage of the gourmet ice cream trend that's been sweeping New York for a couple seasons now-- at Luca and Bosco, which has a new stand in the Essex Street Market, owners Catherine Oddenino and Ruthie Vishlitzkyrs are serving up strange and awesome flavors like goat cheese, milky tea, and rosemary olive oil with spicy cashew caramel. So, if Saturday morning has you craving a sweet treat, take a wander through the market and see what they're scooping. Order this:  The goat cheese ice cream demands a taste, no? Or, the gin & juice sorbet.

Address and phone: Times Square pedestrian mall (no phone) Website: Koreanfoodfair.com Good for: A solid reason to visit Times Square this weekend; live music; kimchi This weekend, tourists and other visitors to Times Square will be treated to Korean food and cultural performances from New York's Korean Marching Band, Yanghyung Soul Factory (jazz), I Love Dance, and others. With over 25 vendors participating, swing by the crossroads of the world for tea and kimchi, roasted seaweed, and other Korean treats. Order this: Make it your goal to try at least three new things.

Address and phone: 311 E 60th St (212-355-2337) Website: Facebook/TheJeffreyNYC Good for: Craft beer, cocktails, and snacks From the folks behind Alewife in Long Island City comes a new craft beer bar, this one at the foot of the 59th Street/Queensboro Bridge on 60th street. There's ample backyard seating, so bring a sweater and enjoy a cold one outside before the season forces you inside for the winter. With snacks like deviled eggs, beef jerky, and a suprisingly ambitious charcuterie selection that includes pate and wild boar sausage, there is plenty to whet your palate for another beer. Order this: The Jeffrey Rubenstein, Allagash Saison Rye

Address and phone: 370 Tompkins Ave, Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn (347-915-1080) Website: Bedvyne.com Good for: Wine tastings with Nelson Mandela's family; ending Oktoberfest right. This evening, Bed Vyne wine shop is hosting some very special guests. From 6:00-8:00 p.m., join Makaziwe and Tukwini Mandela (daughter and granddaughter to the great Nelson) as they celebrate their new South African winery. Then on Saturday, Bed-Vyne's newish beer hall will anchor an end-of-Octoberfest celebration with local fall beers (Kelso Pumpkin, Coney Island Freaktoberfest, Ithaca Pumpkin, and others), and food trucks from Delaney Barbecue (AKA Briskettown), Khem Jerk Shop, The Bush Doctor, La Bella Torte, and Cuzen Duzen Doughnuts. Order this: Kelso Pumpkin Ale; Delaney BBQ brisket.

Address and phone: Various (866-969-2933) Website: NYCWFF.org Good for: Schooling yourself on anything food-related; being a part of something big The New York City Wine & Food Festival definitely has its temptations, like a Burger Bash hosted by Pat LaFrieda and a Sunday Pizza Party with slices from some of the city's best pie twirlers. With the festival proceeds going to the NYC Food Bank, most of the events feel pretty damn worth the money. Go to this: Friday: Blue Moon Burger Bash ; Saturday: Times Talks with the NYT Food Critics; Sunday: La Sagra Sunday Slices Pizza Party

Address and phone: 355 W 16th St (646-625-4825) Website: Dreamhotels.com Good for: Groovy smoothies and wraps If you're not staying there, the Dream Downtown is much more of an evening haunt than a daytime destination. But this weekend, the Dream is teaming up with beloved Soho juice bar Melvin's Juice Box and opening a new spot serving Melvin's organic smoothies and juices and healthy bites from chef Michael Armstrong throughout the day and evening. With options like a green salad with green goddess dressing made with Melvin’s juice, or a roast turkey sandwich with cranberry mustard on focaccia—healthy dining never tasted so good. And with Melvin's legendary cheer and great reggae tunes, you know you'll leave in a great mood. Order this: Double down on the juice, friends.

Address and phone: 173 Irving Ave, Bushwick, Brooklyn (929-210-9531) Website: Nyccupcakerun.com Good for: Simultaneously consuming and burning calories Sweeten up your Saturday run with a cupcake or three, and log a 5k race in beautiful Astoria park while you're at it. The run begins at 11, so you'll be done and ready to get back to the business of eating and drinking your way through the rest of your weekend by noon. Plus, Astoria's a great place to get started with that gourging, too. Order this: Run, cupcake, run!

Address and phone: 1170 Broadway (347-472-5660) Website: Thenomadhotel.com Good for: White truffles at market wholesale price To celebrate white-truffle season, the NoMad is serving the luxe delicacy at cost this weekend, which means that instead of paying an insane markup to have its handsome waitstaff shave a few shards of musky, pungent, umami flavor over your roast duck, suckling pig, or lobster tagliatelle, you pay market wholesale price. Welcome to the good life. Order this: Lobster tagliatelle and roast chicken. And truffles—lots and lots of truffles.

Address and phone: 235 West 12th St (no phone yet) Website: Yelp/Wallflower Good for: Date-night drinks, chilling at the bar solo The West Village has been in need of a neighborhood cocktail bar that's not as heaving as Employees Only, or as hard to get into as Little Branch. Though its only been open a few nights, this new West Village nook—opened by Daniel alum Xavier Herit and Maison Premiere alum Jared Stafford-Hill—is already filling that void admirably. The service is the rare mix of warm and refined, and the drinks list has classic reference points with enough curious tweaks to catch a jaded barfly's attention—the Tête de Mule is a gin-based, Moscow Mule-inspired carbonated cocktail served with a straw and a sprig of fresh mint, while the Good Point (Rittenhouse Rye 100, Byrrh Quinquina, Luxardo Maraschino, orange bitters) is ideal for the brown-and-stirred crowd. Impressively, the tiny kitchen turns out a full menu of shareable, vaguely French bar bites—so far, the house-made charcuterie and the mini foie-gras-and-peach-mostarda sandwich are the highlights.—Chris Schonberger Order this: Tête de Mule, Good Point, foie gras sandwich

Address and phone: 47 E Houston St (212-219-7693) Website: estelanyc.com Good for: A scene; phenomenal cocktails and shareable plates New Yorkers first began paying attention to Ignacio Mattos when he helmed the kitchen at Isa in Williamsburg. Isa closed, and in June, Mattos opened the spare and intimate Estela in Nolita. Mattos cooking is weird, and that is not a bad thing. He takes dishes that sound boring or overdone—like a plate of burrata—and he makes them extraordinary. His burrata "sits like whipped cream on charred bread," writes NYTimes restaurant critic Pete Wells. Mattos' beef tartare with sunchoke is, again, different from the tartare you're used to. But maybe it's just better than the tartare you're used to. Crisp sunchoke is incorporated into the diced raw beef, giving the dish a sweetness and crunch it so desperately needs. Let's not forget about cocktails, because the Tompkins Square cocktail (a twist on the Manhattan) is superb. The cocktail is spicy but smooth, and has a fruity note from the addition of the fruit brandy kirschwasser. Estela makes us thankful we live in New York, a place where the out of the ordinary is not only accepted, its sought after. Order this: Beef tartare with sunchoke; Burrata with salsa verde and charred bread; Ricotta dumplings with mushrooms, onion, and pecorino sardo; Tompkins Square cocktail (rye, kirschwasser, Maurin Quina, Benedictine, and allspice dram)

Address and phone: Pier 1 on the Harbor View Lawn in Brooklyn Bridge Park, DUMBO, Brooklyn Website: lukeslobster.com/shop/lobsterboil Good for: Feasting on lobster next to the East River Who doesn't want to feast on a whole boiled lobster in Brooklyn Bridge Park on Saturday afternoon? Beats us. At Luke's Lobster's first-ever lobster boil event, happening from 2:30-5:30pm this Saturday, you can feast on lobster, corn, potatoes, cole slaw, blueberry cake, Arnold Palmers, and hot apple cider for $40. Peak Organic beer will be available for purchase, and there will be live music to set the mood for your lobster feasting. Don't forget to bring a cozy blanket—Brooklyn Bridge Park is next to the water. Order this: Lobster, lobster, LOBSTER.

Address and phone: 604 Union St, Gowanus, Brooklyn (347-429-7030) Website: dinosaurbarbque.com Good for: Some serious 'cue in a gragantuan warehouse Dinosaur Bar-B-Que's massive new outpost in Gowanus opened earlier this summer following much excitement and anticipation from NYC and Brooklyn BBQ fans. The menu is similar to the one at the original Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Syracuse, featuring chicken wings, moist brisket sandwiches, pork ribs, and sides like mac and cheese and porky BBQ beans. Brooklyn specific dishes include Breakfast All Day ($13.95), which includes smoked brisket and poblano hash topped with a sunny side up egg. Order this: Wings, ribs, brisket, beans, pulled pork poutine. Head to Four & Twenty Blackbirds afterwards for some out-of-this-world seasonal pies.

Address and phone: Ardesia: 510 W 52nd St (212-247-9191) Website: animalfarmbuttermilk.eventbrite.com Good for: Tasting the extraordinary buttermilk of Orwell, Vermont's Animal Farm Saxelby Cheesemongers and Diane St Clair of Animal Farm in Vermont are hosting a three-course tasting event at Ardesia in Hell's Kitchen on Saturday afternoon. All three courses will be made using Diane's exceptional buttermilk, which is the liquid left over from making Animal Farm's butter, which is sold exclusively to The French Laundry and Per Se. The lunch's $75 pricetag includes one copy of the Animal Farm Buttermilk Cookbook. During the tasting event, Diane will talk about her farm, her butter making, and what makes her products unique. Order this: The tasting menu includes: microgreen salad wraps with green goddess dressing, harrisa dressing, and caesar dressing; artichoke and spinach crostini with buttermilk béchamel; shrimp and grits. The menu will be paired with wines and ciders.

Address and phone: 126 North 6th St, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-782-1445) Website: baoburgnyc.com Good for: French dishes with a Spanish/Thai flair The dinner and brunch menus at Baoburg, opened by chef Suchanan "Bao Bao" Aksornnan, draw from the culinary traditions of France, Spain, and Thailand. This cultural mashup results in delectable-sounding dishes like eggs smothered with Chinese sausage, bacon, habaneros, and cheddar, as well as seared duck breast served atop ramen noodles in a duck consommé. Order this: You should probably visit for lunch this Saturday, then stay for dinner so you can try both the eggs with Chinese sausage and duck ramen. Slow-cooked veal stew and roasted octopus legs with chorizo don't sound too shabby, either.

Address and phone: 1108 Cortelyou Rd, Flatbush, Brooklyn (718-287-3101) Website: thefarmonadderley.com Good for: Feasting on goat, sipping on cider Goat is the most widely consumed meat in the world, but many of us Americans don't eat it regularly. On Sunday night from 5:30-10:30 pm, The Farm on Adderley in Flatbush is giving you a chance to taste goat in all its glory; we're talking roasted goat, goat tacos, goat cheese—the works. The restaurant will also have a cider bar in celebration of the closing night of cider week, beer from Penn Brewing, and live music from Dirty Mac & The Bumper Crop Boys. Tickets are $30 (buy 'em here) and include four food and drink tokens. Goat will be provided by Heritage Foods. Order this: Goat tacos, roasted goat, local cheese, and all the craft beer and cider you can guzzle. Extra food and drink tokens are available for $7 a pop.

Address and phone: 265 Elizabeth St (212-219-0764) Website: MusketRoom.com Good for: Impressing a hot date, checking out a new Michelin starred restaurant Armed with a newly-minted Michelin star, Matt Lambert's New Zealand-inspired Nolita hotspot, which opened this summer, is facing fall with its clip fully loaded. Stop in for hearty dishes like New Zealand red deer with flavors of gin, or roasted chicken breast with confit yolk and asparagus. Or, you can opt for a selection of small plates like quail with blackberries, cold-smoked scallops, and parsnip custard. If you're looking for a truly extravagant evening, you could just leave it up to the chef and choose between the two tasting menus (6 courses for $75 or 10 courses for $115). Order this: Make a night of it and go for the $115 tasting menu, because you're a baller.

Address and phone: 1 Hanson Pl, Fort Greene, Brooklyn (212-780-0121) Website: VillageVoice.com/Brooklyn-Pour Good for: Drinking local brews For its third annual local brewfest, the Village Voice has culled more than 100 local craft beers for a tasting beneath the arches at Skylight One Hansen, a former bank in Fort Greene, and regular home to the Brooklyn Flea. There will also be a food court on-hand featuring Yayo's Cuban Sandwiches, Carino Mexican, and hot dogs from Los Perros Locos, ensuring you need not drink on an empty stomach. Order this: As many fall seasonal beers as you can handle.

Address and phone: 117 2nd Ave (212-777-3600) Website: PicnicEastVillage.com Good for: Brunch, sticky buns Last weekend, chef Nicholas Nostadt debuted brunch service at Picnic, his new-ish East Village spot, and he's back at it again this weekend with hangover-killing dishes like smoked salmon cheese balls with dill, capers, and pickled onion, a smoked cheddar scramble with turkey confit and hen of the woods, and the brunch burger, with bacon, egg and cheddar. Nostadt will also be serving up his Grandma's own sticky buns in a variety of flavors including caramel, bourbon pecan, and cinnamon sugar. Order this: Caramel sticky buns? Count us in.

Address and phone: 295 Flatbush Ave, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn (718-230-0427) Website: MarcosBrooklyn.com Good for: Sampling the latest from the Franny's crew After much anticipation, Andrew Feinberg and Francine Stephens opened Italian trattoria Marco's in the old Franny's space on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn. Chef Danny Amend, who spent years in the kitchen at Franny’s and Per Se, is in residence cooking up a nightly changing menu that includes dishes like wood grilled lamb chops, striped bass, charred duck hearts, and zucchini in carpione. Order this: Since the menu changes every day, we can't predict what'll be on offer this weekend, but we trust them. And so should you.

Address and phone: 542 W 27th St (212-564-1662) Website: Mckittrickhotel.com/Gallowgreen Good for: Enjoying the last gasp of patio dining season As leaves and temps start to drop, restaurants throughout the five boroughs are pulling in their patio furniture. Shabby-chic Chelsea rooftop restaurant Gallow Green—part of the McKittrick Hotel, home to hit theater production Sleep No More—is no exception. Stop by the garden restaurant for a bottomless cocktail, a live jazz brunch on Sunday (likely the last of the season), or visit during sunset hours for dinner or cocktails. And don't forget to pack a sweater. Order this: Cider braised pork shoulder; Viejo Verde cocktail

Address and phone: 173 Irving Ave, Bushwick, Brooklyn (929-210-9531) Website: FritzlsLunchBox.com Good for: Burgers, brunch Fritzl's Lunch Box, which opened last Spring in Bushwick, is getting stellar reviews from the press. We like the place for its low-key vibe and well-executed but unpretentious (not to mention affordable) food. Highlights include a burger that's won tons of praise from food bloggers around the city, and during brunch, a kale and feta scramble. If it's nice out, this is another great place to enjoy a final fall meal al fresco. Order this: Kale and feta scramble; fried cauliflower; burger with chopped pickles, onions, and special sauce

Address and phone: 53-61 Gansevoort St (646-561-3931) Website: MaltnMash.com Good for: Kickin' it old school This Saturday, Meatpacking party palace Malt & Mash will debut a new bi-weekly brunch party, aptly named "Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Brunch." Get your weekend off to a rollicking start with live DJs spinning throwback hip hop and R&B jams as you nosh on avant-garde grub from chef Nahid Ahmed, like smoked salmon with runny eggs and truffle bruleé, or a duck prosciutto sandwich with smoked ramp aioli. Order this: Grab a bloody, buddy. And then dance on the tables.

Address and phone: The Tunnel: 269 11th Ave (718-937-7494) Website: hammersandclaws.com Good for: Crab, corn, and craft beer September is blue crab season. Celebrate by smashing through steaming towers of crustaceans dusted in Old Bay seasoning, and downing craft beers from Louisiana's Abita Brewing Company. $95 gets you three hours of unlimited crabbing and drinking in the traditional Maryland manner. Once you've eaten your fill of crab, go for a Pat LaFrieda hot dog, corn bread, and corn on the cob. Take your pick of three seatings: Saturday afternoon, Saturday night, and Sunday afternoon. Order this: Abita makes a killer fall fest beer, and their golden ale is smooth as honey. Other than that, it's all about the crab.

Address and phone: 243 E 14th St (212-777-7717) Website: thewinslownyc.com Good for: Gin, British pub fare, and escaping the Union Square riffraff This charming cocktail bar succeeds in capturing the essence of a classic British inspired public house. NoMad bartender (and Tales of the Cocktail winner) Dominic Venegas has devoted an entire section of his menu to gin & tonics, from which you should order a perfect G&T made with Death's Door gin and Fentilmans tonic, garnished with whole juniper berries and a sprig of rosemary. If you need a bite to soak up the booze, a plate of crisp fish and chips, or a well made scotch egg with remoulade should set you straight. Order this: Death's Door gin & tonic, Bees Knees cocktail, fish and chips, bubble and squeak, duck confit crumpets

Address and phone: 90 3rd Ave (212-390-8685) Website: handynasty.net Good for: Sichuan spice Taiwan native Han Chiang opened his first Sichuan restaurant in Philly six years ago. It was wildly successful, so he opened a few more, and a few weeks ago, he made his New York debut on Third Avenue in the East Village. The early word is very, very good: the Village Voice's Laura Shunk liked the dan dan noodles with chili oil and Szechuan peppercorns; so did Serious Eats, who also complimented the chili-oil wontons, fried scallops, and pretty much everything else. Order this: Dan dan noodles, so far billed as a "must try" by everyone we've heard from

Adress and phone: 15 Main St, DUMBO, Brooklyn (718-858-1095) Website: AtriumDumbo.com Good for: Oysters, oysters, and oysters Atrium opened this summer in the former Governor space in DUMBO. Governor closed (Sandy put it underwater), and Atrium had a few wobbles at first, but lately—according to The New Yorker, at least—it seems to have found its footing. Last weekend, the restaurant rolled out a dollar oyster happy hour, and it's happening every day from 5:30-7:00 p.m. So if you're in DUMBO in the early evening, stop in for some briny mollusks and try out a few of the other dishes folks have been buzzing out lately. Order this: How many $1 oysters can you eat in an hour and a half?

Address and phone: 454 Van Brunt St, Red Hook, Brooklyn (347-294-4644) Website: Facebook.com/hometownbarbecue Good for: Post-Ikea relaxing, barbecue, and beer The NYC smoked meat train is whistling along at full throttle these days, and we're pretty stoked about it. In the last month, at least four new 'cue outposts have opened up in Brooklyn. Hometown was slated to open in Red Hook last fall, but instead, it took a watery beating from Hurricane Sandy instead, which pushed the opening back almost a year. Finally, they opened last week and are serving brisket, jerk chicken, ribs, and all the traditional sides—cornbread, mac and cheese, corn on the cob. Hallelujah. Order this: Early reports say the jerk chicken and pork ribs are a must.

Address and phone: 1021 Church Ave, Ditmas Park, Brooklyn (929-234-5692) Website: dogwoodnyc.com Good for: Tasting the flavors of Fall This weekend marks the autumnal equinox and official beginning of fall. At the Dogwood—a new neighborhood restaurant in Ditmas Park offering food inspired by the Carolinas—owners Ashley Burke-Deming Weavil and Matt Weavil (of the Fat Beagle), and chef Chris Sterna are embracing the season with a new menu featuring harvest offerings. Expect grilled game birds, root vegetables (hello, sunchoke season), and winter squash, which they work into everything from hushpuppies and grits to kale salad (this is Brooklyn, after all.) Order this: Carolina crab hushpuppies; Berkshire porterhouse, fall vegetable grits.

Address and phone: 91-11 Rockaway Beach Blvd, Rockaway, Queens (718-945-9463) Website: Twitter.com/sayraswinebar Good for: Pretending you're living in an endless summer Some day in the very near future, the beach will be officially over for the season. Sure, you can go in the winter and pretend this is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but is it worth the trip, really? So we'd like to take this, the first official weekend of fall, to enjoy one last visit to the beach. On our way home, we're stopping at Sayra's Wine Bar, new this season from beach native Rashida Jackson and artist Patrick Flibotte, for a warm-up glass of red wine and some snacks. They don't serve a full dinner, but for an evening bite, we'll take a cheese and charcuterie plate any day of the week. Order this: Pulled pork sliders, white sangria.

Address and phone: 157 Duane St (212-587-1089) Website: kheyo.com Good for: Your first taste of Laotian food in NYC Ever since Food & Wine Restaurant Editor Kate Krader posted a picture of Khe-Yo's smashed crunchy coconut rice patties with kaffir lime-laced sausage to Instagram, we knew this restaurant was going to be the talk of the town. Chef Soulayphet Schwader, who hails from Laos, thought the dearth of Laotian food in NYC was a travesty, so he opened Khe-Yo in TriBeCa last month with partner Marc Forgione. Laotian cuisine takes its flavors from the most appealing qualities of Thai and Vietnamese cooking, so the dishes at Khe-Yo turn out a bit lighter than versions you'd find elsewhere in Southeast Asia. That doesn't mean Schwader's cooking—which relies heavily on lime, lemongrass, galangal, and chilis—isn't intensely flavorful. Order this: Crunchy coconut sticky rice embellished with sausage, Berkshire spare ribs, and laap (Laos minced meat) made with Long Island fluke. To drink, order the Lao Lao Whiskey, which is infused with seasonal herbs and spices and mixed with Hennessy Cognac.

Address and phone: 24 Greenwich Ave (646-329-6856) Website: jinya-ramenbar.com Good for: Noodle-slurping with friends, drunk-eating after some day drinking in the West Village It's a good time to be a ramen fanatic in New York—Ippudo just opened a new outpost in Midtown (but who wants to go to Midtown over the weekend), and food nerds are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Ivan Ramen on the Lower East Side. In the meantime, our favorite newcomer is this Tokyo import in the West Village, which specializes in Hakata-style ramen: Think lip-smacking tonkotsu pork broth and thin, firm noodles. The place has an Ippudo-style feel, with plenty of tables for groups and a menu that strays well beyond the namesake soup into sushi, pork buns, chashu rice bowls, and so on. Everything else is tasty enough and fine to share if you roll deep, but the best move is to go alone, or with one other person, to hung over a steaming bowl of pork broth and go to town. After a few pints at Upright Brew House (the best new beer bar in the 'hood), it'll be just what the doctor ordered. Order this: Of the various chicken- and pork-based soups, our favorite is the Jinya Tonkotsu Black, which gets its earthy richness from charred garlic oil. The spicy chicken variety is also a winner, though be warned that it's more tangy than tongue-scorching.

Address and phone: 209 E 2nd St (866-429-7329) Website: wafelsanddinges.com Good for: Celebrating National Waffle Day Just last month, famed Belgian food truck Wafels & Dinges—which is known for its dense and decadent Liege wafels, as well as its crisp and fluffy classic Brussels version—opened a brick-and-mortar location in the East Village. This is absolutely where you should be celebrating National Waffle Day, which is coming up this Saturday, August 24th. Go to brunch tomorrow, get yourself a Liège waffle covered in Speculoos cookie spread and powdered sugar, then watch the shop's Annual Miss Wafel and Mister Wafel Pageant happening from 3pm to 4pm. If you'd like, you can also engage in a Wafel-Decorating and a Wafel-Eating Competition. Order this: A caramelized, buttery-sweet Liège waffle drizzled with Speculoos cookie spread

Address and phone: 115 Columbia St, Brooklyn (718-797-4120) Website: whiskeysodalounge-ny.com Good for: Signature Andy Ricker dishes, without the Pok Pok NY wait Chefs and restauranteurs are constantly opening outposts of their famed NYC restaurants elsewhere around the world. So it's refreshing when it's NYC that finds itself on the receiving end of an outpost opening. Thai food guru with Portland origins, Andy Ricker, has just opened the much-anticipated Brooklyn edition of the Whiskey Soda Lounge, complete with his signature range of mind-blowing bar snacks. There is, of course, plenty of libations on offer—from drinking vinegars to Thai twists on classic drinks like a kaffir-infused gin and tonic and a tamarind whiskey sour. The menu is similarly extensive—it offers a wide range of flavor-forward dishes that make this spot more than just a place to kill time while angling for a table at Pok Pok NY just up the street. Order this: The house-roasted peanuts, which are tossed with lime leaf, garlic, and chiles, followed by an order of the fish sauce chicken wings of your dreams. Wash it all down with a boozy Apple Gin Rickey that gets a jolt of tang from the apple drinking vinegar.

Address and phone: Corner of Hester St and Essex St (917-267-9496) Website: hesterstreetfair.com Good for: Partying at a food bazaar Every Saturday in August, Hester Street Fair—lower Manhattan's premier artisanal food market—will extends its normal hours to 10pm. This means you can eat Hainanese chicken rice from Khao Man Gai and Sno-balls from Imperial Woodpecker while listening to live music and DJs curated by Santos Party House and Le Baron. Order this: Hainanese chicken rice from Khao Man Gai, lobster rolls from Lukes, and Ethiopian fare from Bed Stuy's Bunna Cafe.