NYC's Best New Restaurants and Bars of 2013 (So Far)

Neighborhood: Ridgewood, Queens Address and phone: 46-63 Metropolitan Ave (718-386-4282) Website: bunkervietnamese.com In the bathroom at Bunker, you'll find a washer and dryer. The light fixtures? Those are hacked coffee posts. Throughout the whole restaurant, upcycled furniture (sometimes made from skateboards) sets the tone. The DIY approach extends to the dining experience as well. Need water or utensils? Collect them yourself. That's the charm of this little Vietnamese eatery on a commercial strip between Bushwick and Ridgewood. Brothers Jacky and Jimmy Tu run the kitchen, while childhood skate-buddy Roy Zapanta manages the front of house. All are amiable, welcoming, and sharply in-tune with the composition of a hip restaurant. Bunker, you could argue, follows the Kanye West model of understated marketing genius. It hits the zeitgeist—classically trained chef cooks street favorites in a funky space—and introduces chowhounds to a new neighborhood (what Zapanta calls "Ridgewick"). Eat the suon noung xa, a perfect grilled pork tenderloin seasoned with lemongrass and topped with a fried egg. You'll want to share the exceptional bánh xè too—slice the crepe, wrap it in lettuce, and dip. Finish with some coconut tapioca pudding, and don't forget to BYOB. — Nick Schonberger

Neighborhood: Greenwich Village Address and phone: 181 Thompson Street (212-933-0707) Website: carbonenewyork.com If Cesar Ramirez is New York's culinary Steven Berkoff, commanding his customer with a totalitarian performance, Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi are Steven Sondheim teamed with James Lapine—pushing the popular forward with a much needed kick in the ass. With Carbone, the duo gives traditional Italian American fare a makeover through the most perfect of restaurant staging. The Zac Posen-costumed waiters look to be straight out of central casting; the table settings seemingly pulled from a 1950s period room; and the art—curated by Vito Schanabel—is the stuff a contemporary mobster might buy to show off. Dining at Carbone is an immersive event. Not quite a high-brow Tony & Tina, but certainly a transformative moment where customers are written in as the leads in their own mid-century narrative. The staff caters to every whim, pours San Pellegrino like it's tap water, and thrills with the most remarkable freebies—the Grandma's bread and big chunks of chianti-soaked Parmesan are rare pleasures—though the food, while very good, is hardly the point. You go to Carbone for the dance, to be with friends and family, and, ultimately, to remember how a restaurant experience should feel. — Nick Schonberger

Neighborhood: Soho Address and phone: 199 Prince St (212-335-0566) Website: littleprincesoho.com Do you ever feel like there's too much choice in New York? Like the onslaught of hipster Filipino food, new-school Italian-American, "elevated" Burmese, and Cronuts all becomes overwhelming and you just want some damn steak frites with a nice glass of red that you don't have to think too hard about? Little Prince is the answer to all your #firstworldproblems—a return to the simple pleasures of the French bistro, with all the charming little touches (like a wine list pasted into vintage copies of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince) that your Francophile date will appreciate. Fair warning: Your waiter might not be able to pronounce anything on the menu (restaurant growing pains?) or tell you how the ratatouille is made, but you don't really need help because you already know these dishes—the frisée aux lardons is warmed by soft-poached egg and given a bit of smoky oomph from Neuske’s bacon, while duck l’orange is beautifully cooked and really just exactly what you want it to be. There is one gimmick on the menu (well, two if you count the off-the-menu Foie Gras McMuffin): A French onion soup burger featuring Emmental and caramelized onion on an English muffin. It might spoil the old-fashioned Gallic fun if it weren't so damn good. — Chris Schonberger

Neighborhood: West Village Address and phone: 183 W 10th St (646-360-3705) Website: chezsardine.com Chez Sardine is the biggest curveball in Gabe Stulman's "Lil' Wisco" empire, but it's also one of the best. He's called it "a very inauthentic take on a Japanese izakaya," which really translates to a raucous sushi joint for people who don't like the subdued atmosphere of traditional sushi joints. All the Stulman trademarks are in place—easy-to-love cocktails, a buzzy scene in an impossibly small space—but with the unexpected twist of serving some of the city's most inventive morsels of raw fish and rice. Too often "creative" sushi means bizarre monstrosities like mayo-laden Dragon Rolls, but here the pieces are bite-size and delicate, yet surprising in their flavor combos—hamachi is paired with ginger and crunchy chicharrón, while sea-urchin wrapped in nori is a fine match for top-grade chopped beef. All of this is impeccable, as are some of the small plates, like a stack of mini breakfast pancakes with fish tartare, salmon roe, and yogurt (think the best blini ever), and asparagus with miso butter. And while some of the larger items fall flat—a decadent foie gras grilled cheese feels like an unnecessary import from the nearby Fedora—you don't really need them if you're willing to blow out the expense account on sushi (those cocktails help ease the pain of the check, which might not be pretty). — Chris Schonberger

Neighborhood: East Village Address and phone: 103 2nd Ave (212-677-3733) Website: mightyquinnsbbq.com All of this hoopla about “real barbecue in New York City” seemed sensational, until I tried Mighty Quinn’s for the first time at Smorgasburg. When the BBQ operation opened a brick-and-mortar joint in the East Village, I flocked to Second Avenue as soon as the doors opened. Owner Hugh Mangum slow-cooks his barbecue with hardwood, resulting in gloriously juicy spare ribs, colossal beef ribs, immaculate brisket, and pulled pork which I really feel compelled to elaborate on. Yes, the pulled pork deserves more than a quick mention—it is smoky, sweet, with exceptional charred bits mixed into the meat. Have it by the half-pound or pound with sides like peas and edamame coated with goat cheese and mint, or pleasantly tangy coleslaw. NYC is upping its smoked meat game, and the result is pound upon pound of fatty, tender, meaty joy. — Erin Mosbaugh

Neighborhood: East Midtown Address and phone: 145 E 39th St (212-865-5800) Website: salvationtaco.com While April Bloomfield has done remarkable things at the Spotted Pig and the Breslin, she's been cooking mostly in her comfort zone at those ever-popular spots, injecting classic British cookery with New York swagger. But here she takes a surprising turn from her ballsy brand of Anglo-American eats, teaming up with Mexican specialist Roberto Santibanez for a new take on the taqueria. Salvation Taco, which opened at the tail end of 2012, is situated right inside of the Pod 39 Hotel, a haven for thrifty travelers unafraid of small spaces, but the restaurant itself is big and fun, with ping-pong tables for guests and the smell of freshly made tortillas (a rarity in NYC) wafting through the dining room. Eat the guacomole, an outstanding, chucky dip brightened with a perfect hit of lime juice. While the cauliflower tacos are a little heavy on the curry and the fish tacos could be skipped, the sweetbreads tacos are essential—proof that Bloomfield's lusty cooking can make a whole lot of sense inside a tortilla. Also worthy are the kimchi tacos, which were salty and delicious. Bloomfield's attempt at quick-service, more affordable dining has its detractors, but when the dishes work, there is no denying her culinary curiosity. — Liz Barclay

Neighborhood: East Village Address and phone: 318 East Sixth Street (Second Avenue) (212) 777-7729 Website: malaimarke.com East Sixth Street has long been one of the city's most vibrant clusters of Indian restaurants, though aside from a few stalwarts, there aren't too many that stand out from the pack. Malai Marke, recently opened by Shiva Natarajan—who has a few other Indian establishments in Murray Hill—is a reason to get excited about Curry Row once again, with complex and satisfying dishes like milagu (if you like vindaloo, try this spicy curry from Madurai) and Keralan moilee (fish poached in a stew of tumeric and coconut milk). Even the papadums stand out here; they are impossibly light and airy with delicious dipping sauces. The lamb dhansak has a nice balance of sweet and spicy elements, with hearty lentils and a subtle hint of ginger. And shrimp caldeen maintains a refreshing lightness despite being made with a creamy, coridander-spiked coconut broth. Stray beyond the typical masala dishes and venture deeper into the menu—you just might discover your favorite new Indian dish. — Liz Barclay

Neighborhood: Flatiron Address and phone: 345 Park Avenue South (212-255-4086) Website: manzanilla.com Fresh from Spain, decorated chef Dani Garcia (he of the two-Michelin star Calima in Andalucía) runs the type of joint I usually hate—a glossy, MILF-filled 6,600-square-foot mega-restaurant spread over two floors, with blustery decor and a showy open kitchen that you can't even sit in front of. But beyond the glitz, the chef has enough surprises up his sleeve to make the place a must-try for anyone intrigued by Iberian flavors. He's taken standards—croquettes, hams, and so on—and crafted a quick-hits of Spain menu that's laced with little flourishes that excite without screaming for attention. Those croquetas, which riff on squid ink and cuttlefish stew, are a must—New York Observer critic Joshua David Stein thinks these crisp bites "may be the best fried thing in the city." He's not alone. The seared Iberico pork is one of the few protein-oriented mains in recent memory that doesn't fade at the finish. Served with tomato pesto, potato-and-bacon terrine, and asparagus, it is near equal to the croquetas. So good is the pork that Manzanilla enters rare New York territory as a new eatery that produces entrees that are as successful as the small plates. — Nick Schonberger

Neighborhood: Flatiron Address and phone: 38 E 19th St (212-677-2233) Website: abccocinanyc.com It’s pronounced Jean-Georges. Or is it John-George? As of 2013, we can stick with Juan-Jorge. The newest New York City restaurant of Michelin-starred French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, ABC Cocina, takes the chef south of the border, where he celebrates Latin flavors in a casual setting completely devoid of snootiness. Executive chef Dan Kluger executes classics—like crispy fish tacos with aioli and cabbage-chili pickle—flawlessly, and applies his local, seasonal approach in refreshing ways. Instead of the shaved raw fluke with crushed olives and lemon that you’ll find next door at ABC Kitchen, there’s mezcal-cured salmon with cucumber-yogurt relish. Instead of traditional guacamole made tableside in a molcajete, he offers an elegant dish of spring pea guacamole with just the right amount of kick. A few chipfuls go down real smooth with the housemade grapefruit margarita. However you want to pronounce his name, Vongerichten has done it again. — Sophie Brickman

Neighborhood: Flushing, Queens Address and phone: 35-20 Farrington St (718-886-4828) Website: mamakhouse.com Penang-born Nani Hughie Yusof, who previously operated a Midtown lunch delivery service, runs the show at this Malay-Indian Halal restaurant. The restaurant dubs itself a “curry specialist” on its website, and with this I cannot disagree. My dining companions and I happily wolfed down an earthenware pot full of crazy-aromatic fish head curry on our visit, perfumed with tamarind, coconut milk, and lemongrass. We moved onto Ayam Rendang, chicken cooked for hours in a complex dry curry, and a heaping bowl of mee goreng, umami-rich egg noodles stained black by sweet soy sauce and covered with boiled eggs, chili, and tofu. Don’t miss the Ais Kacang for dessert, which involves a tower of shaved ice covered with red beans, grass jelly, sweet corn, and condensed milk. — Erin Mosbaugh

Neighborhood: West Village Address and phone: 2 Bank St (212-463-0090) Website: melibeanyc.com Spanish chef Jesus Nuñez, formerly of modernist temple Gastroarte, recently opened the popular tapas spot Barraca, but if you really want to see what he can do in the kitchen, head next door to the adjoining Melibea. Here, the talented chef lets his hair down, showcasing his playful take on pan-Mediterranean flavors through a hit list of the region's classics tweaked in inventive ways—hummus fragrant with preserved lemon, a spicy mousaka made with venison, lamb tagine with plums and a tangy yogurt, and a stunningly rich osso bucco. Nuñez shows a deft hand at taking these simple dishes and elevating them with extra layers of ingredients, sophistication, and flavor. The same can be said for head bartender Raphael Reyes, who helms an impressive cocktail program. The experience here is rounded out with beautifully plated desserts, a sexy dining room, and great service—if you're looking for something fun and unexpected, this should be your new go-to spot. — Dieselboy

Neighborhood: East Village Address and phone: 157 2nd Ave (212-539-1900) Website: aldernyc.com I’ve already told you about Wylie Dufresne’s pigs in a blanket 2.0, made with Chinese sausage and compressed hot dog buns—but that is just one of many tempting bar snacks served at Alder. What I haven’t gushed about is the insanely rich chopped liver on moist and buttery cornbread, topped with freeze-dried corn and chicken cracklings. Nor have I mentioned the on-draft cocktails, designed by wd-50’s Kevin Denton. The seasonal Pimm’s cup is a winner no matter what fruit lands in the highball glass. With all of these draws, Alder is the perfect East Village spot to get extraordinary cocktails and Dufresnean grub without blowing your budget on wd~50. Bump into me on the street after eating at Alder, and I will boldly argue that he does pub food even better than he does 12-course tasting menus. — Erin Mosbaugh

Neighborhood: East Village Address and phone: 76 Avenue B (212-353-3838) Website: odahouse.com You though you could already get any cuisine under the sun in the East Village, but then along comes Oda House and brings us something new: A taste of Georgia (the country, not the state) that makes you wonder why you haven't been eating this food all along. The space itself is small, but the flavors of chef-partner Maia Acquaviva's menu are bold and fresh. Must-orders are the Georgian-style shish kebabs and the addictive khachapuri, a stuffed cheese bread. You're probably going to want to order two of those actually—they're that good. The khinkali, which are hand-rolled soup dumplings that are like the (tastier) Eastern European version of the ones you find in Chinatown, are perhaps the easiest on-ramp to Georgian cuisine. Stop in on the weekend and you might be lucky enough to catch a two-man band getting down to some traditional Georgian tunes. If you're on some gluten-free-vegan-I-only-eat-kale diet, Oda House is definitely not the place for you. If you like to eat flavor-packed, hearty cuisine, then this new mecca of Georgian eats might become a new favorite. — Khushbu Shah

Neighborhood: Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn Address and phone: 345 Smith St (347-689-4699) Website: nightingale9.com Falling in love with Seersucker's fried chicken and Smith Canteen's fruit-filled pop tarts happened long ago. So when Arkansas-bred chef Rob Newton and partner Kerry Diamond, the duo behind these Carroll Gardens hangouts, debuted Vietnamese-inspired noodle shop Nightingale 9 this winter, I expected to be besotted. At first bite, I was yet again. Newton, who has long revered and studied Southeast Asian cooking (he worked with Floyd Cardoz at Tabla), brings his own Southern flair to the region's street food in dishes like the peanut- and fried bread-laced jasmine rice porridge with chicken and cilantro, and shaved collards brightened with coconut, lime, and fried shallots. A vermicelli bowl teeming with mushrooms, ramps, and pickled green papaya and threaded together by charred ramp dressing, does not beg for meat. But when the menu does take a carnivorous turn, as it does with chunks of caramel-lacquered pork belly, you're more than happy to go along. Spring for the caramelized palm sugar popsicles enrobed in benne seeds and peanut brittle to end the evening on a refreshing note. — Alia Akkam

Neighborhood: Greenpoint, Brooklyn Address and phone: 615 Manhattan Ave (718-389-6034) Website: torstnyc.com The beer geeks are finally taking over. For a while, it seemed like every beer bar that opened had to balance its nerdy suds list with populist appeal, resulting in what amounted to a slew of evolved Irish pubs with better brews but the same old atmosphere. Like Proletariat in the East Village, Tørst is unapologetic in its full embrace of geekery, and if the droves of fans making pilgrimages to the bar from all corners of the city are anything to go by, the audience is ready for it all—the custom glassware, the state-of-the-art tap system, and eventually, a New Nordic tasting menu with beer pairings from Noma alum Daniel Burns. Go to taste your way through a deep stash of creative ales from Evil Twin's Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø, who is a partner, as well as an ever-changing selection of obscurities that you'd be hard-pressed to find anywhere else in the city. — Chris Schonberger

Neighborhood: Financial District Address and phone: 30 Water St (646-422-7906) Website: deadrabbitnyc.com There is no shortage of juleps and sours on today's classical-minded cocktail menus, but the presence of possets and bishops? Those intriguing 19th-century concoctions—along with an array of daisies, fizzes, and punches—are why imbibers couldn't wait for the long-delayed Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog to debut in the cocktail-starved Financial District. Even before its doors opened this January, the Dead Rabbit garnered endless hype, which left skeptics wondering if Irish transplant Sean Muldoon's bi-level dream bar would be as thrilling as everyone hoped. After all, Demi Monde, the neighborhood's other attempt at fancy cocktails, was a flop. Well, six months in, things are looking damn good. Night after night, the place swells with a mix of obligatory finance guys in the downstairs Taproom—some of whom are happy sipping on Stella just like they're at any other lackluster pub in the area—and others who feel adventurous tackling a gussied-up vodka and soda with fresh lime syrup and house-made bitters. The parlor upstairs is just as packed, but with a slightly different crowd—mostly couples and members of the cocktail cognoscenti. They are all equally excited to sample one of the more than 70 historic and cerebral preparations from Jack McGarry, such as the Automobile, featuring Parfait Amour liqueur, absinthe, celery cordial, champagne, and celery shrub bitters. Thanks to bar snacks like a spot-on sausage roll and thick chips to dunk into Old Bay mayo, happy hour seamlessly morphs into dinner. — Alia Akkam

Neighborhood: Lower East Side Address and phone: 134 Eldridge St (212-539-1900) When bartenders Sam Ross and Michael McIlroy took over the Milk & Honey space from their drink-slinging sensei Sasha Petraske, everyone knew they'd keep making good drinks—the question was, what type of joint would they run? Many drinkers will be pleased to know that Attaboy is essentially M&H without the pomp, pretense, and mandatory reservation system. Whatever you're drinking will be spot on, as it’s all bartender’s choice and Attaboy’s bartenders are undeniably some of the city’s best. When I asked owner-bartender Michael McIlroy for a rum cocktail, he placed an Imperial Buck on the bar top in front of me—it’s a riff on the Dark and Stormy, he explained, with spicy Cruzan Blackstrap Rum, lime, pineapple juice, ginger syrup, and soda. It was both complex and refreshing, with a deep molasses flavor. I was thinking about the Imperial Buck as well as the Tattle Tail cocktail, made with Highland and Islay scotch, honey, and Angostura, well into the next afternoon. This, I have a suspicion, is not an uncommon experience for those who belly up to the bar here. With all the pieces already in place, Attaboy has hit the ground running, preserving 134 Eldridge Street as an essential cocktail destination. — Erin Mosbaugh

Neighborhood: Nolita Address and phone: 7 Spring St (646-370-6650) Website: uncleboons.com You know you should be paying attention to a place when James Beard Award-winning critic Tejal Rao and everyone's favorite blue-haired chef, Danny Bowien, start trading favorite dishes on Twitter. Uncle Boons, from two Per Se alums, occupies a perfect middle ground between the OCD photorealism of Andy Ricker's Pok Pok and the balls-to-the-wall creative license of Bowien's Mission Chinese. The restaurant serves up the standard dishes of the new Thai renaissance (laab, banana blossom salad, sour Isaan sausage) with smart tweaks, as well as previously unknown street snacks like betel-leaf wraps with dried shrimp and coconut, and funky salted crab dip. A kitschy room replete with '70s kung-fu posters and Thai pop on the soundtrack ensure you know they're not taking any of this too seriously, and the deliriously refreshing beer slushies ensure that you don't either. — Regan Hofmann

Neighborhood: Noho Address and phone: 380 Lafayette St (212-533-3000) Website: lafayettenyc.com For a hot second last year it seemed like the old-school French bistro was about to have a high-profile comeback—a revival long overdue as the crown prince of the last wave, Balthazar, turns Sweet 16 this year. Then Montmartre opened to a minefield of disappointment, and all the pressure came down on Andrew Carmellini's Lafayette, an all-day megamart of Gallic goodies, with massive rotisseries spinning perfect roast chicken and a boulangerie selling baguettes and macarons up front. Reviving battered old standards like steak frites and salade Niçoise with vivid flavors and impeccable ingredients, Lafayette is matter-of-factly French—neither apologizing for its stodginess nor winking epileptically to make sure we're all in on some post-ironic joke. — Regan Hofmann

Neighborhood: Flushing, Queens Address and phone: 37-17 Prince Street (718-886-5595) I have often dreamt of fiery, home-cooked Sichuan food, but that is a far cry from any reality I have known. When I sat down at Flushing’s Lao Cheng Du (aka Prince Noodle House), and the waitress brought me unfussy bowls of wobbly mung bean jello salad, mapo tofu, and spicy dan-dan noodles, I felt like my dream had finally been realized. I’ve been to the old Manhattan standbys like Legend and Sichuan Gourmet, and can say that—at least in NYC—this is Sichuan food at its best. The mapo tofu at Lao Cheng Du is glorious: medium-sized cubes of silky tofu are perfectly seasoned with chili oil, ground pork, and a healthy dose of ground pepper. The chili doesn’t assault your palate indiscriminately; it is more of a slow, pleasant build leaving you craving more, and more, and more. The restaurant receives bonus points for having a dumbwaiter. — Erin Mosbaugh

At the rate that new restaurants open and shutter in NYC, six months can easily feel like several years in another city when it comes to navigating your food and drink options. Just when you feel like you're catching up on the best of 2012, the newcomers start piling up: blockbusters like Carbone and Lafayette practically demanding a visit, outer-borough haunts stirring chowhound chatter, and pedigreed barrooms filling up your Instagram feed. To help you sort through the noise and prioritize your eating adventures, we polled our team to pinpoint the restaurants and bars that have really made an impression this year (as well as a few that opened to later in 2012 to earn a spot in the end-of-year lists). From game-changing beer bars to Sichuan gems, these are the 20 best new places to eat and drink in NYC. Now get out there and eat! Written by Chris Schonberger (@cschonberger), Sophie Brickman (@sbrickman), Erin Mosbaugh (@JayBlague), DJ Dieselboy (@DJDieselboy), Khushbu Shah (@KhushAndOJ), Alia Akkam (@aliaakkam), Nick Schonberger (@nschon), Liz Barclay (@liz_barclay), and Regan Hofmann (@regan_hofmann)