Several new restaurant openings and expansions are drawing attention across New York City’s dining scene, highlighting a range of regional cuisines and culinary concepts.
In Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Kirbee’s introduces a Texas-style barbecue experience from pitmasters Jonny White, formerly of Fort Worth’s Goldee’s, and Chuck Charnichart of Lockhart’s Barbs BBQ. The restaurant offers plated smoked meats and sides during weekend lunch hours, aligning with Texas tradition, with dishes such as brisket with coleslaw and potato salad alongside Mexican-spiced meats and green spaghetti. The venue features a simple counter-ordering system and limited seating at 55 McGuinness Boulevard South.
On Church Street in Manhattan’s Tribeca neighborhood, Faux, spearheaded by 23-year-old restaurateur George McNally, launches a Mediterranean-influenced menu with nods to French culinary styles. Designed by Richard Lewis Architects and Ian McPheely, the space accommodates 60 guests beneath high ceilings and mullioned windows. Chef Kristina Ramos’s offerings include grilled oysters with bacon jam, steak frites topped with Café de Paris butter, octopus with potato and ’nduja vinaigrette, and a burger served with sauce Algérienne. European, predominantly French, wines complement the menu, and an adjoining basement cocktail lounge, PREVZ, presents a smaller selection of food and drinks.
Evelyn Bar & Kitchen, located at 11 Hanover Square near Pearl Street, is the new venture of Evelyn McConnell, the former manager of the Full Shilling Irish pub. The restaurant features an oak bar, exposed brick, and banquettes, serving classic dishes such as chicken liver terrine, fried Mountauk squid, grilled brook trout with lemon-caper sauce, cheeseburger, chicken Milanese, and steak frites. The establishment is geared toward casual dining with a focus on approachable fare suitable for pairing with beer or whiskey.
Hommali, which means jasmine rice in Thai, opens at 28 Seventh Avenue South with Chef Chattakorn Khajornchalisan at the helm. The menu highlights rice in multiple forms, including duck fat lotus rice and toasted rice powder, while incorporating tom yum-based seafood dishes. The team, originating from Bangkok and experienced in the New York restaurant scene, also emphasizes rice-inspired cocktails featuring rice wine and rice-infused whiskey. The warmly furnished dining room and bar offer street-level and upstairs communal seating.
In the West Village, Floradora replaces Chateau Royale under the direction of partners Cody Pruitt and Jacob Cohen. The revamped menu presents comfort dishes such as French dip sandwiches, mozzarella sticks, cheeseburgers, pastrami-seasoned ribs, linguine with clams, and oxtail lasagna. Vanessa Velez continues as chef, maintaining culinary continuity amid a more relaxed atmosphere and potentially more accessible pricing at 205 Thompson Street.
Additionally, Bar Etienne, a new offering from Michael Bray following his Bar Valentina on the Lower East Side, opens at 44 Bedford Street with 36 indoor and 30 outdoor seats. The West Village venue features a French-inspired menu including leeks vinaigrette, salmon tartare, steak frites au poivre, French onion grilled cheese, and weekend specials such as lamb tagine and côte de boeuf for two, complemented by a curated cocktail list.
Among chain expansions, TAP has launched its fifth location at 261 Fifth Avenue. This Brazilian café emphasizes tapioca, açaí, and pão de queijo as staple items, alongside Brazilian coffee and gluten-free cassava bread. The popular pão de queijo is offered in traditional three-cheese, spicy, and pesto varieties, with frozen options available for take-home purchase.
These openings and expansions reflect an ongoing diversification of New York City’s culinary landscape, with an emphasis on regional American barbecue, Mediterranean and French influences, authentic Thai flavors, and Brazilian staples.