Community Corner

NYC Restaurants To Try This Weekend

Looking for a new place to eat? From a creation of the mind behind LA's Eggslut to a French-style Vietnamese bakery, Patch has you covered.

NEW YORK, NY – Eating out in New York City can be a daunting prospect. With new restaurants opening virtually every day, keeping up with the best spots to try isn't easy — but Patch is here to help. Every week, we’ll showcase recently opened places in your neighborhood. (Keep up with news in your area by signing up for Patch's daily newsletters.)


Windsor Coffee

Neighborhood: Windsor Terrace

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Address: 220 Prospect Park West

Patch first reported on the retired attorney-turned-cafe-owner earlier this month. The story of Windsor Coffee is rooted in happenstance — a vision that emerged one day when Mark Newfeld of Windsor Terrace was walking his dog and noticed a “for rent” sign on East Fourth Street near Fort Hamilton Parkway. Windsor Coffee is your standard neighborhood shop, featuring coffee drinks from Oslo Coffee and light snacks amid a cozy, sunlit space.

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Wahlburgers


Neighborhood: Upper East Side

Address: 1633 Second Ave.

On the corner of Second Avenue and East 85th Street is where you’ll find the newest outpost of Wahlburgers, part of a chain of burger eateries from actor-singer-reality-star brothers Mark and Donnie Wahlberg. The site marks the restaurant’s second New York City location, the first one having opened on Coney Island in 2015. The menu boasts a variety of burgers, housemade condiments, crispy haddock, seared chicken and vegetarian options. There is also a full-service bar serving a selection of adult frappes, cocktails, wines and beers, including the signature Wahlbrewski — an unfiltered Pale Ale.


Nowadays


Neighborhood: Ridgewood

Address: 31-00 47th Ave.

Open for the summer, Nowadays offers an indoor beer garden that includes a custom-made, high-fidelity sound system created by SBS Designs as well as a curated menu and beverage selection from local vendors. Brooklyn’s Arrogant Swine will also be on site every Saturday to hold Carolina-style pig roasts. Nowadays will host ping-pong tournaments, classes on culture, humanities and arts by Think Olio and a Wednesday-night film series provided by Maysles Cinema.

What’s on the menu, you ask? Dishes include The Nowaburger, served with caramelized unions, lettuce and a pickle on a Sullivan Street Bakery brioche bun; porchetta tacos with green “magic” sauce and pickled shallots on corn tortillas; a slew of salads and ice cream sandwiches, among other eats.


Chefs Club Counter



Neighborhood: NoLiTa

Address: 62 Spring St.

California comes to New York City just north of Little Italy. What started out as a temporary residency for Los Angeles-based Eggslut has since transitioned to a permanent one through Chefs Club Counter by LA’s Alvin Cailan. Customers can come in for an open-faced sandwich, such as SoHo salmon on a French tartine. Cailan plans on marking the occasion with a new breakfast menu on June 1 — stay tuned!

According to its Facebook page, Chefs Club Counter curates “the world’s most popular dishes from the world’s greatest chefs,” with each chef crafting creations that are ready in short order. Each offering is available in a limited quantity for a limited time.


Mettā


Neighborhood: Fort Greene

Address: 197 Adelphi St.

A new, wood-fired restaurant has arrived in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene neighborhood. Serving seasonal South American cuisine, Mettā offers an extensive menu comprising a selection of small plates and full plates alongside a choice of “snacks” in lieu of traditional appetizers. Cocktails and wines — sparkling, white, rose and orange — as well as draft and bottled beers are also available. For date nights and other special occasions, Mettā allows reservations for parties of up to 12.


Violet's Bake Shoppe


Neighborhood: Forest Hills

Address: 72-36 Austin St.

Violet’s Bake Shoppe is a French-inspired Vietnamese bakery nestled in the heart of Forest Hills, having recently transitioned to specializing in banh mi sandwiches and noodles as well as in desserts, Vietnamese coffee and bubble tea. Yelp reviews praise the shop for its grilled pork, Vietnamese salami, Vietnamese ham and ginger honey tea while noting the shop’s small space — two tables and a few window seats.


180 Tenth


Neighborhood: Chelsea

Address: High Line Hotel, 180 10th Ave.

180 Tenth by Smorgasburg has opened at the High Line Hotel. This year, as recently reported by The New York Times, 180 Tenth will be in the hands of Eric Demby, the organizer and operator of such markets and food halls as Smorgasburg and Brooklyn Flea, and Demby’s business partner, Jonathan Butler.

The 180 Tenth menu is intended as a celebration of the summer season. It includes a self-described “inventive” list of classic and frozen cocktails and dishes that use the region’s best in-season ingredients. Hours are notably limited for the time being. 180 Tenth is open Friday and Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m. and Sunday through Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m.


Empellón


Neighborhood: Midtown

Address: 510 Madison Ave.

Empellón has found a new and third New York City home in Midtown. Last year, chef and restaurateur Alex Stupak described the location as the “biggest Empellón project” and “most polished thing to date.” The Midtown residency is rooted in Stupak’s desire to seek a refined experience for local eaters, and the restaurant’s Instagram seems to offer proof of Stupak’s success. Empellón offers an extensive lunch and dinner menu as well as a lunch prix-fixe, wine and beer, cocktails and light, but rich, desserts.


Photo credit: Pixabay


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