New Additions to The MICHELIN Guide New York November 2024

Acru
Cuisine: Contemporary

Acru is a fresh-faced venture tucked along the warren of Greenwich Village’s crowded streets. The slender bistro is intimate and charming with a small bar and clutch of wood tables in a room appointed with exposed brick and taupe walls.

The pedigree of this team is impressive, with Atomix's Junghyun and Ellia Park behind the scenes while Chef Daniel Garwood leads the charge in the kitchen. The prix fixe menu offers rare value and inspired cuisine. It's early days, but items like sea trout tartare dressed with cabbage granita and slow-roasted cherry tomatoes, or roasted carrot soup poured over monkfish liver custard, squid noodles, and toasted grains, indicate a bright future for this establishment.

Bayon
Cuisine: Cambodian

Husband-and-wife owners Minh and Mandy Truong offer an elegant peek into traditional Cambodian flavors at their Upper East Side restaurant, where a comprehensive a la carte menu offers a wide selection of everything from Khmer noodles and fried rice to Siem Reap specials, along with sections dedicated entirely to duck and fish. Top picks include chive dumplings, fried to a golden crisp and served with a ginger soy sauce, and nyoam, or thick rice noodles, tossed with a red curry sauce made with ground fish, cucumbers, long beans, and bean sprouts. Don't miss the banh chao crepe, a half-round golden crepe filled with ground shrimp, chicken, and a variety of vegetables and spices, that's intended for stuffing into lettuce wraps for a delicious treat.

Bungalow
Cuisine: Indian

Chef Vikas Khanna has struck out on his own at this warm and welcoming dining room where pale pink walls, colorful murals, and a bar with carved panels set a stunning tone. It's always bustling and securing a reservation may be difficult, with diners eagerly lining up early to snag a walk-in spot. Once you've found a seat, start with one of their unique cocktails (think turmeric-infused tequila and chili-infused mezcal), then tuck into contemporary Indian cuisine that showcases the diverse culinary traditions of India's 28 states. The kitchen's talent shines in standout dishes like the five cheese kulcha (stuffed flatbread) and yogurt kebabs wrapped in crispy kataifi pastry and served with a bright pickled cabbage puree and spicy mango coulis.

Café Boulud
Cuisine: French

A new and improved Café Boulud has been beautifully reborn on the storied corner of 63rd street and Park Avenue with Executive Chef Romain Paumier at the helm. The setting is appropriately posh and exudes Art Deco vibes.

Enjoy this unique prix fixe menu which highlights four inspirations: classic French cuisine; "La Saison;" vegetarian farmers' market dishes; and "Le Voyage," offering an international focus.

Choose one style of menu or handpick for a multicourse meal that is on-point with sharp execution and a soigné presentation. The array of impressive cooking here includes the likes of the signature black sea bass wrapped in crispy potatoes and sauced with a red wine reduction; seared scallops with Champagne beurre blanc; or lobster ravioli dressed with a vivid lobster bisque as well as preserved lemon curd."

César
Cuisine: French

César Ramirez is one of the few chefs who, night after night, has the difficult task of meeting his own singular standards of high-wire precision. His new downtown restaurant brings a sleek, minimal look to a century-old address. As might be expected, world-class seafood plays a large role in his tasting menu which features such delights as a morsel of blackthroat seaperch from Chiba, crudo of fluke from Jeju Island, and langoustine from Norway dressed with caviar and smoked trout. A masterful hand with sauces and a sense for harmonious, exacting combinations demonstrate both creativity and maturity. An eager service team oversees the spacious room where counter and table seating alike offer a prime vantage point for watching this kinetic kitchen.

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Daphne's
Cuisine: Italian-American

Set on the corner of Halsey and Throop in Bed-Stuy, Daphne's sparkles ever so subtly thanks to a front window covered with strands of tiny, twinkling silver beads. But it's not just the exterior that invites curiosity; this refined, contemporary Italian-American restaurant dazzles with its tightly edited menu, too. From shareable plates and house-made pasta to entrees, there is something tempting at every turn. Do not miss the delicious golden-brown focaccia with anchovy butter or grilled mortadella over a bed of house-made giardiniera. Then, mustard green pesto stars in a dish of radiatore pasta, while a grilled pork chop with slow-cooked greens, pancetta, and cicerchia beans is especially flavorful and tender.

Ishq
Cuisine: Indian

Promises of “modern Indian” often bring more flash than flavor, but that is not the case at this welcoming restaurant along Avenue A. A striking salmon-pink quartz bar stretches the length of the front area and into a moodier dining room where groups gather around generously spaced tables. The menu is teeming with ideas, and dishes arrive with all the right levels of spice, heat, depth, and nuance. “Jalebi Chaat” is a savory, textural playground with chickpeas, beetroot, and a sweet and sour yogurt. There must be butter chicken, which comes doused in a complex tomato makhani sauce. There must also be lamb shank biryani, portioned for a party and spiced to the hilt. Everything is designed to be shared so plan accordingly.

Joo Ok
Cuisine: Korean

This Seoul transplant has an unusual entrance—via freight elevator up 16 floors—but the elegant space is instantly inviting. Echoing a traditional Korean home, guests are welcomed with savory crackers and drinks before being escorted to the dining room, where a minimalist design is juxtaposed with views of the Manhattan skyline. Joo Ok delivers a Korean tasting menu that is rooted in tradition but presented through a modern lens. Dishes are stunning, as in the jat jeup chae - tender lobster and Korean pear tucked inside salted cucumber slices. Makgeolli bread topped with freshwater eel is a dramatic single bite, but their signature deul gi reum with diced geoduck, spotted shrimp, and a whole quail egg in house-pressed perilla seed oil is equally memorable.

Le Veau d'Or
Cuisine: French

Originally established in 1937 and steeped in history, this charming bistro is intimate in scale and rocks a decidedly throwback look. Dark wood, a liberal use of red, and small closely set tables draped with linens produce a cozy yet sexy ambience that has diners swooning.

The team of Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr, the founding chefs of Balthazar and Minetta Tavern, have ushered in a new era at Le Veau d'Or which offers a prix-fixe menu reverential to classic French cuisine. Pâté en croûte is among the greatest hits, as is the golden-roasted poulet à l'estragon with an unapologetically buttery sauce flecked with tarragon. A small salad arrives after the entree to cleanse the palate, paving the way for sweets, such as a warm gratin au chocolat.

Lingo
Cuisine: Japanese

Chef Emily Yuen, who has worked around the world in classic kitchens like La Gavroche, now runs the show at this Greenpoint restaurant. Lingo, which means "apple" in Japanese, is an homage to American and European comfort food with elegantly blended Japanese influences. Here, chawanmushi is dressed up with rock shrimp, scallop tartare, bisque foam, and sea grapes for a delightful cultural collision. Roasted bone marrow steak tartare is unctuous and savory with creamy, nutty tones from black sesame but perhaps the best example of Lingo's unique style is their beef pie. Made with Hokkaido-style braised beef curry, this oval pie with a golden pastry crust is a beautiful riff on the classic. 

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Lungi
Cuisine: Indian

Chef/co-owner Albin Vincent, who grew up in Kanyakumari, India with deep roots in Sri Lanka, has penned a love letter to both regions at this Upper East Side restaurant with a contemporary setting. Chef Vincent learned to cook at his grandmother's knee, mastering the art of traditional Sri Lankan and Southern Indian dishes like pan-fried spicy kingfish served on a banana leaf with fried makrut lime leaves or kothu roti, a classic Sri Lankan specialty comprised of roti, meat, and sauteed vegetables mixed with scrambled eggs. Served with raita and a small side of curry with shredded chicken, it's not to be missed. For dessert, mashed carrots cooked down with warming spices and tossed with raisins and cashews is a sweet finale. 

Octo
Cuisine: Asian Contemporary

They may be behind New York's oldest Korean barbecue restaurant, but Steve and Christina Jang aren't resting on any laurels. Chef Segun Song leads the charge on the à la carte menu that channels a distinctive Korean-Chinese fusion cuisine. A tempting array of dishes includes noodles, rice, and lunch specials. Reserve ahead for their Peking black duck or tuck into signature dishes like beef tangsuyuk or cumin pork back ribs. Of course, one glance at the special dumpling workshop and it's clear they must be ordered.  Pork and Thai chili soup dumplings with a dot of caviar are one way to go, but there's also the delicious spicy poached dumplings in a black vinegar sauce.  

Odre
Cuisine: Korean

What more could you want out of this little charmer in East Village? Always on the move, Hand Hospitality delivers again with a nicely pitched and portioned set menu of comforting Korean flavors. Find sleek degrees of refinement in winners like asparagus and lobster resting in a chilled pine nut sauce or snow crab wrapped in a thin cigar of daikon and set in a warm crab broth. All entrees like grilled duck with endive and black garlic puree come with banchan and a welcome bowl of rice and soup, which are kept warm in three cauldrons at the bar up front. Dessert is extra but worth ordering: A generous scoop of misugaru ice cream with rice caramel and cookie crumble is a sweet finale in this narrow, minimalist dining room.

Okonomi
Cuisine: Contemporary

In sharp contrast to lengthy tasting menus fit with all the bells and whistles, this six-seat counter is about as easygoing as they come. The setting is the back room of a long-standing market that sells bento boxes and sushi-grade fish during the day. There are also no servers — just Chef Daniel Lee and his sous cooking and chatting as if they’re hosting a dinner party for friends in their apartment. The casualness of it all is a welcome stage to the nicely pitched menu composed almost entirely of fantastic, locally sourced fish. Think wahoo sashimi topped with a zesty cucumber-seaweed sauce or superb tilefish cured in kombu, wrapped in shiso leaves, and fried in a light, flaky, beer batter. Guests are encouraged to bring their own beverages.

Sawa
Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Siblings Samaya Boueri Ziade and George Boueri have partnered on their first restaurant, Sawa, which just so happens to mean "together" in Arabic. This lively spot lures a crowd: by the time they unlock the doors, the line is already long. Everyone is here for the convivial ambience and the standout Middle Eastern food from Chef Soroosh Golbabae. This is a menu thick with options, with labneh and hummus with wagyu beef cheeks kicking things off before a round of mezze like tabbouleh, fried meat pies, and kibbeh nayeh. Don't miss the rakkakat, or akkawi and halloumi cheese wrapped in filo and fried to a golden crisp. Grilled Australian lamb chop with garlic labneh and a generous coating of urfa bibir is a smoky, savory main dish. Finish with the pistachio mafroukeh.

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See No Evil Pizza
Cuisine: Pizza

There are just some places that are so New York they couldn't be found anywhere else. See No Evil Pizza is just that. It could be the location in a subway station, or it could be because they're doling out an iconic New York staple—pizza—but don't be fooled by the environs, as a treasure awaits inside. It's casual with a hint of punk, with 80s classics overhead and black-and-white checkered floors. Sit back and let the commuters fly by as you snack on small plates like toast with sardines or a seasonal bowl of beautiful beans in a walnut sauce before moving on to the pizza. There are always specials, but the Hell pie, a thin crust variety topped with spicy meat, is always good. Finish with vanilla soft serve with olive oil and sea salt.

Theodora
Cuisine: Mediterranean

Chef/owner Tomer Blechman is behind this Fort Greene restaurant that seems to have a constant thrum of activity. The scent of wood smoke perfumes the air at this inviting restaurant where the menu leans Mediterranean and there is a clear focus on dry-aged fish and open-fire cooking. Begin with the house-made, wood-fired pita sided by monkfish liver 'nduja hummus for a twist on the traditional opener, then savor a salad of sliced heirloom and cherry tomatoes topped with grilled sardines and a tomato gelée. Seafood cooked over the fire is the restaurant's signature, and the dry-aged black cod with miso beurre blanc doesn't miss a beat, especially with chopped Romano beans on top and grilled fairytale eggplant and grilled endive on the side. 

Uzuki
Cuisine: Japanese

Chef Shuichi Kotani brings his passion for buckwheat to this industrial corner of Greenpoint. Born in the Hyōgo Prefecture, he works in a sprawling warehouse fit with factory windows and skylights. In addition to leading classes for making soba and pottery, the restaurant offers a gluten-free menu flush with noodles and vegetables. Start with the red tosaka salad with cucumber, tomatoes, and daikon radish tossed in a yuzu dressing. Cold and hot soba preparations feature plucky, hand-cut noodles with dashi, and each dish arrives in a ceramic bowl that the chef has made himself. Be advised that pricing is steep.

Veerays
Cuisine: Indian

If the red velvet banquettes, dark brown wooden walls, and decorative accents didn't quite give it away, the menu's "swanky starters," "showstoppers," and "jazzy breads," certainly will. This place exudes that classic 1920s speakeasy vibe, albeit with a twist, as the menu spotlights contemporary Indian cuisine. Bollywood hits and jazz play in the background as you peruse the cocktail list for nods to bootlegging gangsters like Diamond Joe, a slightly sweet gin-champagne cocktail. Rogan Josh, a braised lamb shank with Kashmiri chilis that add subtle heat, is spot on. Fluffy basmati rice with yellow lentils and black mustard seeds is enhanced with coconut for a savory-sweet treat, and don't miss the creamy daal makhani with black lentils and a hint of heat. 

Hero image: Hachikin Creative / Okonomi
Thumb image: Todd Coleman / Café Boulud