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December was a bit of a blur, wasn’t it? Through the rush of Christmas shopping, Hanukkah celebrations and holiday lights, we’ve arrived at the end of the month, and somehow the end of the year. But even among the hustle of it all, plenty of restaurants made their debut this month. So make a resolution to visit some of these spots in January and well into the new year. And in case you missed it, here’s what opened in November!
1. Pig & Khao
Opened: December 4
Where: Upper West Side
What: Twelve years ago, “Top Chef” alum Leah Cohen opened Pig & Khao, inspired by her Filipino roots and travels across Thailand. Now, she has opened a second location of the famed Southeast Asian eatery, this time on the Upper West Side. Classics from the original can be found here—including the chopped pig’s head in the Sizzling Sisig—alongside newcomers like Thai-style barbecue pork roti “tacos” aka Moo Ping Al Pastor and one of chef Cohen’s favorite Filipino dishes, Pancit Palabok.
2. Messy
Opened: December 5
Where: Soho
What: Mediterranean meets Japan at Messy. From the same team that opened Lighthouse in Williamsburg, Messy draws inspiration from the casual and quick restaurants found in Japan. On-the-go lunches can include skewers of steak and sushi-grade tuna or lamb and beef kebabs sandwiched inside pitas. Plus, dishes stay under $20, which is saying something in this city.
3. The Residence of Mr. Moto
Opened: December 9
Where: Williamsburg
What: Who is Mr. Moto? You may have come to know this globetrotting fictional character by visiting The Office of Mr. Moto, an omakase restaurant in the East Village. Now you can get a new side of him by visiting his home. Adorned with suits and ties behind a glass case and artifacts from Japan, the restaurant shares Mr. Moto's favorite home-cooked meal: kaisen-don or rice bowls. Order from a pre-set menu of kaisen-don topped with tuna tartare, scallops and surf clams.
4. Chez Fifi
Opened: December 10
Where: Upper East Side
What: Brothers David and Joshua Foulquier of We All Gotta Eat restaurant group are behind some of New York’s buzziest, Sushi Noz and Noz 17 to name a few. Their latest project, however, is as personal as they come. Paying homage to their late mother, lovingly known as “Fifi,” comes Chez Fifi, a stylish bistro that combines Parisian fare with Basque influences. Once you’ve sufficiently dined on Steak Tartare and Basque deviled crabs, you can climb upstairs to the cocktail lounge Salon Di Fifi à L’étage for a full martini menu and French and Iberian wines by the glass.
5. L&B Spumoni Gardens
Opened: December 10
Where: Dumbo
What: After years of anticipation, and we mean literal years, L&B Spumoni Gardens finally opened its second location. The new digs are a touch more snazzy than the original, with white marble tables and black-and-white pictures of the Barbati family on the walls. But the food is still the same, from their legendary square slice to sweet scoops of their iconic spumoni. And really, we wouldn’t have it any other way.
6. Welcome Home
Opened: December 14
Where: Bed-Stuy
What: Alums from L'Appartement 4F have opened a new bakery in Brooklyn. Run by Isa Steyer and Billy Wright, the neighborhood hub for all things baked has already come out of the gate relatively strong (even with a broken oven on day one), slinging cinnamon rolls, croissants and Pig In Bed aka a croissant filled with fennel and maple-spiced ground pork. Keep an eye on their IG for even more rollouts (and likely, rolls).
7. Mori Mori
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Opened: December 17
Where: Dumbo
What: Visiting Masaharu Morimoto's first-ever hand roll concept at Time Out Market goes a little like this. Step one: secure a coveted standing-room spot at the counter. Step two: choose from a list of traditional and creative handrolls—take note of The Brooklyn Bridge Cheesesteak with shredded beef, scallion and jalapeño. Step three: watch the chefs get to work (optional: taking video of it going down). Step four: take the roll straight from the hands of the chef and enjoy.
8. Sunn’s
Opened: December 18
Where: Chinatown
What: Charcuterie and wine? Out. Banchan and wine? In. Chef Sunny Lee has been known about town for her popular pop-up, Banchan by Sunny. Partnering with restaurateur Grant Reynolds of Parcelle, Lee has moved operations out of her apartment and into a quaint 24-seat operation in Chinatown. Followers of the pop-up can expect old favorites alongside some new, including tteokbokki cooked "nonna-style" with tomato, gochujang and all the stracciatella. Naturally, you can pair your fare with beer, soju, and makgeolli, all curated by Parcelle.
9. Santi
Opened: December 20
Where: midtown
What: The mind behind Marea and Ai Fiori has opened a new restaurant, giving us more reason to eat in midtown. A culmination of his time living and working across Imola, the Amalfi coast, and the South of France, chef Michael White’s latest excels at modern Italian cooking with crudo and pasta, including a separate kitchen dedicated just to the art of flour and water. Leave room for the Affogato made with coffee gelée or the puffed pastry, Millefoglie, layered with caramelized apple and bay leaf.
10. Wayward Fare
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Opened: December 20
Where: Prospect Park
What: Since 2017, Prospect Park has been treated to chef Akhtar Nawab's play on Mexican food at Alta Calidad. And now, they can get even more of him with Wayward Fare. Found next door to its sister restaurant, Wayward Fare travels around the breadth of the Mediterranean. Powered by its wood-fired oven, you can find roasted oysters with fermented cherry pepper butter and Swordfish stewed with chickpeas and saffron. Wood-fired bread comes with a choice of three mezzes, the whipped Farmer’s Cheese spiced with Urfa biber (a Turkish chile pepper) being one of the finest.