The 11 Best New Restaurants to Check Out in New York City in February
From caviar tasting menus to rotating dining rooms.
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February may be the shortest month, but that doesn’t mean it gets forgotten when it comes to high-profile restaurant openings. In fact, even though it’s the second month of the year, many of the season’s most anticipated spots have waited until now to fling open their doors. But perhaps this approach makes more sense than at first glance: after all, we’re finally done with an interminably long Dry January, and anyone’s self-imposed hibernation post-holidays is long over. February—while still freezing as recent storms have evidenced—still, somehow, does feel more lively: the ideal time to warm up with spiced cocktails, gather friends for rib-sticking meals of stews and slow-cooked meats, or even just explore a new neighborhood’s dining scene during one of the city’s least frenzied periods.
But, as we all know, even during its slowest periods, New York’s five boroughs still open restaurants and bars at a frantic pace. And with only a finite amount of meals out one can tackle in a month, how do you decide which new places are really worth a visit? That’s where our expertise comes in: we’ve scoured uptown, downtown and everywhere in between to find the buzziest, tastiest and chicest tables to reserve this month. From a new Momofuku spot in the East Village celebrating Caribbean cuisine to modern Levantine at the city’s newest private members’ club in Union Square, these are the spots worth setting an alert for. Read on for the 11 best new restaurants to check out in New York this February.
New York City's New and Noteworthy Restaurants Opening In February
Bar Kabawa
- 8 Extra Pl, New York, NY 10003
- East Village
The Momofuku empire expands to the Caribbean with this new concept, helmed by chef Paul Carmichael (formerly of Momofuku Seiobo, the group’s Sydney outpost). For phase one, Bar Kabawa (the full restaurant, Kabawa, debuts later this winter), expect raw bar snacks and a wide selection of unique West Indies patties, like a short rib with conch and bone marrow. As for tipples: Caribbean rum and daiquiris abound, thanks to bartender Kathryn “Pepper” Stashek (formerly of Attaboy and Grand Army Bar). An early favorite is the Daiquiri Kabawa made with a choice of rum, key lime juice and cane sugar served atop snow ice.
Cafe Zaffri
- 16 E 16th St, New York, NY 10003
- Union Square
Chances are, you’ve already seen The Twenty Two geotagged on social media from your most on-the-pulse friends. And while the establishment is a private members club and hotel, its ground-floor restaurant, Cafe Zaffri is open to the public. Formerly owned by heiress Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt, the space still retains much of its late-19th century charm, albeit with a decidedly more modern menu, thanks to the spectacular duo of executive chef Mary Attea, and executive pastry chef Camari Mick (Raf’s, The Musket Room). The restaurant, serving a contemporary interpretation of Levantine cuisine, will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with items ranging from a classic shakshuka, to grilled prawns with arak and tarragon, as well as the dessert darling of the moment, a kataifi millefeuille.
Chatti
- 252 W 37th St, New York, NY 10018
- Midtown West
New York doesn’t lack for Indian restaurants, but few focus on the food of Kerala, or specifically, toddy shop culture. Chef Regi Mathew aims to change that with the opening of Chatti, his first concept outside of India. Known for selling the eponymous toddy—a naturally fermented and sweet palm beverage—the shops also specialize in slow-cooked small plates, known as “touchings.” At Chatti, these take the form of dishes like prawn pouches with coconut masala, or hoppers, the ubiquitous Kerala pancake made from fermented rice and coconut milk. Pair them with the delightful Elephant Whisperer cocktail, made with banana, coconut, white rum and Prosecco.
Hildur
- 5 Front Street, Brooklyn, NY 11021
- Dumbo
On track to open mid-month is a sister spot to critically acclaimed Colonie, but this time with a menu balanced halfway between French bistro and Scandinavia. Named after one of the owners’ grandmothers, Hildur aims for that same comforting energy: think melted onion soup sprinkled with crisped leeks, rye gougères au comté and even a classic Swedish princess cake, enlivened with caramelized creme diplomat. Don’t miss the cocktail menu, which has a dedicated martini section: we love the Vert, made with apple gin infused with New York apples and dry vermouth.
Huso
- 323A Greenwich St, New York, NY 10013
- Tribeca
Caviar’s moment in the sun is still burning bright, as evidenced by the opening of Huso, the tasting menu spot from two-time Top Chef winner Buddha Lo inside Marky’s Caviar’s new retail space on Greenwich Avenue. The 12-course menu will change seasonally, but of course, will feature plenty of the famed fish eggs in playful dishes like an everything bagel tarte. Desserts are just as elevated: an early stunner is a caramelized white chocolate and white truffle confection. And even the cocktails are getting in on the theme here: try the Dirty Rich, a dirty martini paired with an olive and, naturally, a caviar bump.
Joomak
- 401 West St, New York, NY 10014
- West Village
We all mourned the closing of chef Jiho Kim’s Michelin-starred Joomak Banjum last year, but luckily, we didn’t have to wait long for its new iteration, which technically opened at the end of January—it’s still on our must-visit February list, though. And Joomak, located inside residential hotel Maison Hudson, might prove to be even more of a hit than its predecessor. The eight-course tasting menu, solidly New American but with Korean influence, showcases Kim’s fluency in both savory and sweet, in dishes like an amuse bouche that looks like a smashburger but is actually otoro, egg yolk gelee and choux pastry; or the interactive banana bread pudding, made up of layers of bread pudding, chocolate mousse, creme brulee and lychee. Vegetarians take note: there’s a full menu available for you, too, with courses like a Pink Lady apple ceviche and a Koshikari rice porridge.
Lulla’s
- 169 Graham Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11206
- Williamsburg
Another “little sister” restaurant opening up in Brooklyn this month is Lulla’s, the new concept from chef Ivo Diaz, who also runs the Michelin-approved Casa Ora. This spot is meant to be more casual: a neighborhood hangout for coffee, yes, but also a place to find harder-to-find Venezuelan specialties like mandocas (fried cornmeal fritters) and cachitos (a flaky pastry with ham and melted cheese). Soon to roll out: a coffee-infused cocktail program and a more robust food menu.
Papa San
- 501 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001
- Hudson Yards
Hudson Yards continues to up its collection of destination-worthy restaurants with the opening of Papa San, the third concept from Juan Correa and chef Erik Ramirez, the team behind Llama Inn and Llama San. Situated on the ground floor of The Spiral, the restaurant is a Nikkei-style izakaya, with a cocktail program from the team behind Buenos Aires-favorite bar Tres Monos. The food menu ping pongs between Lima, Tokyo and New York City with tons of plates made for sharing: ceviches, tiraditos and makis among them. Pisco features heavily on the cocktail side, with a standout being the Papa Sour, made with rum liquor, green apple, eau de vie, santal, rice rica and lemon.
Pinky Swear
- 171A Chrystie St, New York, NY 10002
- Lower East Side
Ostensibly a restaurant and cocktail lounge, Pinky Swear—from a team that includes a South American hotel group, Grammy nominee and former pro athlete—defies easy explanation. The concept also includes interactive art exhibits, as well as bespoke furniture and even ceiling tiles. Food-wise, everything is just as inventive, from crab, Boursin and sweet potato doughnuts; to a pastrami tilefish with acorn squash mole. We also love the “Pinky Promise” section of the cocktail menu: two shots to share with a pal. Don’t try a Blitzkrieg Bop (mezcal, cold brew coffee, chartreuse and chili) unless you’re ready for a long night.
Schmuck.
- 97 1st Ave, New York, NY 10003
- East Village
One of the most eagerly anticipated openings this month has been Schmuck, from the famed Barcelona bartenders Moe Aljaff and Juliette Larrouy. With an atmosphere meant to evoke drinking at your (really cool) friend’s home, the experience comprises the seated “living room” as well as the more casual front room, each with its own distinct cocktail menu. In the former, don’t miss the Blanka (Four Walls whiskey, fennel, mustard vinaigrette and pecan), while the latter’s more focused on flavors, like banana, or caramelized apple. Food-wise, you’ll want to grab a few plates for sharing, like the white bean cacio e pepe, or the dark chocolate mousse drizzled with olive oil and salt flakes.
The View
- 1535 Broadway, New York, NY 10036
- Theater District
One of the most famed restaurants of the ‘80s makes its triumphant return this month, but with quite the glow-up. The View, and its slowly revolving dining room, made a big splash when it opened 40 years ago inside the New York Marriott Marquis, but the space has been closed for service for nearly five years. Now, reimagined by Union Square Hospitality Group and Rockwell Group, the Theater District spot has gone from tourist trap to a stunningly redesigned, actually cool hangout. Taking over the 47th and 48th floors, distinct spaces include an upper-level bar and lounge, as well as a full-service restaurant with live piano music. The menu, from executive chef Marjorie Meek-Bradley, is full of American classics: Caesar salad, crab cakes and steaks.
