The 13 Best Restaurants Opening in New York City in September
From an allergen-free bakery from one of the city’s top pastry chefs to a steakhouse inside Grand Central, these are the tables to snag in New York City this month.
New Yorkers may wax poetic about our summers, but real talk? They’re kind of hot and sticky. September, however, still tends to get short shrift. Whether that’s because we’re grumpy about returning to busier work and school schedules or the waning daylight in evening hours, this transitional month is not often paid the credit it’s due. For starters, the weather tends to be perfect, which we can’t say about many months here. And for those of us who are constantly on the prowl for new restaurant openings, there is no better time to explore than these first few weeks post-Labor Day.
So what’s the hardest part about dining out in September? Choosing where to eat. The city practically explodes with openings after the holiday weekend, and it can often be tricky to figure out what’s good and what merely looks good on Instagram or TikTok. Luckily, we’ve been hitting up friends and family meals and soft openings to bring you the much-needed intel. Whether you’re looking for innovative new Thai (we’ve got two to recommend!) or sister restaurants to some of New York’s most in-demand downtown spots, we’ve got a table on this list for nearly every type of diner—even the ones who can’t eat gluten, dairy and nuts. Read on for the 13 best restaurants opening in New York this September.
The West Village’s favorite Italian hangout has hopped the East River this month with the arrival of sister spot Barbuto Brooklyn inside 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge. Featuring the same California-Italian mashup cuisine as the original (yes, the JW chicken with salsa verde is still on the menu), chef Jonathan Waxman will also add a number of new seasonal dishes to this location when it opens on September 17. Make sure to check out Barbuto Garden while the weather is still nice: a romantic outdoor space with light bites and 16 rotating beers on tap.
The elevator pitch for this new downtown bakery might not sound super appealing: all the goods are free from the top nine allergens, including dairy, gluten and eggs. But Bub’s Bakery also has a powerhouse team behind it: 55 Hospitality’s Jenn Saesue and Chat Suansilphong (Fish Cheeks, Bangkok Supper Club), and James Beard-nominated baker Melissa Weller (Per Se, Sadelle's). And if anyone can make an “egg and cheese” biscuit without using either actual ingredient, it’s this team. When it opens in late September, look out for a wide selection of sweet and savory pastries (we’re especially excited about the kouign amanns), as well as a coffee program.
If you’re the little sister restaurant to Corner Store, you’re basically nepo-baby royalty, at least as the food world is concerned. But boutique steakhouse The Eighty Six isn’t just riding the coattails of its impossible-to-book big sister: its classic American menu is drawing in fans all on its own. We recommend the steak here, of course, whether you get the porterhouse for two served with marrow bones, or the bone-in wagyu New York strip. And a martini to accompany it all is the move here; we are particularly intrigued by the Bread and Butter version, which is made with sourdough bread and fleur de sel butter.
If there’s one attribute that all Quality Branded restaurants share (Don Angie, Twin Tails, Zou Zou’s), it’s that they’re a lot of fun. Which is why the arrival of their first Mexican concept, Limusina, has been one of our most anticipated openings of the month. Housed in a former parking garage on the west side, the 215-seat, tri-level spot features the same sort of playful dishes for which its sister properties have become known: think lobster al pastor with achiote-chili butter and avocado crema, or solteros, individually topped nachos with ingredients like steak barbacoa. And of course, there is a deep bench of margaritas here, including the smoky Mezcalero and the Flaca (their version of a skinny marg).
One of Miami’s most beloved Mediterranean concepts is now here to bring a little sunshine up north. Motek has a cult following already, thanks to its fluffy fresh-baked pitas, four varieties of housemade hummus and mezze dishes. The New York menu also features larger plates like a wagyu burger with pomegranate-mint aioli, hanger steak with peppercorn sauce and a whole branzino. The all-day restaurant is also launching with brunch: don’t miss the malawach Yemenite pancake served with lemon tahini, grated tomato and eggs.
Kuma Hospitality Group, which is known for elegant spots like L’abeille and L’abeille à Côté, launches an equally refined concept this month with the opening of Muku, a kaiseki spot. The 10-12 course menu, created by chef Manabu Asanuma, is centered around goho, or the five classical techniques of Japanese cooking: raw, grilled, simmered, steamed and fried. While the menu will change seasonally, look out for dishes this fall to include foie gras chawanmushi, wagyu shabu shabu and grilled eel with maitake rice.
While we’re not lacking for Thai spots in the city, Northern and Northeastern Thai cuisine is a little tougher to seek out. Our search has been made easier with the opening of Narkara, the newest addition to the Kinnaree Hospitality group (Thep Thai, Aqua Boil). Featuring the food of the Mekong Delta region, dishes include small plates like tuna ceviche cured in lime and fish sauce, and entrees like grilled pork belly in banana leaf and New York strip served with grilled sticky rice waffles, cured egg and nam jim jaew, a tamarind chili dip. We recommend washing it all down with a Salted Plum Sour, a vodka and rum-based drink with umeshu, guava juice, plum syrup and egg white.
Even the most jaded of New Yorkers will probably admit that the Main Concourse in Grand Central Station is still pretty cool. And now, you can gawk at the ceiling murals without being too obvious, thanks to the opening of Palladino’s Steak and Seafood inside the terminal. The space, designed by Rockwell Group, also boasts an all-season outdoor patio, making this steakhouse perhaps the best new spot for people watching in all of Manhattan. As for the food: under the direction of chef Sam Hazen and restaurateur Joseph Palladino, you can expect classics like a bone-in 26-ounce chateaubriand, herb-crusted prime rib, as well as a robust Japanese section that includes cuts of wagyu and a selection of sushi.
Another unique Thai concept arrives in New York this month with the opening of Unglo, Manhattan’s first restaurant focused on Thai barbecue. Brought to you by the team behind popular spots Chalong and Soothr, the interactive meal here includes cuts of dry-aged beef, wagyu and abalone that guests can cook over a grilltop or boil in shabu broth. Unglo is also notable for its cheeky cocktail program, which is named The Butcher’s Collection. We’re fans of the Bloody Blade, made with tequila, vermouth, watermelon, basil, lime, balsamic jalapeño and a fish powder rim.
After the tragic passing of chef James Kent in 2024, his sky-high and critically acclaimed restaurant Saga was left with an uncertain future. But luckily, the chef leading the kitchen into its next chapter is an extremely qualified one. Charlie Mitchell, the first Black chef to earn a Michelin star in New York City and a 2024 James Beard Award winner, took over the burners on September 1. While Saga’s multi-course menu will remain modern, Mitchell will interpret it through his own lens with dishes like a seared Hokkaido scallop in consommé with sweet potato. And, in a nod to the previous chef’s mentorship, the meal will finish with Moroccan tea service and a maamoul cookie, a carryover from Kent’s own menu.
We New Yorkers are spoiled for choice when it comes to slice shops, which means it takes a special opening to pique our interest. But SliceHaus has the pedigree that pizza-hounds seek out: the pies are crafted by pizzaiolo Agostino Cangiano (formerly of the perennially packed L’Industrie). The slices and Italian sandwiches here are light and crispy, partially thanks to a dough that’s enlivened by olive oil flown in weekly from Italy. Start with the classics like a Margherita or four cheese, but save room for the square slices, whose toppings are a little more unusual: a potato and bacon, or a ham and corn.
There are food halls, and then there is Time Out Market. New York’s second location opens across the river from its sister in Dumbo, right in the heart of Union Square on 14th Street. This new iteration has a smaller footprint than the original, but the tightly curated list of concepts is just as tasty. We’re most excited for chef Kwame Onwuachi’s Patty Palace, which will serve the beloved Jamaican snack; Unapologetic Food’s (Adda, Semma, Dhamaka) kebab stand Kebabwala and the Michelin-approved tacos from Taqueria El Chato. There will also be plenty here to satisfy your sweet tooth, including Sunday Morning’s cinnamon rolls and shortbread from cult-favorite Shortbread Society.
New York’s Most Anticipated September Restaurant Openings
Barbuto Brooklyn
Bub’s Bakery
The Eighty Six
Koju
LDV Hospitality (Scarpetta, American Cut) branches out into Japanese cuisine with the opening of Koju, a modern sushi concept inside Ace Hotel Brooklyn. The menu, presided over by executive chef Kevin Garrison (Sushi Zo Hanare), is a 13-course prix-fixe, including nigiri, hand rolls and seasonal dishes. This fall, you can expect delicacies like Hokkaido scallops and hagatsuo (striped bonito), as well as add-ons like a triple-toro roll featuring akami, chutoro and otoro. Cocktail-wise, you’re looking at a tight, five-drink menu, all of which blend Japanese ingredients with Western recipes, like a Japanese Yuzu highball. There’s also plenty of sake on offer, including many local Brooklyn makers.
Limusina
Motek
Muku
Narkara
Palladino’s Steak and Seafood
Unglo
Saga
SliceHaus
Time Out Market New York Union Square
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