Cindy Augustine
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Articles by Cindy Augustine
5 Hot New NYC Bar & Restaurant Openings: Noodles and Baked Goods Run the Scene
We’re a little more than halfway through the month and already Halloween costumes are popping up (both humans and pets) all over NYC. Before the parades and parties, there’s still time to book at table and try somewhere new. This week we’re excited for noodles galore, naturally-leavened sourdough loaves, the arrival of hot British import Strakers, and, for the cardamom bun lovers, a famed Danish bakery in Chelsea. Welcome to NYC Straker’s.
Dining Out in NYC With Dante Restaurants’ Linden Pride
On any given day restaurateur Linden Pride can typically be found bopping between his West Village home and his ventures, Caffè Dante, Dante West Village, and Dante Aperitivo with his wife and business partner, Nathalie Hudson, and their two young daughters.
5 Hot New NYC Bar & Restaurant Openings: Temaki and Tomatoes
Naked Tomato is now open in NYC. | Photo by Max Flatow There’s no better place to be than in NYC when fall is in full swing. Not only is the air crispy and the vibes immaculate, but with so many new restaurants opening up around town, it’s almost impossible to keep up. Sure, everyone’s talking about HUMM, which opened over the weekend, but there are other hot tables in abundance.
Dining Out in NYC with Chef Andrew Carmellini of The Astor and The Dutch
With The Astor, a newly-opened restaurant at The Public Theater, and The Dutch (131 Sullivan St.), an American oyster room, hitting 15 years in SoHo, chef Andrew Carmellini has many reasons to celebrate. But Carmellini, whose first restaurant was A Voce in Madison Square Park, seems to take it all in stride.
5 Hot New NYC Bar & Restaurant Openings: Daniel Humm’s Official Spot and a Legendary Baker Does Bagels
Epic pancakes await. | Photo courtesy of Carnegie Diner Cafe Somehow it’s already October and you can’t cross a street without seeing a pumpkin in NYC. From farmers markets to townhouse stoops, to bagels to lattes, the city is drowning in gorgeous gourds. In other fall news, tables seem to be filling up at the brand-new Dante on Elizabeth Street in Nolita and reservations are now open for HUMM, chef Daniel Humm’s massive new downtown spot, which is slated to open its doors on October 10.
Dining Out in NYC with Chef Marcus Samuelsson, Who Brings the Heat With World of Smoke Global BBQ
It’s not even October and it’s already a busy fall for celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson who, in addition to running a handful of restaurants in the city, sharing his recipes with CookUnity, and popping up on TV, is about to start promoting a brand-new cookbook. Plus, this weekend, Samuelsson is heading up the first ever World of Smoke Global BBQ, a one-day celebration of barbecue, music and global culture at Resorts World New York City in Queens, home to Samuelsson’s acclaimed VIBE BBQ.
5 Hot New NYC Bar & Restaurant Openings to Know About This Week
Now that this nor’easter has fizzled out, we’re back to our usual fall activity of restaurant and bar-hopping around town. With so many hot tables, it’s truly an embarrassment of riches for diners in the Big Apple, from classics celebrating anniversaries to a whole new cadre of restaurants creating a buzz.
5 Hot New NYC Bar & Restaurant Openings to Know About This Week
Gotham Burger Social Club is now open in NYC. | Photo by Patrick Dolande With summer officially ending and fall beginning this week, it’s time to try something new. Fortunately for New York diners, the bar and restaurant openings haven’t slowed down. This week, look out for a massive new Lincoln Center brasserie from a beloved celebrity chef, the arrival of an authentic Greek restaurant in SoHo, and a Southern-style country buffet that finally landed in the East Village.
Dining Out in New York City With Chef Erik Ramirez of Papa San
Chef Erik Ramirez, the man behind Papa San. | Photo courtesy of Papa San Peruvian-American chef Erik Ramirez was raised in New Jersey where he learned about food from a young age, taking in everything he could from his family about the cuisines of Peru and Nikkei. His restaurant, Papa San in Hudson Yards, is the product of that education. And, lucky for us, the food Ramirez serves is some of the most exciting in the area, let alone the city.
5 Hot New NYC Bar & Restaurant Openings to Know About This Week
With September in full swing and RARE Steak Championship NYC sadly behind us, it’s time to turn our attention to the fall bounty of bars and restaurants that keep sprouting up around town. By all means, please do savor the final days of summer sunshine dining, but be sure to keep these brand-new hot spots on your radar.
25 Years After 9/11, the NYC Restaurant That Sat Atop the North Tower Remains an Icon
By Cindy Augustine · September 9, 2026 Cindy Augustine is a NYC-based lifestyle journalist and editor covering food, spirits, travel, and more. This year marks 25 years since the September 11 attacks and a new CNN documentary recounts the rise and fall of the iconic restaurant in the World Trade Center. Premiering on September 7, Top of the World commemorates Windows on the World, perched on the 106th and 107th floors of the North Tower, and its destruction in 2001.
5 New NYC Restaurants and Bars to Know About This Week
Labor Day has come and gone and it’s suddenly back-to-school season. With the U.S. Open rolling on and Fashion Week beginning this week, New York is a bustling town again. Getting a table just got a bit trickier, but perhaps now’s the time to try something new—because the new bar and restaurant openings haven’t seemed to slow down. Since it’s still very much al fresco dining weather, consider checking out a new spot.
Why ABV Is Showing Up on Cocktail Menus
By Cindy Augustine · September 2, 2026 Cindy Augustine is a NYC-based lifestyle journalist and editor covering food, spirits, travel, and more. Key Points American alcohol consumption is at a record low, which is driving a rise in low-proof options. Some bars now list abv on menus to help consumers decide what to order. Transparency in drink strength improves hospitality, promotes inclusion, and helps businesses sell more lower-abv beverages.
5 Hot New NYC Bar & Restaurant Openings to Know About This Week
Goodbye, August. September arrives this week and with Labor Day around the corner, now is the time (for those of us still in town) to grab a coveted table or seat at the bar. In a matter of days, a switch will turn on and fall vibes will fill the air. But until then, it’s still summer and there’s plenty to savor in this empty city—including a slew of new bars and restaurants. This week, look for a pop-up at the Plaza, a burger spot in the East Village, a new French bar in the West Village, and more.
Dining Out in NYC With Chef Ed Cotton
Chef and restaurateur Ed Cotton (who some may remember from season 7 of Top Chef) was raised in Massachusetts and lives in Queens, but he has made his mark on Manhattan. After training at some of the city’s top restaurants, he went out on his own about five years ago and never looked back. Following Jack & Charlie’s (opened in 2021 in the West Village) and Leonetta (opened in Murray Hill in 2024), chef Cotton just opened the doors to The Derby Club on Sutton Place in the former home of Neary’s.
5 Hot New NYC Bar & Restaurant Openings to Know About This Week
It’s the last week of August, but with a late Labor Day this year, the NYC summer vibes have stayed very much intact—even if it’s less than a month from ending. The city is still quiet and tables remain remarkably easy to come by. And, with all these new openings, now’s the time to try something new.
5 Hot New NYC Bar & Restaurant Openings to Know About This Week
Well NYC, we’ve made it to mid-August: the dog days have arrived and the city continues to empty out. Enjoy the near-silence while it lasts. For those still here, congratulations: you should be able to get a table just about anywhere (now’s the time to take your chances as a last-minute walk-in). Plus, the openings keep rolling on—including a new bar in Union Square, a ramen spot in Flatiron, and a bookstore/bar combo in the East Village. This spicy ramen is waiting for you in NYC.
5 Hot New NYC Bar & Restaurant Openings to Know About This Week
We’re teetering on the dog days of summer and NYC feels a bit like a ghost town right now, but for those of us here, the world is our proverbial oyster. Not only are tables at local hot spots are more available than ever, but the summer openings haven’t stopped, even with fall right around the corner.
The Best NYC Bakeries You Never Heard Of
A glorious chocolate croissant in NYC. | Photo courtesy of Librae One could spend a decade doing a bakery crawl around New York City and it probably wouldn’t be enough time to hit them all—but the journey sure would be sweet. This city is so crammed with amazing bakers, pâtisseries, boulangeries, and pasticcerias that it’s easy to forget about restaurants for a minute and just enjoy a pastry or specialty dessert.
5 Hot New NYC Bar & Restaurant Openings to Know About This Week
Cheers to the opening of Keepers in NYC. | Photo by Noah Fecks Rain or shine, anyone who’s hanging around New York City in the month of August should be able to grab a seat at a hot table while the city is blissfully empty. This week in openings, Bar Étienne announced an August preview on Bedford Street in the West Village (we’ll keep an eye on that space). In addition, there’s a new Mexican bakery in Koreatown, an oyster bar from the Cervo’s team in Brooklyn, and more.
5 Hot New NYC Bar & Restaurant Openings to Know About
After a picture-perfect (and extremely rare) dry weekend, we’re back to a soggy NYC. But, have no fear, this crop of new bars and restaurants are putting the fun back into dining out. From a budget friendly new East Village bar serving top-notch cocktails and bites to a Persian street food spot opening in Kips Bay to the expansion of two local favorites, Kati Roll Company and Kings Co Imperial, it’s a good week to be a hungry diner in the Big Apple. A spread of Turkish delights.
5 Hot New NYC Bar & Restaurant Openings to Know About This Week
We’re living in a post-playoff, post-Word Cup city right now and it’s different. Fortunately for revelers, there’s plenty of new bar and restaurant openings around town. Even with the end of watch parties, we’re still having a ball. This week, look for a hot-and-sweet fried chicken spot in Brooklyn, a sizzling Argentinian tavern built around live fire in the West Village, a new location of Frenchette bakery, and more. Visit the latest high-end Indian restaurant in NYC.
Chef Stefano Secchi on Being a Steward of Italian Culture and Opening Restaurants in New York City
A full spread at Rezdôra in New York City. | Photo by Molly Tavoletti After a fire shut down the original location, chef Stefano Secchi is back in the Flatiron neighborhood with Massara, aiming to showcase the joy of wood-fired pizzas. Last week Massara moved back to the old Flatiron location from the temporary Park Avenue home, and Secchi has invited Italian pizzaioli to come over and take over the wood-fired oven.
Dining Out With Charlotte Voisey: A Cocktail Expert’s Guide to Great Dining in NYC
Charlotte Voisey who runs the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation. | Photo by Erika Goldring This July 19 to 24, bartenders, industry people, and cocktail enthusiasts will gather once again in New Orleans for the annual Tales of the Cocktail festival. The Tales of the Cocktail Foundation hosts the gathering, which benefits the global drinks industry by educating, advancing, and supporting the community.
5 Hot New NYC Bar & Restaurant Openings to Know About This Week
The World Cup games may be coming to an end, but NYC bar and restaurant openings still roll on. From a museum-like bar in Brooklyn to a new New Museum restaurant to a spicy Thai offshoot in Chelsea and more, here are five sizzling-hot new places around the city to hit up this week. Inside the new dokidoki in Brooklyn. | Photo by Shannon Sturgis Celebrating the unexpected kinship between Japanese and Latin culture in a relaxed environment, dokidoki is now open.
5 Hot New NYC Bar & Restaurant Openings to Know About This Week
After a brutal heatwave, nonstop World Cup viewing, and a weekend of celebrating America’s 250th, the rain has arrived and with it, a new batch of places for drinking and dining. During said heatwave, we checked out two hot new ice cream spots, Unnecessary and Lost Borough Ice Cream, which recently opened in Upper Manhattan in the Inwood neighborhood.
Dining Out With Chef Eli Sussman, New York’s Meme King
Social media personality and human meme generator, Eli Sussman (known as @thesussmans on IG) also happens to be the author of a handful of cookbooks and a chef. A two-time James Beard Rising Star Chef nominee, Sussman worked at Mile End and Mile End Deli, among other places in NYC. But, as it turns out, he is just as recognized from his hilarious online presence as he is as the chef/partner at Gertrude’s, a cozy neighborhood restaurant in Prospect Heights.
5 Hot New Bar & Restaurant Openings to Know About This Week in New York City
It’s finally summer— and after a week of Knicks celebrations and World Cup viewing, the party has yet to stop in New York City (rain or shine). Adding to the excitement are the seemingly endless options for dining, sports viewing, drinking, and alfresco people-watching. This latest crop of newly-opened bars and restaurants include two new spots in the Financial District, a powerhouse team that just opened in picturesque Brooklyn, something brand-new coming from the La Esquina team, and more.
Dining Out With Leah Cohen, the Culinary Mind Behind Pig and Khao
Chef Leah Cohen is brining Filipino food to the forefront. | Photo courtesy of Pig & Khao Most New Yorkers know chef Leah Cohen from her acclaimed Southeast Asian street food-inspired restaurant Pig and Khao, which first opened on the Lower East Side in 2012. Others may recognize the chef from her approachable cooking videos where she pulls from her Filipino-Jewish heritage to share Asian recipes and create delicious dishes from her home kitchen in New Jersey.
NYC Anniversaries: 10 Years of Great Pizza at Pasquale Jones
One might think the NoLita/Little Italy neighborhood of downtown Manhattan would be teeming with restaurants, but there are much fewer dining options that you’d imagine in a neighborhood that has retail and shopping covered. So in early 2016, when chef Ryan Hardy and the Delicious Hospitality Group, who also run Charlie Bird on King Street, opened Pasquale Jones, a wood-fired Italian restaurant on the corner of Mulberry and Kenmare, it was pretty much an instant hit.
5 Hot New Bar & Restaurant Openings to Know About This Week in New York City
New Yorkers are riding high: the Knicks have won, we’re in the midst of Pride month, and World Cup fever is sweeping the city, so both the bars and the streets are packed with sports fans in search of a screen showing the game du jour. Not to mention, the weather has remained perfect. There truly isn’t a better time to be dining out or drinking alfresco in any of the five boroughs, especially with some pretty good $26 food and drink specials across the city too.
5 Hot New Bar & Restaurant Openings to Know About This Week in New York City
This week feels like a blessing, complete with perfect low-humidity weather, the Knicks leading the playoffs, and the Word Cup starting any day now. If it wasn’t before, now is the time to make al fresco dining (and drinking) priority number one because another cool crop of newly-opened bars and restaurants have sprung up around town.
‘Top Chef’ Shirley Chung’s Most Prized Bottle Is a Symbol of Survival and Support
Chinese-American Chef Shirley Chung was born in Beijing, where she developed her love of food at an early age. After moving to California, she attended culinary school, training in classic French and Italian cuisine and ultimately landing work in the kitchens of esteemed chef Thomas Keller. Chung became known as the “Dumpling Queen” of Los Angeles thanks to appearances on Bravo’s Top Chef (seasons 11 and 14), and has become a tireless advocate for the AAPI community.
A Secret NYC Lounge Just Opened After Being Closed For Over 70 Years
On May 19, Katz’s Deli, the 140-year-old Lower East Side institution famous for its legendary sandwiches (thanks in part to Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally), opened The Ludlow Room, a restored dining room that had been closed to the public since 1949. “For decades, this space helped support the demand that made Katz’s what it is today, but very few people ever got to see it,” said Jake Dell, a fifth-generation owner of Katz’s Delicatessen.
5 Hot New Bar & Restaurant Openings to Know About This Week in New York City
It’s June which means the Knicks are blessedly in the playoffs, the World Cup tourists haven’t quite yet descended on our fair city, and the weather is near-perfect, with warm temps and low humidity (for now), absolutely perfect for al fresco dining. To add to the good fortune of New Yorkers, yet another crop of newly-opened bars and restaurants have sprung up around town.
5 Hot New Bar & Restaurant Openings to Know About This Week in New York City
Now that the May heatwave and holiday weekend rain are thankfully behind us, it’s time to get back to dining out instead of hiding out. Fortunately for New Yorkers, the opening of new bars and restaurants haven’t stopped and spring continues to bloom with brand-new places to eat and drink across the city.
Dining Out With Hallie Meyer of Caffè Panna Fame
As a native New Yorker and daughter of Union Square Hospitality Group’s founder Danny Meyer, it’s only natural that Hallie Meyer feels at home in restaurants and loves to eat. In fact, she’s often thinking about where to have lunch even after she just finished breakfast. This manner of thinking helps, since, as an ice cream entrepreneur, inspiration for new flavors can come from anywhere and a recent craving or food fixation can lead to a new collab or sundae at Caffè Panna.
5 Hot New Restaurant Openings to Know About in New York City
After a particularly brutal winter, spring arrived with a bang in New York City, and with it, a slew of new places to eat, drink, snack, and shop. From a Village pizza opening to the return of a believed scoop ice cream shop to a Brooklyn waterfront mini mart with excellent to-go sandwich options, here are five recent and notable openings to know about.
Chef Sujan Sarkar Returns to NYC With Award-Winning Indienne and Two New Concepts
Sujan Sarkar, the chef behind several acclaimed Chicago restaurants, is making a return to New York with multiple projects across Manhattan starting this month. At Henry Hall, a luxury residential building in Hudson Yards, the chef is opening three distinct concepts: Indienne New York, an evolution of his Michelin-starred Chicago flagship; a cocktail bar called Apas; and Elder, a British-Indian chophouse informed by his years living and working in London.
10 Unique Lobster Rolls to Make Summer in NYC Sweeter
New Englanders may roll their eyes and proclaim it’s impossible to get good lobster rolls south of Massachusetts. However it is, in fact, possible to find fresh (often market-priced) lobster year-round in New York City at institutions like The Lobster Place, Cull and Pistol, and Luke’s Lobster. So beloved is seafood in the Big Apple that despite closing last year, beloved West Village seafood spot Mary’s Fish Camp is teasing a comeback this summer.
Dining Out With: Chef and Cookbook Author Will Horowitz
A longtime fixture around the Lower East Side and East Village, chef, restauranteur, and cookbook author Will Horowitz can usually be found on the east side of Manhattan. If not, he’s likely in an outer borough on a food tour of his own design or out east on Long Island, foraging, fishing, and cooking up something interesting.
10 of the Best Modern Italian Restaurants in NYC
For over a decade Locanda Verde has served modern Italian fare. | Photo courtesy of Locanda Verde While there will always be a place in our heart for a classic red sauce old-school Italian restaurant, checkered table cloths and all, we’re also eyeing a crop of less-traditional restaurants that still focus on regional Italian fare, but deliver a more modern interpretation.
Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop Kitchen Debuts in New York City
While Angelenos have been noshing on Goop Kitchen meals for about five years now, Gwyneth Paltrow’s fast-casual, healthy to-go food concept has finally hit the Big Apple. The Oscar-winner serves as Goop Kitchen’s co-founder and creative director, and the first East Coast outpost of Goop Kitchen opened in Midtown West this April.
10 Best Places to Eat & Drink in the Flatiron District
The Flatiron District, which refers to the neighborhood of Manhattan named for the Flation Building on 23rd and Broadway, is north of Union Square, south of NoMad, east of Chelsea and borders both Gramercy Park and Madison Square Park. It famously launched the Shake Shack brand, which restaurateur Danny Meyer started as a food cart in 2001 and now boasts almost 700 outposts around the world.
Behind the Bar: Jeff Bell Opens a New Speakeasy in Midtown
Jeff Bell is no stranger to bartending or opening a bar in New York City; he started working at the renowned speakeasy PDT in the East Village back in 2010 and is now a managing partner there. Last summer, the award-winning bartender opened the tequila and mezcal bar Mixteca. Earlier this year, he opened the classic cocktail spot, Kees, both in the West Village.
10 Places to Find the Best Ice Cream in NYC
It’s an exciting time to be an ice cream lover in the Big Apple. Famous for hot dogs, black-and-white cookies, pastrami sandwiches, and pizza slices, New York is, in fact, an ice cream town. Frozen custard was actually invented on the shores of Brooklyn, in Coney Island, over 100 years ago. And while New Yorkers may enjoy ice cream year-round, come summertime we’re out in droves, queueing up for the coolest flavors around, beating the heat one scoop at a time.
NYC Anniversaries: Little Owl Turns 20 and We’re Still in Love
In late spring of 2006, on a picture-perfect corner of the West Village, Little Owl quietly opened its doors. The small jewel-box of a restaurant, housed in a building best known as the exterior of the Friends building, had maybe 30 seats. Gabe Stulman managed the floor, and chef Joey Campanaro worked the line, creating a menu of new American fare that was, at the time, actually new.
The Best NYC Restaurants for When No One Can Decide
When New Yorkers and city visitors are faced with choosing where to eat, they can experience decision fatigue from the embarrassment of riches that is the tens of thousands of restaurants in the Big Apple. And when you factor in hard-to-please people and picky eaters, it can be downright overwhelming to decide on a restaurant. Fortunately, New York is filled with excellent options for all types. You just have to answer: When, for how many, and what kind of food.
How Expert Bartender Sam Ross Defined Cocktail Culture in NYC
In 2004, a young bartender from Melbourne, Australia named Sam Ross, arrived in New York City in search of a burgeoning cocktail scene. Just barely old enough to drink in his adopted country, it took him a minute to find his footing and his way. Little did he know then, but he would go on to create some of the most popular cocktails today including the Painkiller and Paper Plane.
10 Restaurants You Can’t Miss in the East Village
Unlike the picturesque West Village, populated with tons of restaurants and shops, the slightly grittier, arguably cooler East Village has always been a drinking destination. You’ll find incredible restaurants here too, though they might be sandwiched between bars. The diversity of cuisine options in the neighborhood is staggering. You’ll find restaurants serving Chinese, Thai, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Korean, Filipino, and Italian fare,among others.
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