The best new NYC restaurants to try this fall

After navigating not one, but two highly unusual years, 2022 turned out to be a different kind of unexpected for New York’s dining scene, with restaurants thriving all over town while the city otherwise struggles to find its post-pandemic footing.

Thus far, we’ve had some memorable surprises, with tourist-centric locations like Rockefeller Center and South Street Seaport luring in serious chefs and turning into full-blown dining destinations for locals — a welcome transformation at a time when tourism still struggles to recover completely.

From omakase sushi served in a hushed atmosphere steps from the trains at Grand Central, to out-of-the-ordinary Thai food in Williamsburg, a potential hotspot for the historic (and historically beleaguered) Hotel Martinique, and yes, even a restaurant in Times Square, here’s what’s coming next — or at least, here are six of the restaurants I’m most looking forward to trying.

Jōji

Only in New York could Daniel Boulud, a sushi master from Masa and a mighty real estate company join forces to create a 10-seat omakase restaurant. (There’s also an eight-seat dining room, but the counter’s the place to be.) Opening on Sept. 14, Jōji completes SL Green Realty’s campaign to make its One Vanderbilt skyscraper the culinary capital of East Midtown. Chef George Ruan is crafting a menu that he describes as “combining elements of the traditional while also being daring and unexpected.” The omakase tasting starts at $375. Boulud, who runs the great Le Pavillon on the tower’s second floor, will lend operational support and management guidance. Hushed, elegant Jōji is tucked into an underground alcove at the bottom of the tower, just steps from the trains at Grand Central.

Jōji, 1 Vanderbilt Ave.

Press Club Grill

Chef Franklin Becker, who’s run popular Big Apple eateries such as Catch and launched several food halls and grab-and-go spots such as Little Beet, heads up this 9,000-square-foot, two-level American eatery to open in October at the Martinique Hotel, which has been reborn after years of closure and construction. Becker describes the menu as “old New York meets new New York.” The name refers to the long ago time when newspaper people congregated at Herald Square for sports and entertainment.

Press Club Grill, Martinique Hotel, 49 W. 32nd St.

T-Bar Steak & Lounge

After a long wait, Tony Fortuna’s insanely popular, modern American eatery — a 27-year favorite on the Upper East Side — reopens on East 60th Street on Sept. 6 in a new, three-level location 13 blocks south of the Third Avenue original. It will even have a separate VIP entrance, presumably for regulars such as Le Bernardin chef Éric Ripert and World Trade Center developer Larry Silverstein. Let’s hope they keep the grilled salmon that was my favorite dish uptown.

T-Bar Steak & Lounge, 116 E. 60th St.

Monsieur Vo

Chef Jimmy Ly and Yen Vo, the husband-wife team behind casual Vietnamese spot Madame Vo, are branching out. The place was famed for its soulful, signature broth-and-short-ribs dish Madame Pho. Their new location, opening Sept. 14 on the former site of Madame Vo BBQ, is described as Ly’s modern Saigon-influenced takes on street food, comfort food, and large-format meat and seafood dishes.

Monsieur Vo, 104 2nd Ave.

Brooklyn Deli

There’s so much mediocre — and worse — food in Times Square that it’s cause to celebrate when a pro who elevates popular taste — namely, Trattoria dell’Arte and Bond 45 owner Shelly Fireman — takes the plunge. Like his other Brooklyn Delis, the 130-seater, set to debut in October, will offer classic New York comfort and nostalgia dishes, Roman-style pizza and specialty egg and breakfast dishes.

Brooklyn Deli, Paramount Building, 1501 Broadway

Kru

Dozens of new Thai places come along every year, but this one from husband-and-wife duo Ohm Suansilphong and Kiki Supap sounds especially promising. It will bring “100-year-old dishes inspired by Thailand’s royalty and aristocracy” to Williamsburg’s hotel-party zone this September. Dishes will be served in “bountiful banquet” style — with many on the table at once — rather than in formal courses. There’s a cozy backyard behind the main dining room.

Kru, 190 N. 14th St., Williamsburg