Fall is always the extreme season for New York restaurant and bar openings. But 2025 is shaping up to have more high-profile debuts than usual. (Look no further than Eighty Six, the Corner Store team’s latest project in the former Chumley’s space in the West Village and the arrival of grill guru Francis Mallman at La Boca at the new Faena New York.)
If there’s a theme, it’s brand extensions. The biggest, literally, comes empire builder Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who’s mashing up his three Flatiron concepts—ABC Kitchen, ABC Cocina, and ABCV—into a spacious restaurant and retail space, ABC Kitchens in Dumbo. In the East Village, the team behind New York’s acclaimed Flatiron kaiseki counter Odo will debut a seasonal rice-focused concept that shows off the staple ingredient in myriad preparations. Meanwhile, the popular Thai noodle spot Soothr is expanding beyond the East Village, with a second location in Long Island City. It’s also introducing a Thai barbecue concept, Unglo, to the Upper West Side.
Dining and Cooking