Spring is doing its job in the city’s dining rooms. The last 48 hours brought new bar projects from heavyweight teams, a plant-forward addition to the Time Out Market lineup, and a steady drip of small openings across the boroughs. Here’s the quick-hit map of where to go — and where to say goodbye — heading into the last weekend of April.
Quick Bites
- BKLYN Wild lands at Time Out Market Union Square (Manhattan)
- Bar Chimera and Cote 550 from the Cote team find their groove (Manhattan)
- Arthur brings $36 steak and brioche martinis to Greenpoint (Brooklyn)
- Bar Ferdinando revives a 121-year-old Carroll Gardens space (Brooklyn)
- Sosa Sandwich Shop opens as a Cuban ghost kitchen in Astoria (Queens)
- Chama Mama teases new Georgian bakeries opening this week in Bushwick (Brooklyn)
Manhattan
BKLYN Wild at Time Out Market Union Square. Chef Ivy Stark’s plant-forward concept opened a new outpost on April 24 inside the Time Out Market footprint at Union Square. Think bright vegetables, smart Mexican-leaning flavors, and a quick-service format built for the kind of crowd that wants something better than the usual food-hall lineup.
Bar Chimera & Cote 550. The first bar project from the Cote team officially opened on April 18 and has been settling in nicely all week. It’s three bars under one roof: a wine bar, a martini bar, and a whiskey bar, each run by its own expert. Cote 550, the more focused dining counterpart, opened the same day. If you’ve been waiting for a serious cocktail destination from one of the city’s best steakhouse teams, this is it.
Marcel. The 1960s-inspired restaurant developed in partnership with Roman and Williams keeps drawing reservations since its mid-month opening. Custom brass fixtures, vintage Breuer-designed lighting, an open kitchen, and views into a sculpture garden — it’s the rare new opening where the room genuinely lives up to the buzz.
Brooklyn
Bar Ferdinando. Restaurateur Sal Lamboglia’s Italian bar and cafe opened April 15 in the 121-year-old home of Ferdinando’s Focacceria in Carroll Gardens. The daytime menu leans on Sicilian classics — arancini, octopus salad, sandwiches on house-made focaccia, and pane e panelle (chickpea fritters) using Ferdinando’s family recipe. A respectful revival rather than a reinvention.
Arthur. Chef Kevin Finch — an alum of San Francisco’s three-Michelin-starred Atelier Crenn — and his wife Alexa opened Arthur in Greenpoint on April 10. The hook is a $36 steak and a brioche martini, but the early word is that the rest of the menu is doing the quieter, more interesting work.
Chama Mama Bakeries. The Chama Mama team is opening a pair of Georgian bakeries this week, with the Bushwick location offering classic pastries, breads, and sandwiches. If the original restaurants are any indication, expect lines for khachapuri.
Queens
Sosa Sandwich Shop. A new ghost kitchen in Astoria from elevator technician-turned-sandwich-maker Eddie Sosa, slinging Cuban sandwiches and arepas. Sosa’s hook: monthly specials inspired by stories from his social media followers. Worth tracking if you live anywhere within delivery range.
Closings
The closure wave that rolled through early 2026 is still rippling. Capital One Cafe locations are winding down across NYC, and the longtime Italian institution Barbetta served its final meals after more than six decades. Earlier this month, Red Bamboo in the Village said goodbye after a long run as one of the city’s most reliable vegetarian spots.
Rent increases and the broader cost squeeze are the consistent culprits. If you’ve been meaning to visit a place that feels like an institution, this is the season to do it.
See an opening or closing we missed? This roundup is updated daily — the city moves fast, and we move with it.
