This first branch of this rapidly-expanding Italian “fast casual” chain in New York, Vapiano fills a void left by Dean & DeLuca when that panini and coffee shop closed just a couple blocks down on University Place, and it will probably become to the neighborhood what Dean & DeLuca was: a go-to place for a [...]

One good thing about the chain-ification of New York restaurants: you pretty much know what you’re getting into before you even walk in the door. The thing to know about new casual Italian spot Corsino, located in the old Frederick’s Downtown spot, is that it’s backed by Jason Denton of ‘ino, ‘inoteca, and ‘inoteca Liquori. [...]

If Maialino is an Italian restaurant that faithfully renders the classics, Faustina is the opposite: It takes Italian cuisine and turns it on its head. Why serve cannelloni the traditional way when you can break it down and reconstruct it as separate layers of pasta, cheese and fresh tomatoes? And the art of crudi here [...]

There may be no second acts in American lives, but there are in the New York restaurant business. Donatella Arpaia, who opened davidburke & donatella with chef David Burke, then Dona, Anthos and Kefi with chef Michael Psilakis, has moved onto act three with Mia Dona, which she recently reopened as a solo project.

As in [...]

When somebody asks you to recommend a “cool new restaurant,” you’re liable to start ticking off names by neighborhood – usually in the Meatpacking District, West Village, Noho, Williamsburg or someplace with similar caché. But it’s time to radically adjust your thinking, because the new hot neighborhood is… the East 50s.

If anyone could reinvigorate formerly [...]