Source: Eater New York
Manhattan’s dining scene never sleeps, and according to Eater New York, whose renowned Heatmap has been tracking the city’s most exciting openings for two decades, February 2026 brings a fresh wave of must-visit restaurants. From intimate kaiseki counters to classic American steakhouses making a splashy debut, here’s what’s generating the most buzz right now.
New This Month
Odo East Village is the most talked-about arrival of the moment. The two-Michelin-starred kaiseki restaurant Odo has spun off a comparatively casual East Village outpost that introduces what chef Hiroki Odo calls “kaiseki izakaya”: an à la carte exploration of Japanese cooking spanning raw, grilled, simmered, steamed, and fried dishes. Think donburi with uni and soft-cooked eggs, rice cracker-breaded fried chicken, and Japanese crab, served in an elegant counter-seat setting.
Golden Steer, the legendary Las Vegas steakhouse, has landed in Greenwich Village for its first-ever New York outpost, inside the iconic One Fifth building. The expansion brings old-school American glamour to downtown Manhattan, with an extensive raw bar, plentiful steaks, tableside cherries jubilee, and bloody mary oyster shooters that signal a serious commitment to showmanship.
Rulin, the newest entry from the couple behind Brooklyn’s beloved Noodle Lane, brings their pan-Chinese noodle expertise to Union Square. The dinner menu highlights hand-pulled noodles, including a Lanzhou-style beef noodle soup and Sichuan dan dan noodles, alongside grilled skewers and smashed cucumbers.
Recent Favorites Still Generating Buzz
Hwaro, tucked inside chef Sungchul Shim’s Times Square steakhouse Gui, is one of the city’s most intimate and refined new experiences. The 22-seat marble counter offers a 13-course Korean tasting menu for $295, centered on a custom charcoal grill, featuring dishes like foie gras with duck terrine, scallops with truffles, and a makgeolli béarnaise espuma. A nine-course option is available at $245.
Bistrot Ha is the eagerly awaited follow-up to the Lower East Side phenomenon Ha’s Snack Bar. The new, larger space allows the team to go further with their French-Vietnamese menu, with standouts like fried yuba stuffed with crab, curried lobster, sweetbreads vol-au-vent, and a jazzed-up steak frites. Reservations are already filling up fast.
Wild Cherry, born from the partnership of chefs Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson (Frenchette, Le Veau d’Or) and indie film studio A24, is perhaps the most talked-about opening of late 2024. Attached to the revived Cherry Lane Theatre in the West Village, it offers a menu ranging from frogs legs Kiev to a celebrated cheeseburger, with a celebrity-spotting scene to match.
Lalyn, the latest from restaurateur Olie Sangpetpairot (Malii Gramercy, When in Bangkok), brings a contemporary pan-regional Thai menu to a spacious, moon-inspired dining room. Executive chef Nicky Khanarat and head chef Tina Thipdong deliver dishes like scallop crudo with tom kha sorbet and fish curry gratin, alongside inventive cocktails laced with pandan, chiles, and palm sugar.
Seahorse, the sprawling seafood brasserie from Mercer Street Hospitality and restaurateur John McDonald, opened inside the revamped W New York in Union Square. Designed by Rockwell Group, the 125-seat nautical-themed space features scallop tiles, midnight-blue banquettes, and a menu from chef John Villa that runs from crudo and dover sole to spicy lobster cavatelli and duck à l’orange.
Bufón, the Lower East Side follow-up to West Village wine bar Demo, leans into steak, seafood, and a raw bar, with highlights like bluefin tuna carpaccio, grilled mackerel, and a robust natural wine program curated by Jacob Nass and Pierre Derrien.
Babbo, the legendary Greenwich Village Italian restaurant, has been revitalized under new owner Stephen Starr, with Mark Ladner (formerly of the acclaimed Del Posto) now running the kitchen. Beloved pasta dishes remain, including the iconic 100-layer lasagna, brought back with fresh energy and renewed attention to detail.
The Eighty Six, the latest from Tilman Fertitta and Catch Hospitality Group (also behind Corner Store), occupies the storied former home of Chumley’s on Bedford Street. The 35-seat West Village steakhouse, designed by Rockwell Group, pairs chef Michael Vignola’s polished menu of oysters, 30-day-aged rib-eyes, and a cheesesteak with theatrical cocktails including smoked dirty martinis and fat-washed pours.
Arvine, opened by NYC restaurant veterans Adrien Falcon and Joe Anthony in the West Village, offers modern American cooking with an extensive wine list. Highlights include kombu-baked diver scallops and a giant garlic knot that has already become something of a signature.
Muku, a 10-seat kaiseki counter in Tribeca from the team behind Michelin-starred L’Abeille, centers on a seasonal tasting menu guided by Kyoto traditions, featuring sashimi, delicate broths, grilled fish, and composed vegetable dishes in a spare, minimalist space.
All restaurant recommendations sourced from the Eater New York Heatmap, the publication’s continuously updated guide to the most exciting new openings in Manhattan. For the full list and insider ordering tips, visit eater.com/new-york. eater.com/new-york.
