Locol, The Perennial, Lilia And More Hot Spots Open

New York City

Lilia: A Voce vet Missy Robbins is back in the kitchen, at her Williamsburg spot where she's making loads of pastas, like whole wheat spaghetti with smoked ricotta and peperoncino, pappardelle with veal Bolognese and porcini, and sheep's milk cheese-filled pasta with saffron, tomato and honey. Meats, fish and lots of Robbins' signature vegetables are being roasted over the restaurant's hearth. The restaurant is pretty roomy for the area, with seating for 70, so hopefully a table won't be too hard to come by. Find Lilia on DINE.

The Lucky Bee: After a long wait, the team at this market-driven Southeast Asian street fare spot is opening—without its gas hookup. A challenge for sure, but Fat Radish alum Matty Bennett will be cooking with induction burners to get things started. Expect dishes like coconut poached chicken with lemongrass, peanuts, oysters and Thai chili sauce. Find The Lucky Bee on DINE.

Le Boudoir: The team at Chez Moi is channeling the ghost of Marie Antoinette at their new basement spot beneath the Atlantic Avenue restaurant. The space is designed to look like Antoinette's boudoir, with red upholstery, gilded mirrors and drinks like The Guillotine (mezcal, scotch, banana, honey) from former Dead Rabbit barman Franky Marshall. To snack, there are frogs' legs, pâté , and chocolate mousse.

Nakamura: Just in time for the first real snow of the season, Nakamura is open and ladeling four types of ramen, including a yuzu dashi, spiced curry and a vegetarian miso bowl made with Momofuku's XO sauce. That last bowl might sound a bit familiar to fans of Sun Noodle's Ramen Lab. Shigetoshi Nakamura, who oversaw that project, is in charge here. Find Nakamura on DINE.

Los Angeles

LocoL: Roy Choi and Daniel Patterson just launched their highly anticipated fast-food spot in Watts, where a staff hired from the neighborhood is flipping cheeseburgers made with meat and grains that clock in at the bargain price of $4. The location is just the first of what the team hopes will be many that help change neighborhoods and our idea of what fast food is. Find Locol on DINE.

The Butcher's Daughter: One of New York's most popular pretty-people spots is now serving its largely vegan menu on Abbott Kinney. Of course, there are juices, avocado toast, vegan pastries and a kale salad, but new for this location are wood-fire oven pizzas and cauliflower steak frites.The original spot has always had a Cali vibe to it, so it should fit right in. Find The Butcher's Daughter on DINE.

Recess Eatery: Glendale school-themed restaurant Recess is now also open in Highland, in a spiffier space, including a sweet patio with a fireplace, communal dining tables and some slick, industrial vibes. Expect a menu of Mediterranean-inflected Cali fare with cheeky names, like pledge of allegiance (a steak sandwich), the valedictorian (braised short ribs) and study of eggs benedict. Find Recess Eatery on DINE.

Mian by Chengdu Taste: Noodle master Tony Xu's fifth restaurant is named for the Chinese word for noodle. He's serving eight noodle dishes here (all of which clock in under $10), including hot and sour noodles, a beef noodle soup with pickled chili peppers and a fair number of customizable topping options. Oh, and there are also dumplings. Find Mian by Chengdu Taste on DINE.

San Francisco

Okane: Transformation Tuesday came early for this SoMa omakase, the new-and-improved version of Origami Market. Take a seat at the sushi bar or go for delicious—and affordable—shared plates of chawanmushi, grilled sake lees-cured salmon and chicken karaage. The menu is in Japanese, but don't worry, there are subtitles. Find Okane on DINE.

The Perennial: Mission Chinese Food owners Anthony Myint and Karen Leibowitz just opened perhaps the most environmentally-focused restaurant since Dan Barber started Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Everything at this Mid-Market spot is focused on the environment, from the aquaponic greenhouse the team operates across the bay to the flour used in the house bread, developed with Chad Robertson. The menu hints at the serious effort behind it all, but doesn't overwhelm diners with information. If you're curious, just ask. Find The Perennial on DINE.

Chicago

Naoki Sushi: Meet the restaurant within a restaurant, from noted chef Naoki Nakashima, hidden inside Lincoln Park's Intro. There are plenty of Eastern-inspired cocktails to help wash down your spicy tuna roll, plus non-alcoholic options, like a guava lemon spritz and plum ginger beer. Find Naoki Sushi on DINE.

Bunny, the micro bakery: At long last, Iliana Regan's anticipated bakery is now open. Swirled boules with impressive crumbs abound, and there are larger plates, like corn spaetzle and a brûléed brioche tartine. Find Bunny, the micro bakery on DINE.

Forno Rosso: Don't be fooled by the Sears Tower looming in the distance: You're in Naples when you're eating at the Randolph Row outpost of this popular pizzeria. The mozzarella is imported, the wine Italian and the walls stucco—but the neighborhood vibe is all Chicago. Find Forno Rosso on DINE.

Austin

Torchy's Tacos: We'd never say no to another location of the self-proclaimed "damn good" taco joint, open now on South Congress Avenue. They have an extensive menu and are open from 7 a.m. until 11 at night, so you can do breakfast, lunch and dinner without risking taco fatigue. Find Torchy's Tacos on DINE.

Miami

Ariete: Chefs Michael Beltran and Jason Odio bring new American cuisine and a wood-fired grill to Coconut Grove, with classic, though comforting, sharable dishes, like smoked pork chops and oxtail-mushroom tortellini. It's just dinner for now, but lunch and brunch are soon to come. Find Ariete on DINE.