Best New Restaurants NYC Spring 2018

The return of the pizza legend, Korean-style kaiseki and more

Get excited, New York: Not only have you (almost) made it through winter, but a pizza legend is coming home and the city is about to get a taste of Korean-style kaiseki. Here are the restaurant openings for spring 2018 worth getting excited about.

Chicha

Instead of the grilled cheeses you'd find at her former restaurant, Little Muenster, Vanessa Palazio is turning to her Nicaraguan roots. When it opens in Bushwick, Chicha will specialize in plates like Baho Quesillo (a corn tortilla served with quesillo cheese and beef braised in beer). There's also going to be a selection of rums on tap and cocktails curated by Marshall Altier of Rose.Rabbit.Lie in Las Vegas. 

Una Pizza Napoletana

After taking his pizzeria on an eight-year sabbatical in San Francisco, Anthony Mangieri, often cited as one of NYC's masters of Neapolitan pizza, is coming back to NYC. This time, he's partnering with chefs Jeremiah Stone and Fabian Von Hauske of Wildair and Contra, who will be supplementing the pies with small plates and desserts. 

Atomix

Once it makes its NoMad debut, Ellia and Junghyun Park's post-Atoboy venture will include an intimate cocktail den and a lower-level dining room that will serve a Korean version of Japanese kaiseki. 

Pisellino

Just like their West Village gem, Via Carota, Rita Sodi and Jody Williams's newest restaurant will be a small, intimate haunt (the space is only 800 square feet) dedicated to Italian food. Except this time, the pair are jumping on the relaxed all-day trend with pastries and coffee starting at 7 a.m., sandwiches come lunchtime and cocktails well into the night.