Duck Duck Goat, Waxman's, Impero Caffè And More Hot Openings

14 new restaurants to add to your must-try list

New York City

American Cut: The latest iteration of Marc Forgione's steakhouse is in the Lombardy Hotel. The large space is swankier with its retro-glamour vibe than the average Midtown steak spot. Expect lots of meat, including the house's signature 42-ounce tomahawk. The menu is the same as the Tribeca location for the most part, but there are a few new additions, like seafood towers named after Debbie Harry songs. Find American Cut here, or in our DINE app.

Impero Caffè: Scott Conant, the chef who made Scarpetta a hit (though he's mostly moved on from it) is back with a new spot in Chelsea's Innside New York NoMad hotel. The menu trots on some familiar Italian territory with pastas like campanelle with squid and cavatelli with braised duck and black truffle sugo. For dessert, there's an intriguing budino with salted caramel and gianduja crumble. Conant's also in charge of the lounge, which he says will function as an Italian coffeehouse. Find Impero Caffè here, or in our DINE app.

Rider: Williamsburg performance space National Sawdust now has a restaurant attached to it, named after the section in contracts that venues sign when they host big-name artists. Chef/owner Patrick Connolly's menu ranges from a broccoli rabe pork larb to shaved beets with blue cheese and crispy quinoa. Find Rider here, or in our DINE app.

Chinese Club: Laut owners Stacey Lo and Salil Mehta's new restaurant draws on Lo's childhood growing up in a Hakka Chinese and Indian Chinese home. Its name comes from a social club and hangout for the Chinese immigrant community. Dishes include Uncle Yap's Hakka Platter, cold beef braised in soy and bang bang chicken wrapped in tofu skins. There's also chile chicken and Darjeeling Hakka Lo Mein. Find Chinese Club here, or in our DINE app.

Los Angeles

LudoBird: Those who go to Kings games and sold-out concerts for Ludo Lefebvre's Staples Center concessions stand will soon have another poultry outlet. Lefebvre confirmed that his fried chicken joint is here at long last, and he's bringing fried chicken sandwiches to Universal CityWalk. There's an 18-foot-tall rooster sign—"just so you don't miss it," he says. Find LudoBird here, or in our DINE app.

Paley: This Hollywood restaurant is throwing it back to midcentury glory days, complete with art deco touches. Go for a burger oozing with raclette cheese or a Technicolor dish of scallop crudo topped with scarlet radish sprouts. It's starting off with lunch service (a steal at $25 for three courses), but dinner is on its way. Find Paley here, or in our DINE app.

San Francisco

Waxman's: The Bay Area is finally getting a taste of Jonathan Waxman's glorious roast chicken with the chef's first SF restaurant. The rest of the menu is Cal-Ital at its finest. Case in point: the Meyer lemon-scented Dungeness crab tagliatelle. Sneak an early drink (the bar opens at 4 p.m.) or grab a seat in the café if you're looking for a more casual night out. Find Waxman's here, or in our DINE app.

Chicago

Duck Duck Goat: Girl & the Goat's Stephanie Izard calls her new project a "reasonably authentic Chinese" restaurant. It's partly inspired by the Chinese American food she had growing up and partly inspired by her travels in Chengdu, Shanghai, Beijing and Taiwan. Look out for lots of Peking duck, hand-pulled noodles and some more inventive offerings, like crispy frog's legs with potatoes with house-made oyster-coffee sauce. For dessert, there's Taiwanese-style pineapple cake and a sweet potato gelato with a waffle and spiced strawberries. Find Duck Duck Goat here, or in our DINE app.

The Northman: Fountainhead's new bar boasts the largest cider selection in Chicago, with more than 100 varieties. Thankfully, the menu includes lots of explanations of where they come from and tasting notes. Pair all of those apples with pub fare like fish and chips (made with cider batter, of course), a patty melt and Normandy-style onion soup. Find The Northman here, or in our DINE app.

Washington, D.C.

Kyirisan: Chef Tim Ma combines his Chinese heritage with his formal French training at his latest restaurant located in Shaw. Some dishes are for the adventurous, but it's not all duck-blood caramel-filled waffles—the crème fraîche chicken wings are sure crowd-pleasers. Find Kyirisan here, or in our DINE app.

Miami

Glass and Vine: Watermelon salad season is officially under way when you're dining at Chopped chef Giorgio Rapicavoli's sprawling new Peacock Park spot. The dish also includes cotija cheese, toasted corn and cilantro, plus sliced jalapeño for a bit of heat. As for the "glass" part, there's a central, double-sided bar where you can sip local craft beer or classy cocktails. Find Glass and Vine here, or in our DINE app.

Bachour Bakery + Bistro: The Miami New Times calls it "the most beautiful lunch in Miami," and that's almost an understatement. The food doesn't disappoint either, with treats like Nutella and guava-cheese croissants—and we dare you to leave with less than four macarons in hand. Find Bachour Bakery + Bistro here, or in our DINE app.

Detroit

Katoi: The "mothership" has landed in Corktown. After a series of pop-up dinners and food truck appearances, Brad Greenhill's Thai food has a permanent home. We have our eyes on the "thrice-cooked" sweet potatoes with palm sugar, sherry and bonito flakes, and nap-inducing Burmese pork belly curry. Find Katoi here, or in our DINE app.

The Broderick Grille: Residents of the Downtown skyscraper have a new alluring reason not to cook at home. Open at 8 a.m., it's an ideal grab-and-go breakfast spot, but the five burger options also make it a choice lunch spot. A Broderick Tap Room is in the pipeline as well. Find The Broderick Grille here, or in our DINE app.