The new A Voce opens September 9.
Either the restaurant industry is in severe denial, or that recession thing hasn’t hurt as much as predicted, because this fall New York is witnessing an avalanche of openings. We’re all for the idea that it’s a sign of better times. Here’s what to expect this season:
Abe and Arthur’s: The Meatpacking District adds another clubby venue, with a brasserie-inspired menu from Franklin Becker (Brasserie). September (409 W. 14th St.; 646-289-3930).
Accademia di Vino: This West Side counterpart of the East Side original, in the onetime home of Docks Oyster Bar, will dole out thin-crust pizza, Tuscan small plates and a vast wine selection. September (2427 Broadway; 212-787-3070).
Ainsworth: Another Asian-American fusioner comes to Chelsea. September (122 W. 26th St.; 212-741-0646).
Amber: The Pan-Asian chain opens its newest outpost in a duplex space in the Village. September (432 Sixth Ave.).
Ardesia: This Hell’s Kitchen wine bar will focus on classic and little-known regionals, all at $15-and-under per glass. A menu of charcuterie, cheese and other snacks tops out at $16. September (510 W. 52nd St.; 212-247-9191).
A Voce: The Flatiron Italian brings a branch to Time Warner Center, in the ex–Café Gray space. September 9 (10 Columbus Circle; 212-823-2523).
Balaboosta: This NoLita offshoot of falafel favorite Taim will feature a full-on Mediterranean menu. November (214 Mulberry St.).
Baoguette: Michael Huynh’s quickly proliferating chain of banh mi shops will add one more branch in the FiDi. September (9 Maiden Lane).
Bar Celona: Tapas and cocktails set the tone at this new Williamsburg resto. September (104 South Fourth St., Brooklyn; 718-237-7828).
Bar Henry: A 19th-century townhouse provides the setting for this new Village wine bar with a list selected by John Slover (Blue Hill, Cru) accompanying a classic American menu. September (90 W. Houston St.).
Bill’s Bar and Burger: Steve Hanson turns the onetime home of the Hog Pit into a burger, dog and beer joint. October (22 Ninth Ave.).
B Clinton: Michael “Bao” Huynh’s Vietnamese on the Lower East Side will offer a $29 three-course daily market menu. November (6 Clinton St.).
Bistro Vendome: A Midtown townhouse will house this classically styled bistro. October (405 E. 58th St.).
Blue Elm: Chef Malik Fall (Boucarou) brings his African fusion fare to Orchard Street. September (198 Orchard St.).
Bosie: One hundred premium loose-leaf teas will be on offer at this West Village tea salon, along with pastries, chocolate and light breakfast, lunch and dinner fare. October (10 Morton St.).
Breslin Bar and Dining Room: Ken Friedman and April Bloomfield (The Spotted Pig) team up again for a gastropub with a meaty focus in the Ace Hotel. October (20 W. 29th St.).
Brinkley’s: Ben Towill (Kingswood) lands his English pub grub at the former Bar Martignetti spot. September (406 Broome St.; 212-680-5600).
Brushstrokes: David Bouley brings a triplex Japanese cooking school and restaurant, complete with kaiseki room, into the former Secession space. November/December (30 Hudson St.).
Café Boulud: Daniel Boulud’s upscale bistro will reveal its renovation with an updated look courtesy of designer Geoffrey Beers. There will also be a new bar with a separate entrance and two private dining rooms. September (20 E. 76th St.; 212-772-2600).
Cafe Gitane: A branch of this French-Moroccan cafe opens in the Jane Hotel. October (113 Jane St.; 212-255-4113).
Cantina Latina: Lesly Bernard (Tillman’s, Permanent Brunch) takes on Latin comfort food in the East Village. September (243 E. 14th St.; 212-253-5708).
Cantino: Jason Denton of ‘ino, ‘inoteca and Lupa debuts a market-driven Italian-American eatery, with an accessible wine list and cocktails, in the recently vacated Frederick’s Downtown space. October (637 Hudson St.).
Capital Grille: This country-wide steakhouse chain claims a spot in the Financial District. September (120 Broadway; 212-374-1811).
Casa Lever: Dimitri Pauli and Gherardo Guarducci of Sant Ambroeus are transforming the former Lever House into an Italian eatery with a Milanese bent. September (390 Park Ave.; 212-888-2700).
Chanterelle: Karen and David Waltuck will unveil renovations just in time for the classic TriBeCan’s 30th anniversary. November (2 Harrison St.; 212-966-6960).
Cherrystone: The team behind popular Villagers dell’anima and L’Artusi will set its sights on seafood at this West Village spot in the former Bar Q space. The culinary traditions of the Chesapeake Bay drive the menu. November (308-310 Bleecker St.).
Ed’s Chowder House: Chef Ed Brown (eighty one) teams up with restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow for this “chic sea shack” on the Upper West Side offering a chowder bar and dishes like tuna steak frites, lobster rolls and crab cakes. September (Empire Hotel, 44 W. 63rd St.; 212-956-1288).
East Side Social Club: Downtown alum of Employees Only, Macao Trading Co., Raoul’s and Naked Lunch join forces in Midtown for this classic-cocktail haunt with a film-noir ambiance and an Italian-American menu. October (230 E. 51st St.; 212-355-9442).
Fatty ’Cue: Zak Pelaccio (Fatty Crab) and Robbie Richter (Hill Country) combine efforts for this Asian barbecue spot where fish and heritage breed meats will keep two giant wood-and-charcoal smokers busy, and an outdoor garden comes with a backdrop of the Williamsburg Bridge. October (91 S. Sixth St., Brooklyn).
Gansevoort 69: Florent may be gone, but its space is not forgotten. This spot looks to carry on the erstwhile diner’s comfort-food tradition. September (69 Gansevoort St.).
Grindhaus: The beer-and-sausage trend continues to boom with this German beer garden in Red Hook. November (275 Van Brunt St., Brooklyn).
Happy Face: Lat-Asian from the AvroKO gang (Double Crown, Public) comes to the north edge of the Theater District. September (1695 Broadway).
Highlands: Add this Scottish snackery in the West Village to the gallery of gastropubs. October (150 W. 10th St.; 212-229-9270).
Il Cantuccio: A famed biscotti bakery from Florence lands in the West Village. September (91 Christopher St.).
Le Caprice: The renowned London restaurant opens in the Hotel Pierre. October (795 Fifth Ave.).
Le Souk Harem: The clubby, Moroccan-French venue first popularized in the East Village moves west to a bi-level, 300-seat restaurant and event space. September (510 LaGuardia Pl.; 212-677-1120).
Lucali: The top-rated Carroll Gardens pizzeria adds a second Park Slope location. December (691 Sixth Ave., Brooklyn).
Macbar: Expect a dozen varieties of mac 'n' cheese at this adjunct to SoHo’s Delicatessen. September (54 Prince St.).
Maialino: Danny Meyer strives to save the day at the Gramercy Park Hotel, replacing the short-lived Wakiya with this Italian newcomer, a modern Roman trattoria designed by David Rockwell and featuring Nick Anderer (Gramercy Tavern) behind the stoves. November (Gramercy Park Hotel, 2 Lexington Ave.).
Mercat Negro: This sequel to the NoHo tapas bar will ply Williamsburgers with bites from Catalonia. September (65 Grand St., Brooklyn).
Mermaid Oyster Bar: This third sister of the popular East Village and Upper West Side fish shacks drops anchor in the West Village. September (79 MacDougal St.).
Motorino: The East Village scores the second location of the popular Williamsburg pizzeria. Salumi, cheese, wine and soft-serve ice cream accompany eight pie varieties. September (349 E. 12th St.).
Nyonya: This Malaysian restaurant on the Lower East Side moves down the block. September (199 Grand St.).
O Bao Noodles & Grill: Another entry from the prolific Michael Huynh, this Midtowner will focus on grilled Vietnamese food and international noodles. October (222 E. 53rd St.).
Pequena: Another branch of this Fort Greene Mexican comes to Prospect Heights. September (601 Vanderbilt Ave., Brooklyn; 718-230-5170).
Piccola Cucina Focacceria: Fresh-baked focaccia, in addition to the signature stuffed bread, will be the draw at this Piccola Cucina sibling, which also serves pizza and small bites such as rice balls and mozzarella in carozza. September (120 MacDougal St.).
Pies-n-Thighs: The fried chicken sensation in Williamsburg makes its long-awaited moves to a larger space. November (166 S. Fourth St., Brooklyn).
Piquant: Chef David Sharp (Mustang Grill, Vida) dishes out Southwestern cuisines in Prospect Heights. September (259 Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn; 718-484-4114).
Press NY: Housemade breads drive this new sandwicherie making its debut with two locations. October (379 Third Ave.; 34 E. 23rd St.).
Pulino's Bar and Pizzeria: San Francisco’s Nate Appleman collaborates with Keith McNally (Minetta Tavern, Pastis, Balthazar) for a high-profile pizza project. December (282 Bowery).
Purple Yam: Those who pine for SoHo’s shuttered Cendrillon need not mourn any longer, as Romy Dorotan and Amy Besa resurface for Asian-focused cuisine in Ditmas Park. September (1314 Cortelyou Rd.; 718-948-8188).
Quattro Gastronomica Italiana: This Miami Italian debuts its first New York branch inside the Trump SoHo, with dishes leaning toward Northern Italy. Late 2009 (246 Spring St.).
Rabbit in the Moon: A new English gastropub hits the Village with a vast selection of dishes, beer, wine and signature cocktails. November (47 W. Eighth St.).
Rare Bar & Grill: Another rooftop-equipped location for the burger bistro launches in Chelsea. October (152 W. 26th St.).
Robataya: Owners of Soba-ya, Curry-ya and Rai Rai Ken are behind this robatayaki in the East Village’s “little Japan.” September (231 E. Ninth St.; 212-979-9674).
Saltie: Caroline Fidanza (Marlow & Sons) is opening this Williamsburg bakery/cafe offering sandwiches, salads and ice cream sodas. September (378 Metropolitan Ave., Brooklyn; 718-387-4777).
San Rocco: Traditional Italian food in a contemporary setting arrives at the Wyndham Garden Hotel. September (39 W. 24th St; 212-255-4655).
Screme Café: An Israeli sweets chain hits Manhattan, with waiter service and a menu comprised of desserts, coffee, gelato and sorbet. September (300 E. 64th St.).
SD26: Fine-dining vet San Domenico reappears near Madison Square Park. Three levels, including a wine cellar, will offer contemporary Italian cuisine. September (19 E. 26th St.; 212-265-5959).
2nd Ave Deli: New York’s favorite pastrami stop brings a branch to the Upper East Side. September (1442 First Ave.).
Spice: The Chelsea location of this Thai chain moves across the street. November (236 Eighth Ave.; 212-989-1116).
Stuffed Artisan Cannolis: This shop expands upon Italy’s most popular dessert, with over 20 filling flavors, including "almond love joy," peanut butter and jelly, and birthday cake. October (176 Stanton St.).
Stuzzicheria: More Italian small plates come to Downtown at this younger sibling of Bar Stuzzichini. November (305 Church St.).
Testaccio: An ex–Borgo Antico chef presides at this new Long Island City Italian. September (47-30 Vernon Blvd., Queens).
Tipsy Parson: This offspring of Little Giant will proffer an American-centric menu in Chelsea. September (156 Ninth Ave.; 212-620-4545).
Travertine: Top Chef cheftestant Manuel Trevino heads the kitchen at this SoHo Mediterranean. September (19 Kenmare St.; 212-966-1810).
Unnamed David Chang restaurant at the Chambers Hotel: Momofuku master chef David Chang brings a French-Vietnamese concept to Midtown. November (15 W. 56th St.).
Vanderbilt: Saul Bolton of Cobble Hill’s Saul unveils this small-plates American eatery in Prospect Heights. September (570 Vanderbilt Ave., Brooklyn; 718-623-0570).
Village Tart: Pastry phenom Pichet Ong consults on the dessert-driven menu at this SoHo concept from Lesly Bernard, which will also serve soups, salads and pizzas. September (86 Kenmare St.; 212-226-4980).
’wichcraft at the Atrium at Lincoln Center: Another outpost of Tom Colicchio’s popular soup, salad and sandwich chain. November (Broadway at 62nd St.; 212-780-0577).
Xie Xie: The Asian sandwich explosion continues with a second location of Angelo Sosa’s shop. September (32 St. Marks Place).
Zucca Trattoria: An Italian trattoria slips into the Village spot that was once Pennyfeathers. September (95 Seventh Ave. South).
– Kathleen Squires