4 new restaurants making a splash in New York City right now

Quality Branded’s latest was already a social media star before it opened in February—and it’s only exploded since. The team behind NYC staple Quality Italian is dazzling diners with over-the-top Italian American fare that’s peak New York. Think roasted garlic babka and steak topped with a cacio e pepe raviolo that oozes cheese sauce. The decor is just as decadent: A she-wolf statue presides over the dining area and Roman fountains deck the restrooms. Consider toasting your larger-than-life meal with a round of shots served on toy race cars—a zany tribute to Italy’s classic car obsession. It all adds up to an unapologetically maximalist experience you won’t soon forget.

The loss of 12-year-old vegan “junk food” mainstay Champs Diner rocked the Williamsburg community in late 2022. But in March, that sacred space became Ro’s, an inventive plant-based diner co-owned by former Champs chef Ro Seaward (many of the diner’s former employees returned as well). The restaurant’s impressive comfort food lineup includes vegan riffs on American classics such as mozzarella sticks, wings, a seitan gyro, housemade meatloaf, and gluten-free mac and cheese. Pull up a round stool at the counter, or slide into the long row of booth seats in the mirrored space to dial up the nostalgia. Ro’s has already managed to fill Champs’s big shoes.