If food pics make up 75% of your camera roll, congratulations–you’re in good company. And if your kitchen is pretty much just for show at this point because you eat out for, like, every single meal, chances are you’re already obsessed with Beli–the cult-favorite foodie app that ranks restaurants based on real diner reviews.
Beli recently dropped its very own end of year recap, Beli Plated 2025. And after combing through more than 50 million restaurant reviews from around the world–making 2025 Beli’s biggest year yet–the app just put together a list of the 12 best new restaurants in NYC. It’s basically a cheat sheet to the city’s hottest openings right now.
If you’ve been lucky enough to snag a table at any of these restaurants, go ahead and brag a little–after all, in NYC, scoring a coveted reservation is practically a competitive sport. And if you haven’t crossed any of them off your list yet, get ready to bookmark a dozen new must-tries to your “Want to Try” folder immediately.
Top Rated New NYC Restaurants of 2025
1. The Eighty Six – West Village
The fourth best new restaurant in the world, this WV steakhouse tucked in a Prohibition-era space focuses on steaks sourced directly from small, independent ranches around the world.
🍽️ Steakhouse
📍 86 Bedford Street
2. I Cavallini – Williamsburg
The Williamsburg sequel to The Four Horsemen, I Cavallini is an Italian restaurant serving seasonal dishes and impossible-to-score-reservations.
🍽️ Italian, Wine Bar
📍 284 Grand Street
3. Kabawa – East Village
Also on the New York Times’ top 100 NYC restaurants for 2025 and just recently added to the Michelin Guide, Kabawa offers an elevated take on the tropics through a three-course tasting menu.
🍽️ Caribbean
📍 8 Extra Pl
4. Musaafer – Tribeca
An opulent restaurant with stunning interiors–custom made and shipped from India–offering an authentic Indian fine dining journey featuring age-old regional recipes.
🍽️ North Indian, Indian
📍 133 Duane Street
5. Chez Fifi – Upper East Side
A 19th century UES-townhouse-turned-stunning-restaurant serving Parisian fare that will transport you to France. Highlight items include French/Basque-inspired dishes, like think txangurro (“deviled baked crab”), Dover sole à la plancha, and even a unique fromage blanc ice cream.
🍽️ French
📍 140 E 74th Street
6. HOWOO – Koreatown
Meaning “rainshower” in Korean–echoing the soft sound of rain, like the sizzle of beef on the grill–HOWOO is a high-design KBBQ destination with warm wood tones and dimly lit interior.
🍽️ Korean, Barbecue, Steakhouse
📍 7 E 31st Street
7. Lucky Charlie – Bushwick
A buzzy neighborhood pizza spot bringing back quality late-night dining with their coal-fired pizzas, with the kitchen open until 3 am. It’s the perfect nightcap stop for beer shot combos and Italian-inspired cocktails.
🍽️ Pizza
📍 254 Irving Avenue
8. Bong – Crown Heights
The brick-and-mortar evolution of pop-up Kreung, Bong is a tiny Crown Heights spot serving an exciting line-up of Cambodian dishes.
🍽️ Cambodian
📍 724 Sterling Place
9. Bánh anh Em – East Village
A recent addition to the Michelin must-try list, Bánh anh Em is an ambitious Vietnamese kitchen known for two things: bread baked in-house for banh mi and rice noodles produced on site.
🍽️ Vietnamese
📍 99 3rd Avenue
10. Cuerno – Midtown
A celebration of northern Mexican roots through a fire-driven cuisine, authentic hospitality and a bold take on tradition. Here, family recipes
are at the heart of every meal.
🍽️ Mexican, Steakhouse
📍 1271 Avenue of Americas
11. Ha’s Snack Bar – Lower East Side
Serving bold plates like pig’s foot terrine and calf’s brain, Ha’s Snack Bar is a small Vietnamese snack bar that transforms Southeast Asian flavors into playful, shareable plates. It was recently named in the New York Times’ 50 Best Restaurants in America for 2025.
🍽️ Vietnamese, French, Wine Bar
📍 297 Broome Street
12. Wild Cherry – West Village
The culinary component inside Cherry Lane Theatre from A24, with French influences, creative cocktails, and art deco vibes–think: steak tartare, lobster club, tuna crudo, and frog legs.
🍽️ American
📍 38 Commerce Street