Now In NYC: The All New Vintage

The bar at Gato. It's never this empty.

NEW YORK CITY – New York is a restless town. Always hungry for the new, always eager for fresh talent. The food scene is no exception, and in recent years, the city's insatiable appetite has been fed by novelties: the food trucks, the pop-ups, the out-of-towners.

But lately, the source of the culinary bounty has not been the new kids on the blocks but rather the established chefs and restaurateurs who are opening the next chapters of their rich culinary careers. In other words, great new New York restaurants from old New York talents.

The bar at Claudette

Claudette 24 Fifth Ave.; +1-212-868-2424 The Team: Carlos Suarez As Seen At: Bobo and Rosemary's What's to Love: Suarez just gets better and better, this time taking inspiration from the flavors and decor of Provence. Chef Wade Moises and chef de cuisine Koren Grieveson put together a terrific menu, but the thing to get are an assortment of vegetables du Jardin and the chicken tagine, which easily feeds two. This may be the restaurant of the summer. It's so fresh, so perfect, so now.

Dinner at Gato.

Gato 324 Lafayette St.; +1-212-334-6400 The Team: Bobby Flay and Laurence Kertchmer As Seen At: Around the United States: Bar Americain, Mesa Grill, and Bobby's Burger Palace What's to Love: Yes, Bobby is married to Fathom contributing editor Stephanie March. But that would have sent me to Gato once. The food (especially scrambled eggs with almond romesco and boucheron, crab risotto, and halibut with saffron-tomato broth), the enticing wine list, the friendly staff, and the lively bar have lured me back a dozen times.

The outdoor dining room at Narcissa.

Narcissa 21 Cooper Square; +1-212-228-3344 The Team: John Fraser As Seen At: Dovetail What's To Love: When hotelier Andre Balazs turned the Cooper Square Hotel into The Standard East Village, he inherited a long-troubled and awkwardly shaped restaurant. The room got a makeover, and the kitchen got a superstar: the talented, brainy John Fraser. He had been taking vegetables to a new level at Dovetail for some time and continues to innovate here, most notably in carrots Wellington and rotisserie-charred beets. Charming touch: Many ingredients, including whole baby chickens, are sourced from Balazs's farm upstate.

Dinner at Bâtard. Clockwise from top left: Maine lobster, octopus pastrami, veal tenderloin, seared ocean trout, pan-roasted branzino, New York strip loin.

Bâtard 239 West Broadway; +1-212-219-2777 The Team: Drew Nieporent, John Winterman, Markus Glocker As Seen At: Drew: Nobu, Tribeca Grill; Winterman: Daniel; Glocker: Gordon Ramsay at The London What's to Love: Talk about a dream team. The culinary godfather (Nieportent), the charming host (Winterman, a Fathom contributor), and the rising chef (Glocker) renovated and brightened the former Corton space (originally Neiporent's Montrachet). The plates are beautiful and refined; the service is elegant and relaxed.

The open kitchen at Marco's.

Marco's 295 Flatbush Ave.; +1-718-230-0427 The Team: Francine Stephens and Andrew Feinberg As Seen At: Franny's, BKLYN Larder What's to Love: Pizza was only the beginning for the married couple, but what an auspicious start it was. When Franny's outgrew its Flatbush Avenue location and moved up the block, they transformed the space into Marco's, a cozy Italian trattoria with a lovely back garden and a more ambitious menu. What to order: all the pastas and anything wood-grilled.

Classic pasta.

Bar Primi 325 Bowery; +1-212-220-9100 The Team: Chef Andrew Carmellini As Seen At: Locanda Verde, The Dutch, Lafayette. What's to Love: Peels, the beloved and always packed Bowery restaurant from Taavo Somer, has been replaced by the prolific chef's small plates and pasta joint. What Carmellini can't do with pasta isn't worth doing. How did he open this a year after Lafayette, his other stunning newcomer, yet look calm every time I see him? I don't know, but I think he may have clones.

Sea urchins on ice.

Carbone 181 Thompson St.; +1-212-933-0707 The Team: Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi, Jeff Zalaznick As Seen At: Torrisi, Parm, ZZ's Clam Bar. What's to Love: Those Italian mama's boys take the iconic old-school, red-sauce joint to the level of performance art. Huge flecks of Parmesan rain down on your plate like dollar bills at a strip club. Botles of Sambuca are left on the table. Waiters wear burgundy tuxedos. Tony Bennett is at a corner table! (Okay, that was just one time.) The food is delicous and pricey. But you're here. Go big or go home.

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