New York: Misi
Early this week, the Big Apple welcomed a new Italian restaurant by James Beard Award-winning chef Missy Robinson (Lilia). The menu skews handcrafted and vegetable-forward with grilled baby artichokes and peppery greens with warm pancetta vinaigrette meeting house-made fettuccine with buffalo butter, and chickpea pappardelle with rosemary and Parmigiano. The cocktail selection, curated by sommelier Eliza Christen (Meadowood, Momofuku Ko), features creative plays on Italian classics like a bellini fizz with peach, Aperol, prosecco, and egg white.
Misi is located inside of the historic Domino Sugar Refinery development, the 4,000 square-foot space is filled with black leather banquettes. A small cluster of ficus trees are planted in the center of the 98-seat main dining room. And an open kitchen, surrounded by 35 seats, gives diners a chance to glimpse the action. Guests can also view the restaurant’s airy pasta-making room—where all of the restaurant’s fresh pastas are produced—through floor-to-ceiling windows. 329 Kent Avenue; 347-566-3262
Nashville: Mop/Broom Mess Hall
This week, James Beard Award-winning chef Tandy Wilson (City House) opened his second Nashville restaurant. A departure from City House’s upscale Italian fare, Mop/Broom will focus on casual, home-style Americana cooking with Southern sensibilities. The menu, inspired by the dishes Wilson cooks for his family, includes hush puppy-battered catfish, chili cheese chickpea fries, and marinated summer squash with sweet peppers, pumpkin seeds, chip crumbs, and parmesan. Dessert will skew nostalgic with sweets like chocolate sheet cake and lemon bars. The drinks menu, meanwhile, will feature custom sodas along with the beer and wine list.
Anchored in Nashville’s burgeoning Germantown neighborhood, Mop/Broom is located inside a former broom and mop manufacturer. The industrial digs allow for a spacious dining room, an expansive bar, a chef’s counter, and an outdoor patio. 1300 3rd Ave N; 615-689-5224
St. Louis: Yellowbelly
On September 14, the Gateway City will welcome Yellowbelly, a seafood and spirits-focused restaurant masterminded by Top Chef winner Richard Blais. The décor will skew lighthearted and playful, with an open kitchen and a dining room outfit with bamboo and large custom murals by St. Louis-born artist Noah MacMillan.
The kitchen will be helmed by chef Jason Gethin, with a menu concept led by Blais. Expect raw specialties ceviche and crudo, as well as whole fish dishes and fried fish sandwiches. The bar menu, meanwhile, will tie together the bar and kitchen, with spirits helmed by bar manager Tim Wiggins, and chef Gethin partnering on house-made juices. With an emphasis on rum, the cocktail list includes drinks like Crop Circles (white rum, ancho verde, creole shrub, sweet corn, coconut) and Lion’s Share (bourbon, sherry, white miso, almond, passion fruit, lime juice, and nutmeg). 4643 Lindell Boulevard
Las Vegas: The Dorsey Sessions at the Venetian
The Venetian’s craft cocktail lounge is hosting a series of micro-residencies that pairs visiting bartenders, artists, and musicians for unique evenings of spirits and culture. On September 13, The Dorsey Sessions will welcome Jose Luis León Martinez and Benjamin Padron Novoa of Mexico City’s popular Licoreria Limantour. The pair’s menu will include creative cocktails like an Old George Sour (tequila, absinthe, lemon juice, cucumber syrup, cardamom, and basil) and a margarita “al pastor” (tequila, Cointreau, taco mix, pineapple, and coriander salt).
Joining Martinez and Novoa is DJ Cato—a sought-after DJ who spins in New York City and around the world. Set inside the Dorsey’s glamorous lounge, outfitted with plush velvet couches, a brass bar, and a fireplace, the evening is bound to be memorable. 3355 S Las Vegas Blvd, #200; 702-414-1945
Tulsa: Peacemaker Lobster & Crab
James Beard Award-winning chef Kevin Nashan has made a name for himself in St. Louis, Missouri with the Sidney Street Café and Peacemaker Lobster & Crab. On September 13th he will branch out, opening a second location of Peacemaker in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Located inside a historic former printing press, the restaurant will offer classic seafood dishes and a raw bar.
Nashan’s menu is inspired by Louisiana’s rich Acadian history and will include a variety of po’ boys, lobster, crab, shrimp, and clam rolls, Maryland Blue Crabs, boiled in the Louisiana style, and a traditional Maine lobster boil. Classic sides like hush puppies and lobster Frito pie will round out the meal. 313 E 2nd St.
