This week in NYC, marked

8/3 – 8/9: New in the West Village, Gem Wine is back, and the parks and restaurants to listen to live music outdoors.

Open for business

Spots on my radar that just opened – or are already accepting reservations.

• Cleo (new brunch service + takeout window): The West Village rotisserie spot from the hospitality group behind Margot and Montague Diner is adding weekend brunch, along with a takeout window. I highly recommend their dinner service, and I can’t wait to try brunch on a future visit. The perfect summer date.

• Keepers (opened 7/29): A new pizza bar in the West Village from the team behind Dandelion and White Horse Tavern. Thin-crust pies with cocktails, including an “extensive Negroni selection.” This one’s on my list.

• Shania’s Max Bet (opened 7/29): A new cocktail bar in Gowanus, taking over the old Dirty Precious space, from three friends who met working at Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club up the block. Apparently it’s Atlantic City themed, leaning into 80s and 90s throwback drinks.

• Mary's Fish Camp (reopened 7/31): The West Village lobster roll institution that closed in 2024 after more than twenty years is back, a few blocks from its old spot.

This week in NYC

My favorite things to do between 8/3 – 8/9.

• The Big Vegan BBQ (8/6): Public Records in Gowanus is doing its vegan cookout again this summer. They have a lineup of chefs, including Russell Markus of Essential Herbs & Hot Soup, so it’ll be good.

• A potluck Summer Tomato Party (8/6): Produce Parties started in 2021 as a small potluck series and has grown into 400-person dinners, plus its own print magazine. This one’s tomato-themed at Talea Beer in Williamsburg – buy a ticket, then bring a tomato dish to share.

• A pizza night from seven of the city’s kitchens (8/8): Resy is hosting this pizza party at The Test Brewery in Williamsburg – Four Horsemen and Blue Hill Farm are among the seven kitchens each debuting an original pie. One ticket gets you unlimited slices.

• Summer Streets (8/8): Just two more weekends of Manhattan’s Summer Streets, which shuts down Park Avenue to cars. People bike, run, rollerblade, or just walk down the middle of the road. The last one is 8/15.

• Gem Wine is back, sort of, at Cove (8/9): Gem Wine was a favorite restaurant on the Lower East Side until it closed for good last year. Chef Flynn McGarry folded it into his other two spots, Cove and Gem Home, and this summer he’s reviving the Gem Wine menu Sundays at Cove. They’ll have classic small plates like gouda and cherries, plus $16 glasses.

• Baby Oyster takes over Greenpoint (8/9): A seafood pop-up known for oysters and ceviche, blending Baja and Peruvian flavors, is setting up at Lise & Vito with a DJ.

Outdoor live music

Parks, restaurant backyards, and gardens hosting live music this week.

• Sunset concerts in a garden (8/5): Wave Hill’s Sunset Wednesdays series brings a different act to its Great Lawn overlooking the Hudson every week. This week it’s Grammy-winning musicians who combine West African and American folk.

• Bluegrass Thursday at Saturn Road (8/6): A free bluegrass night in the Cobble Hill coffee shop / bar backyard. No tickets, just walk in.

• The Rockaway Hotel (8/7): An oceanside concert series that runs all summer. I went last week, and it felt like a true escape from the city. This week it’s Neal Francis.

• Live jazz on a Thai restaurant’s patio (8/6, 8/7): Goog, the Red Hook Thai spot, hosts a jazz band outside on its patio on Thursday and Friday nights.

• A daylong outdoor dance party (8/9): A Sunday day party that runs every week through November, from NY nightlife veterans. It’s called Mister Sunday at Nowadays – there’s an outdoor dance floor, with a different guest DJ each week.

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