Opening
Bánh by Lauren
The pastry chef Lauren Tran has put down roots in an airy corner bakery and cafe in the shadow of the Manhattan Bridge. She had baked at Gramercy Tavern until the pandemic, then began selling bánh (a general term in Vietnamese for cake) from home and at pop-ups. Now she’s turning out multilayered chiffon cakes, macarons, pandan coffee cakes, fried sesame rice balls filled with coconut and mung beans, and savory Chinese sausage, Cheddar and chive scones, many distinctively but subtly conveying Southeast Asian flavors, inspired by her Vietnamese heritage. A sleek quartz counter, an open kitchen and marble-topped tables define the space. Sidewalk seats are coming. (Opens Saturday)
42 Market Street (Madison Street), Two Bridges, 646-360-3325, banhbylauren.com.
Veerays
In 2020, the chef Hemant Mathur opened Veeray da Dhaba, an East Village restaurant modeled after a Punjabi truck stop. Now his chef de cuisine, Binder Saini, and their partner Sonny Solomon have this fancier Indian restaurant offering tandoori food, often with game meats and contemporary interpretations. Highlights include curried tandoori pheasant, duck vindaloo with coconut rice, and slow-cooked bone-in goat with whole spices. The dining room has a plush, vintage look. (Monday)
213 East 45th Street, 646-429-8398, veerays.com.
Son del North
Here, the Tijuana native Annisha Garcia offers the style of burritos that are typical of Northern Mexico. Made in Sonora, the flour tortillas are stuffed with choices of carne asada, cheese and beans, shrimp and more in a quick-serve setting. (Thursday)
177 Orchard Street (Stanton Street), sondelnorth.com.
The theatrical company Emursive, which created the immersive theater experience “Sleep No More,” is back with “Life and Trust,” now being staged in a financial district office tower that dates back to 1931. This cafe and cocktail bar, which doubles as promotion for the new show, has been installed in the restored marble-paved lobby with lavish Art Deco features, including a dynamic industrial-style mural by Eric Diehl, a contemporary artist. It is open to the public. Coffees and breakfast items like croissants are followed by soups, salads and assorted toasts for lunch. Cocktails and bar snacks are served until 9 p.m. The chefs devising food and drinks are Jonah Reider and Pascal le Seach.
6 Hanover Street (Beaver Street), 646-412-5956, conwellcoffeehall.com.
Perle Wine Bar
Intimate elegance defines this adjunct to Marian’s, a new American restaurant by the chef Christian Rowan, who was at Eleven Madison Park, Bouley and Nomad. European and New World wines by the glass and bottle are listed to pair with seafood-focused items like raw bar selections, crudos and toasts. There’s a marble bar and outdoor seating.
22 Greenwich Avenue (West 10th Street), 646-370-3371
