🚕 Chelsea’s Alf Bakery Bids Farewell

Good Morning NY!

East Village favorite HAGS is transforming into a drag-themed steakhouse for a one-night-only New Year’s Eve event.

The city’s winter dining scene is heating up with new openings across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and beyond.

Chelsea Market bids farewell to a beloved bakery as Alf Bakery prepares to relocate and expand.

Soho’s La Mercerie faces a serious legal challenge amid plans for future growth.

Grand Central Terminal welcomes a glamorous new steakhouse that’s already drawing major buzz.

Let’s dive into the latest openings, closings, and theatrical dining experiences shaping NYC right now.

HAGS Transforms Into Drag-Themed Steakhouse for New Year’s Eve

East Village favorite HAGS is hosting a one-night-only event called HOGS on December 31, 2025.

The restaurant will combine elevated dining with “maximalist camp” and drag performances.

Guests can enjoy a five-course menu featuring seafood samplers, grits aligot, and prime rib for omnivores.

Vegan diners are treated to roasted tempeh, truffled grits, and tofu dishes crafted with care.

Tickets for the dinner are priced at $180, with an optional $100 wine and Champagne pairing available.

Two seating times are offered: 6:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., allowing flexibility for attendees.

HOGS promises a festive and theatrical way to ring in the New Year with friends and fellow diners.

The event highlights HAGS’ commitment to inclusive, creative, and playful dining experiences.

It’s a must-book for anyone looking to celebrate New Year’s Eve in style and campy flair.

NYC’s Newest Openings Heating Up the Winter Dining Scene

New York’s restaurant landscape is buzzing with a fresh wave of openings now live on Resy.

Park Slope’s Folk is drawing early excitement with Indian-influenced comfort dishes like a chicken-tikka “Mumbai pot pie” and a milk-bread steak sandwich.

In Hudson Square, Flynn McGarry’s Cove is offering a vegetable-forward tasting menu backed by a 400-bottle wine list.

Manhatto blends Tokyo and Manhattan inspirations under chef Takayuki Nakamura in a warm, romantic setting.

Brooklyn’s The Sparrow leans into French classics, raw bar selections, and a 1920s spirit.

Spiga Ristorante brings Roman comfort food to the Upper West Side with a stylish cocktail program.

Dosa Royale returns as a Fort Greene favorite with its signature dosas and South Indian flavors.

Nolita’s Only the Wild Ones adds a hi-fi, wine-centric twist to casual dining.

KIMMI in Chinatown caters to gluten-free diners with thoughtful, fully GF plates.

East Village newcomer Mộc Mạc introduces layered, nuanced Vietnamese cooking to the neighborhood.

Alf Bakery Bids Farewell to Chelsea Market

Alf Bakery is officially closing its Chelsea Market location on December 24.

The beloved bakery has been a standout for its laminated baguettes, croissants, and babka since opening in 2023.

Founder Amadou Ly announced the closure on Instagram, framing it as a natural next step rather than a setback.

He plans to relocate the bakery to a new space with stronger foot traffic.

Ly also hopes the next chapter will allow him to expand into wholesale production.

Before scouting new locations, he’ll spend some time back home in Madrid.

Customers have already begun lining up for one last taste before the doors shut for good.

The closing marks the end of a short but celebrated run inside one of NYC’s busiest food halls.

Fans are now eagerly waiting to see where Alf Bakery will rise next.

La Mercerie Hit With Lawsuit Alleging Racial Discrimination

A new class-action lawsuit has been filed against La Mercerie, the popular French restaurant in Soho.

Former employees claim they were laid off during a management transition and passed over for rehiring despite earlier promises.

The suit alleges that minority staff were disproportionately excluded when Restaurant Associates took over operations.

Plaintiffs say the layoffs were a pretext to remove minority workers from the restaurant.

They also cite previous incidents of racially insensitive remarks from ownership as part of a broader pattern.

Roman & Williams, the design firm behind La Mercerie, denies the allegations and says the claims are factually incorrect.

The owners also emphasize that the plaintiffs were employed by the prior operator, Starr Restaurants, not by them directly.

Amid the legal battle, La Mercerie is still moving forward with expansion plans inside the Breuer Building at Sotheby’s.

The lawsuit adds a serious layer of scrutiny as the brand prepares for its next chapter.

Grand Central’s New Steakhouse Is NYC’s Latest Dining Obsession

Palladino’s Steak & Seafood has become one of New York City’s hottest new restaurants.

The upscale steakhouse sits inside Grand Central Terminal, taking over the former Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse space.

Its dramatic interior, designed by David Rockwell, brings back the elegance of vintage rail-travel dining rooms.

Plush velvet seating, a striking bourbon bar, and sweeping balcony views set a glamorous tone.

Owner Joe Palladino teamed up with chef Sam Hazen to create a menu celebrating classic American steakhouse favorites.

Standout dishes include tableside-carved prime rib and a massive 24-ounce cowboy steak.

Seafood lovers can enjoy options like shrimp cocktail and buttery Dover sole goujonettes.

Dessert gets a star moment with a seven-layer chocolate cake featuring alternating chocolate flavors.

With early buzz growing fast, Palladino’s is poised to become Grand Central’s newest signature dining destination.

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