There are a bounty of dining news, events, and things to get excited about this week. Spend an evening grazing on Portuguese cuisine while listening to live fado music, visit a stalwart restaurant before it shutters, take a bite of Maryland in sandwich form, and find out where a former president ate last week.
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The 411
After 25 Years, a City Mainstay Closes
Last week celebrity chef Tom Colicchio announced he will close his flagship restaurant Craft. The award-winning eatery opened in the Gramercy neighborhood in 2001, and June 27, 2026 will be the final day.
Portuguese Food for Moody Songs
Leitao, a relatively under-the-radar Portuguese restaurant in the West Village has begun hosting Fado Night, an evening of celebrating Portugal’s distinctive and moody folk songs.
Fado Nights will be on the second Wednesday of each month. The first one kicks off on June 10 at 8 p.m. Coincidentally, it also happens to be Portugal Day. Celebrate with a four-course meal and Portuguese wine pairing to accompany the music. Seats start at $165, plus tax per person. For more information click here.
A Presidential Meal
Last Wednesday the news caught former President Joe Biden dining out at Fumo on the Upper West Side. We have no idea what he ate, but given the casual NYC mini chain is known for handmade pasta and Neopolitan-style pizza, it’s not too hard to imagine the meal.
The European-Korean Mashup You’ve Been Waiting For
Somssi has just fired up its burners in the Greenwich Village space that once housed Australian-accented Acru. The restaurant is managed by Ahris Kim who spent time with NA:EUN Hospitality, the restaurant group behind Atomix, Ataboy, and Naro. At Somssi, the kitchen deftly blends European and Korean flavors and techniques with dishes like grilled ox tongue wading in a shallow pool of romanesco.
World Cup Dining Out Initiative
Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a tasty new deal for anyone dining in the city during the FIFA World Cup games from June 11 to July 19. Over 480 restaurants have signed up to offer a full meal for $26, for the 2026 game, hence the name, “26 for 26.”
There’s also a free passport program, which you can pick up at libraries and other local spots, with a scavenger hunt meant to take you around the different neighborhoods. Find more information, including the list of restaurants participating, and other giveaways and tasty events surrounding the games, here.
Gramercy + Greenmarket = A Great Lunch
Tomatoes, corn, air conditioning: these are all signs of summer. Another sign? Gramercy Tavern announced the return of its annual Greenmarket Lunch Series, in which the culinary team leads a small-group on a guided tour of the greenmarket to get in-season ingredients, followed by lunch.
Tickets are $125 per person and includes a welcome drink, tour, and a four-course lunch. The first Greenmarket Lunch is Friday, June 12th and the star ingredient of the day will be asparagus. You can book the tour here.
Rulin the Noodle Game
After briefly opening earlier this year, Rulin, a new Asian noodle-centric spot near Union Square, abruptly shut down. It was closed for a few months, but great news: it’s back open again, serving Sichuan and Cantonese dishes, such as Dan Dan Noodles laden with Chinese bacon and Bone-In Short Rib accompanied by a kiwi-apple marinade.
On the Menu
A New Way to Mute Your Monday Melancholy
Nobody told you there’s a new way to stave off the Monday blues? Nobody Told Me, a cocktail bar and restaurant with locations on the Upper West Side and Dumbo in Brooklyn, is offering Martini Mondays featuring $12 drinks. If you want to add in a burger with that, $20 nabs you a smash burger and a martini.
Maryland Summer on Your Plate and Palate
Upper Westside and Gramercy sandwich shop, Sandwell, is leaning into summer— Maryland summer, that is. Meet the Bawlmer Crab Roll, featuring blue crab salad, warm Maryland crab dip, Old Bay seasoning and chives. The sandwich will be available for a limited time this summer—running through July 4, at the very least. As for the name, “Bawlmer,” if you’re from Baltimore, you’ll get it.
Events of the Week
June 9: Slice of Life Adds Verve to Yawning Cobra
Toronto’s highly acclaimed cocktail bar, Slice of Life, is doing a special guest shift at chic speakeasy Yawning Cobra, located on the Bowery. Cozy up to the bar on June 9th to sip beverages from Slice of Life’s Eric Pan and Yawning Cobra’s Soto Kandaka.
June 10: The Spirit of Vietnam
On Wednesday, June 10 head to the Queensboro, a casually cool Jackson Heights restaurant inspired by the borough of Queens to sample cocktails made with Về Để Đi spirits—an award-winning Hanoi-based distillery. During this rare opportunity, guests can sip cocktails and sample flights of Về Để Đi spirits. Book your spot here.
June 12 (and more): Marcus Samuelsson Has World Cup Fever
Put Metropolis by Marcus Samuelsson on your soccer radar this month. The restaurant, located inside the Perelman Performing Arts Center, is hosting open-air viewings of select World Cup matches. The viewings kick off on Friday, June 12 when Bosnia takes on Canada. Click here to see all the viewings.
Don’t Miss This Week
Thursday: Since the Tribeca mainstay, Tiny’s and the Bar Upstairs, celebrates its 15th anniversary this Thursday, you can expect us to be there. With a cocktail in hand, join us to toast to this milestone.
Saturday: We’re all about those views, and now there’s a new outdoor restaurant and bar on the north shore of Governor’s Island to check out. Expect to find us at Six Coasts, brought to you by the people who run Smorgasburg, with a margarita in hand and munching on the crab croquettes and duck chicharron.
Sunday: I recently wrote an article on bars you can get a drink at while waiting for a seat at a buzzy restaurant. It’s got me hankering for a martini and plate of escargot at The Snail in Brooklyn. Lucky for me, I scored a spot at the bar last weekend.
