Tournant

Since opening quietly last year, this cozy space in an obscure corner of inner Northeast has evolved into a great place to discover culinary up-and-comers, regional cuisines, and single-dish deep dives. Check the calendar for oyster socials, Indian feasts, posole nights, and healthy/modern breakfasts from an outfit called Secret Language. —KB

Jolie Laide

Monday nights in Langbaan’s cubbyhole kitchen, Vince Nguyen unfurls a seasonal tasting menu from the outer rings of the vegetable planet. Onions find new meaning in ice cream, and every artichoke petal is pressed into service. You may not know what you’re eating—only that it’s interesting, served by a committed young cook. —KB

Shipwreck

Cocktail vet Eric Nelson, possibly the most connected barman in the city, launched Shipwreck this year, tapping chefs and restaurants for their takes on a fried seafood shack. But the kitchen, whoever’s running it, is just background noise to Nelson’s concoctions, which he describes as “tiki in function”: textured, peppered with mind-boggling combinations from blood orange sorbet to Yoo-hoo, all fun as hell. (Want to make one of Nelson's cocktails? We've got a recipe.) —BT