The best new restaurants this April, from Greece to South Asia
Our tips for where to find fine dining and quick bites.
Tiffany’s X 1905
Thessaloniki
A classic mageirio, Tiffany’s served homely dishes to Thessaloniki’s diners for some 40 years before closing in 2013. Now, Tiffany’s X 1905 (pictured above) is bringing it back – with a twist. “We didn’t want to copy the original but to invent a modern version,” says restaurateur Nikos Nyfoudis, who draws inspiration from Crete, Kefalonia, London (where he lived for 13 years) and his native Thessaloniki. Oenologist Anestis Haitidis procured about 550 varietals for the wine list, for pairing with the kontosouvli (spit-roasted pork), Tinos pickled artichokes and braised lamb with yoghurt. For dessert, try the kiounefe – a pastry shell filled with mozzarella cheese.
tiffanys1905.gr
Da Costa
Somerset
Since Hauser & Wirth opened its Bruton outpost a decade ago, tasteful types have flocked to the Somerset village to see the best art that England’s southwest has to offer. But leafy Bruton boasts more than just contemporary culture. Named after co-founder Iwan Wirth’s maternal grandfather, Da Costa is a new addition to the gallery and to Bruton’s culinary scene. The restaurant serves northern Italian fare made with seasonal ingredients – think salt-baked beetroot risotto and cured trout with smoked ricotta and blood orange. Tiramasù will wrap up your food tour of the Italian Alps via the West Country.
da-costa.co.uk
Jason
Helsinki
Finland’s Jari Vesivalo, a chef with decades of experience in his capital’s Michelin-starred kitchens, has shifted gear to open a casual joint, Jason. “The goal in the kitchen is to make good food without unnecessary gimmicks,” says Vesivalo of the 50-cover venue in a dark-hued art nouveau building. Monocle is treated to seasonal dishes on our visit: mushrooms with sour plum and white soy, and pike perch served with lobster butter sauce. “Our portions are hearty and we don’t align every salad leaf on the plate,” says Vesivalo with a chuckle. “But I still organise the kitchen like I used to.”
ravintolajason.fi
Luna Restaurant
Bolzano
Luna Restaurant has opened in Bolzano’s Parkhotel Mondschein, parts of which date back as far as 1320.
Head chef Mathieu Domagala’s menu features carpaccio of pink shrimp from Porto Santo Spirito, tagliatelle with duck ragù and salted cod with Taggiasca olives, with all vegetables courtesy of the kitchen garden. To finish? A zu Plun Rum babà. Merano-based Biquadra’s design pays homage to the building’s history with a rich red colour palette, accented with brass and offset by velvet seats and travertine tables.
parkhotelmondschein.com
Somma
Singapore
After the success of his seaside bistro Fico, Singapore-based Italian chef Mirko Febbrile embarked on a fresh fine-dining venture: Somma. Within the city-state’s New Bahru retail and hospitality complex, this collaboration with The Lo & Behold Group takes inspiration from Febbrile’s home province, Puglia. The intimate 36-cover restaurant offers a tasting menu, while the bar is more casual, with options from taralli crackers to handmade pasta with river crab. Cocktails include Italian aperitivos and experimental creations: the whiskey-based Bolognese Muse is unmissable.
somma.world
Eel Bar
New York
New York’s Lower East Side doesn’t exactly need another new restaurant. But when the team behind much-loved Iberian-style bolthole Cervo’s announced that its new venue, Eel Bar, was opening around the corner, locals regained their apetite. “We knew that we wanted to be in this neighbourhood,” says partner Nialls Fallon. Inside, diners share olives and anchovies, fried and marinated mussels, and hunks of pan de cristal. It can be hard to snag a table in this wood-clad dining room but you can sink a cocktail at the bar while you wait.
eelbarnyc.com
