Posted by Kasia Hastings

Words by Waldo Hernandez

Fall is without a doubt my favourite time of year in New York City. The weather is crisp, the city is buzzing with the excitement of a new season and there are so many hot new restaurants to check out. Here are my latest “Top Five” that you shouldn’t miss…

Estela

A hidden gem right on the edge of Soho. The minimal space is small but the Mediterranean and Spanish plates make up for it. Foodie bible Bon Appetit named it the third best new restaurant in the US – plus if it's good enough for the Obamas date night, it's good enough for you!     

Estela, 7 E Houston St, NY 10012, 00 1 212 219 7693, estelanyc.com.

Aldo Sohm Wine Bar

Francesco Tonelli

Aldo Sohm – sommelier at nearby Le Bernardin – now has his own wine bar. Its cube-shaped dining room  feels like a restaurant inside a museum, with all  the artwork and objets on the walls, but only serves a limited amount of small plates.     

Aldo Sohm Wine Bar, 151 West 51st Street, NY 10019, 00 1 212 554 1143, aldosohmwinebar.com.

Root and Bone

Nancy Borowick

Does this small Alphabet City restaurant serve the best chicken in the US? It's certainly the best in NYC . Hot duo, Jeff McInnis and Janine Booth, both Top Chef alumnae, cook some of the best southern food known to man, so get there early because they don't take reservations and there's always a queue.

Root and Bone, 200 E. 3rd St.NY 10009, 00 1 646 682 7076, rootnbone.com. 

Cherche Midi

Nick Solares

From the creators of Balthazar comes another French eatery, this time in the cool neighbourhood of the Lower East Side.  This quaint restaurant has a warm atmosphere, as if you are dining in your French grandmother's kitchen.  Their signature burger is one to rival big brother Minetta Tavern (the company's Michelin star restaurant) and the pommes frites are some of the best in town.    

Cherche Midi, 282 Bowery, NY 10012, 00 1 212 226 3055, cherchemidiny.com.

Dirty French

The recently opened Ludlow Hotel scores big by introducing the trendiest French bistro you will find in the Big Apple. On the Lower East Side, the eclectic dining room fits  nicely with its global French cuisine. The only “dirty” thing you'll find here is trying to get a reservation.

Dirty French, 180 Ludlow St. NY 10002, 00 1 212 254 3000, dirtyfrench.com.