First Taste: Gjelina Reopens in NYC

"Originally a Venice, Los Angeles fixture known for designer, veg-forward California cooking, this two-floor Manhattan outpost opened at the end of 2022 with an open kitchen and a wood-fired pizza oven modeled on the Abbot Kinney original. It quickly drew long lines, then closed briefly after a fire and quietly reopened around Thanksgiving; the downstairs bar feels calmer while the loftlike second floor can be rowdy and party-filled. The menu leans on Greenmarket-driven vegetable plates—craggy miso-painted kabocha with pomegranate arils, apple-shaped celeriac with cream and dill—and, above all, stretchy, blistered wood-oven pizzas; standout pies include the potato-and-taleggio classic and a gamy lamb-sausage with slow-roasted tomatoes. Guests are encouraged to embrace the laid-back California vibe (espresso-and-tonic instead of soda, seasonal vegetable composées) and to follow server recommendations to find vivid produce even in winter." - Matthew Schneier