"You’ll find wonderful things like a traditional Polish potato dumpling—but made with sweet mochiko flour, filled with warm cheesecake, and nestled on a bed of sweet-tart raspberries and sour cream—at this Fort Greene restaurant with a backyard tea room. Polish flourishes on kaiseki-style dishes make Ikigai stand out, but the restaurant is also noteworthy for operating as a non-profit (they donate earnings from their $165 tasting menu to an organization that combats food insecurity). Little details, like milk bread and rhododendron kombucha to start in the yard, make a meal in the all-wood dining room a great choice for an intimate, relaxing celebration." - molly fitzpatrick, bryan kim, neha talreja, willa moore, will hartman