Smithereens, a subterranean East Village seafood haven, transforms New England classics into modern delights, from buckwheat pancakes with smoked fish to inventive desserts like celery ice cream floats, all in a chic, ship-like setting.
"This restaurant from a former chef at Claud looks like a sexy submarine and offers private dining in their wine cellar. For $150 per person, you can choose dishes from their New England-inspired menu, including the city’s best lobster roll as well as a pinkies-up version of hake and clams. Everything is served family-style, and goes well with their bottles of low-allocation natural wines." - neha talreja, bryan kim, hannah albertine, will hartman
"A New England-inspired restaurant offering inventive seafood dishes, with a notable dish simply titled 'Beans'." - Melissa McCart
"On a quiet stretch of East 9th Street, in a semi-subterranean spot that resembles a sexy submarine lies Smithereens, one of the most exciting places to eat seafood in the neighborhood (and the city). It’s a New England-inspired restaurant, and true to theme, you’ll find a lobster roll, a cocktail called the Ben Affleck, and Narragansett lagers for $6. But it’s also from a Claud alum, which means that the lobster meat is so gently poached it’s almost rare, and the Ben Affleck cocktail might turn you into a pumpkin spice latte devotee. Start with a seawater martini, order the beans, and try the candied seaweed for dessert." - will hartman, bryan kim, willa moore, kenny yang, neha talreja
"A New England leaning East Village restaurant, noted for its $38 lobster roll." - Emma Orlow
"Smithereens is a modern New England-style restaurant by chef Nick Tamburo, an alum of Claud and Momofuku Ko, and sommelier Nikita Malhotra, also of Ko. The set-below-street-level dining room is low like a slick ship cabin. The focus here is on seafood: Go for the buckwheat pancake brushed with maple butter with bluefish tucked underneath. Boston traditionalists might consider Tamburo’s deconstructed clam chowder take as cheffy. But this is Downtown Manhattan, after all, and it’s a really good rendition best eaten with anadama bread (a New England molasses bread) for dipping. Leave room for desserts like the celery ice cream float and some of the best apple cider doughnuts we’ve ever had." - Emma Orlow
