Sosa Borella
Sosa Borella has thrived in the shadows of remote western Tribeca for seven years, feeding the neighborhood an inspired array of lunchtime sandwiches and a hearty Italian-Argentine menu at night. This week, owners Jorge and Stacey Sosa bring that formula to a theater-district triplex outfitted with a balcony, a patio garden, two bars, and a lounge. Expect bruschetta topped with Argentine sausage, garlic shrimp, an Atkins-friendly emphasis on meat, and three kinds of chimichurri, the herby Argentine national condiment.
Sosa Borella
832 Eighth Avenue, near 50th Street
212-262-8282
· Cuisine: Italian-Argentine

Q'Ori
As a Park Slope resident and the owner of Loki Lounge, Germán Montaña knew exactly the sort of restaurant the booming Fifth Avenue strip was lacking: "an unpretentious place with a true Brooklyn vibe." So he gutted a bodega and a shoe store to build Q'Ori (Quechua for "gold"), where he offers the well-fed neighborhood a raw-bar alternative to the nearby Blue Ribbon, plus tapas and a menu that roams freely to the Mediterranean, South America, and the Pacific Rim. Prices range from $3 for roasted peppers or bocconcini to $28 for specials. "And we're open Mondays--no one else around here is."
Q'Ori
206 Fifth Avenue, at Union Street, Park Slope
718-622-7300
· Cuisine: Continental

Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory
The acclaimed outer-borough ice-cream parlor has spawned a Manhattan satellite street cart selling scoops of superlative chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla outside Pershing Square restaurant through the end of September.
Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory
90 East 42nd Street
212-286-9600
· Cuisine: Ice Cream

Quintessence
As the raw-food movement gains momentum, this chainlet expands with a third branch, serving its signature vegan, organic, uncooked versions of pasta, falafel, and pecan pie.
Quintessence
353 East 78th Street
212-734-0888
· Cuisine: Vegan