NYC continues to show us signs of life, with the steakhouse that was impossible to get a reservation for before midnight, the Michelin-starred 20+ course tasting menu that’s gone à la carte and the return of Milos.

Atera

The real-deal dining experience at this special celebration spot should still be on your bucket list, but until then, you can dine al fresco at Atera and order their game-changing cuisine à la carte. They’ve combined their outdoor seating with sister restaurant and next-door neighbor Farra, and it’s worth walking five miles to get there. The salmon tartare with potato chips and nori, the lobster with dashi, and even the young lettuces with green goddess, gouda and cashew all sound straightforward, but in Atera style, they’re not.

4 Charles Prime Rib

This is the one restaurant for which — pre-pandemic — we would happily accept a midnight reservation. Now you can take out that English cut prime rib, Alaskan king crab and famous crab cake. The elote-style corn is in prime season, and that creamed spinach with blue cheese is crave-worthy.

Milos

Although you may still not be going to your office, the food at Milos is so good that you have a reason to return to Midtown. The terrace is open, and while we love that you can take out, nothing beats having that fresh branzino and Milos’ special fried razor-thin sliced zucchini dining in. For a moment you may just feel like the old times are back.