Welcome to Grub Street’s Monthly Rundown of Restaurant Recommendations

This month, our food team highlights a London hit’s Pastis takeover, a transportive Greek restaurant in Williamsburg, and a standout slice shop in Crown Heights.

Besa Grill (Morris Park)

Besa Grill, a restaurant adjacent to a butcher shop, offers some of the best meat in the Bronx. The mixed grill is a must-try, featuring qebaba, qofte, and suxhuk. The shredded cabbage salad is also excellent, as is the potato salad.

Psaraki (Williamsburg)

Psaraki, a two-week-old Greek taverna, evokes the architecture of the Cycladic islands. The menu features a selection of dishes from both land and sea, including a “Fisherman’s Table Experience” that delivers a bounty of Greek dips, salads, appetizers, fries, and mains. The outdoor terrace is one of the city’s best outdoor dining options, especially at sunset.

Frena (Hell’s Kitchen)

Frena is chef Efi Naon’s new restaurant in the space that previously housed Taboon. The focus is on Levantine cuisine, with a large clay oven producing loaves of freshly baked bread. The feta bourekas flambé is a fittingly theatrical appetizer, and the braised oxtail tortellini is a delightful stab at mixed-region flavors. The latke-crusted sea bass is another must-try, and the Souk’s Gold cocktail, an olive-oil gin martini scented with saffron, za’atar, maitake, and thyme, is a standout.

Cafe Kestrel (Red Hook)

Cafe Kestrel, a new restaurant from chef-owner Dennis Spina, has the lived-in feel of a neighborhood institution. The menu features a handful of small dishes, uncomplicated but charming, including pork loin with peach mustard, Marbella-ish chicken in a sticky-sweet date sauce, and a trio of scallops in a Sicilian-accented cauliflower agrodolce. The Schwedeneisbecher sundae, vanilla ice cream with whipped cream and applesauce, is a nostalgic treat.

Dishoom at Pastis (Meatpacking District)

London’s Dishoom, a popular chain of Indian cafés, will pop up at Stephen Starr’s brasserie for a couple of weeks at the end of the month. The breakfast-only menu includes naan rolls with Myers of Keswick sausage, kejriwal, and various morning cocktails.

La Flor (Crown Heights)

La Flor is a new pizzeria that’s quickly becoming a neighborhood favorite. The standout crust is remarkably thin in the center, rendering toppings all the more potent. The pepperoni pizza with jalapeño and ranch is a must-try, as is the cheese-less cherry tomato bruschetta pizza. The garlic knots are also excellent, and the plain cheese slice is a steal at $3.50.