Well Labor Day weekend is upon us, and all signs point to summer being over: the last of the roof decks have opened (welcome Sky Room and Plunge Bar!), the weather has dipped below ninety, Halloween decorations dominate your local CVS...was that a Christmas tune on the radio? But there’s no reason to fall into a seasonal depression with football, Oktoberfest and spiced pumpkin ale to look forward to. And here’s something else to get excited about…a list of brand-new spots from which to partake in these autumnal pleasures…outdoor seating eat your heart out.


SEPTEMBER 

LAVO
If there is anything a city can never have too much of, it's disco balls and banquettes covered in stiletto-proof leather, and we’ll get that and more when Vegas-based club LAVO opens its doors. The nightclub promises a "voyeuristic atmosphere" with custom-designed metal railings, wood tufted panels, a sunken dance floor and the requisite VIP area. Come early for Southern Italian cuisine at the 200-seat restaurant upstairs headed by Top Chef: Chicago contestant Manuel Treviño—you have until 4am to shimmy those calories off.
39 East 58th St. (Madison & Park Aves.), Midtown, 212.750.5286

Hudson Station
No new neighborhood is complete without a neighborhood bar, and that’s what the burgeoning area known as the Linc (the area surrounding the Lincoln Tunnel) will get when Hudson Station opens mid-September. With three floors of flexible party space including a full-service eatery, a downstairs lounge and a VIP skybox with sliding glass doors, this is not your average sports bar (despite a more-than-average amount of TVs). Sounds to us like this new neighborhood haunt is worth a trek to this new neighborhood…and unlike all those exciting spots developing in Brooklyn, cabs actually go here.
440 9th Ave (@ 35th St.), Midtown, 212.244.4406

Lani Kai
Owner Julie Reiner insists that her newest venture Lani Kai is not a tiki bar but rather a Polynesian-themed cocktail lounge serving shared plates of Pacific-rim cuisine (there’s a difference?). Don't worry though, there will be a pu-pu platter. Phew. Named after a beach in Oahu where Reiner grew up, the two-story space will feature tropical drinks and light airy decor. The only thing missing?...hula girls in grass skirts. So that's why it's not a tiki bar....
525 Broome St. (Sullivan & Thompson Sts.), SoHo

Mehtaphor
With a name like Mehtaphor, your restaurant had better stand for something. In the case of Next Iron Chef runner-up Jehangir Mehta's newest project, plans are in the works for multiple areas including a lounge, a bar, a separate dessert-cocktail bar, a coffee shop-style communal table cafe for laptops, and "several dining areas," all with specialty menus for children. It's definitely not trying to be a metaphor for simplicity.
130 Duane St. (@ Church St.), TriBeCa, 212.964.4600

R Lounge
Want to experience the buzz of glamour and lights without the intense feelings of aggression aimed at dawdling Midwestern families? In late September, the Renaissance Hotel on 48th and 7th will open R Lounge, a 200-capacity cocktail lounge in the heart of it all. Floor-to-ceiling windows will guard you from the blare of police sirens and the wafting smell of burning pretzels while offering 360-degree views of America's favorite square.
714 7th Ave. (47th & 48th Sts.), Times Square

Theater Bar
Mixologist Albert Trummer of Apotheke fame wanted a spot where his bartending skills could take center stage, and the art of mixing herbs with booze—then lighting it all on fire while tossing it in the air— will be the focus of this LES bar. But no matter how highbrow the mixologist’s acrobatics may be, cocktail juggling will always draw the gaggling girls, so expect bachelorette and birthday parties to be a main act. 114 Franklin St. (W. Broadway & Church St.), Lower East Side, 212.334.3733

Tzigan
If you’ve ever wondered what King Midas’ living room looked like, get ready for Tzigan, opening early September on the lower level of Villa Pacri. With furnishings cloaked in precious metals, heavy drapes and crystal reading lamps, the vibe is more aristocratic smoking room than Meatpacking uber-lounge. Of course they do have a carafe program for VIPs to store luxury spirits, so we’re guessing regular cocktails will cost a pretty penny. Then again, a low-key escape in the MPD is worth its weight in gold.
55 Gansevoort St. (Washington & Greenwich Sts.), Meatpacking District, 212.924.5559

OCTOBER

Bowlmor Times Square
The once-ridiculed game of bowling is finally getting the main-stage attention it deserves when Bowlmor opens its second flagship spot in the center of it all—Times Square—in October. Fifty lanes, a David Burke restaurant and multiple lounge and event areas all with the ambiance of old-timey New York makes your grandpa's game of ten-pin almost unrecognizable. You can still get a serious game on if you fancy, but with the amount of Wild Turkey behind the bar, don't plan to see many turkeys on the lanes.
W. 44th St. (7th & 8th Aves), Theater District, 212.255.8188

Chinito
Can Michael “Bao” Huynh be stopped? And do we want him to be? Revamping the space currently occupied by Bia Garden, Huynh is collaborating with Calle Ocho chef Alex Garcia, on a menu fusing Vietnamese and Latino cuisine, with décor and beer choices to match. Though we’ll be sad to say goodbye to the Vietnamese beer garden, we’ll settle for a Vietnatino cantina instead. 
154 Orchard St. (Rivington & Stanton Sts.), Lower East Side, 212.780.0010

Mary Queen of Scots
Haggis, neeps and tatties oh my! Finally, Lower East Siders with cravings for "fine Scottish produce" will have a means to satisfaction thanks to Mary Queens of Scots, a gastropub set to open this fall from the guys behind The Highlands. An extensive selection of whiskey, scotch and whiskey cocktails will compliment the traditional Scottish dishes (thought there won’t actually be haggis), served up at royal prices (average entrée: $19). Here's hoping it fares a better fate than its namesake.
115 Allen St. (@ Delancey St.), Lower East Side

Meridian 23
World beats played live and spun by DJs will be mixed with avant-garde, indie, rock and pop when this swanky lounge opens in mid-October. Expect those signature cocktails and fine wines to be held in the hands of an upscale, Euro-type clientele, though the owners hope their warm décor will promote a chill, inviting atmosphere.
161 West 23 St. (6th & 7th Aves.), Chelsea

NOVEMBER

Neely’s Pig Parlour
The tangy aroma of BBQ ribs will replace the dense odor of cigars when Neely's Pig Parlour—yes, those same cuddly Neely's of Food Network fame—fires up the grill this fall at former cigar bar Merchants NY. With three restaurants already under their belt in Tennessee, Pat and Gina Neely take their show on the road to see if their down-home recipes and darn good bourbon collection can withstand the critique of Upper East Siders.
1125 First Ave. (@ 62nd St.), Upper East Side, 212.832.1551  


- Alexandra Calamari & Mishka Vertin