1. Bistro de la Gare
626 Hudson St., nr. Jane St. 212-242-4420
French-and-Italian-inspired fare and a Mexican-themed brunch from two West Village vets, Maryann Terillo (formerly of Jarnac) and Elisa Sarno (late of Babbo).
2. Eat Here Now Now Eat Here
Hudson St. at W. 12th St.
This new weekends-only taco cart has a breakfast burrito that hits the spot and a cook who did time nearby at Automatic Slims.
3. Mémé Mediterranean
581 Hudson St., at Bank St. 646-692-8450
An exuberant crowd, a swath of sidewalk dining, and mémé (“grandma” in Moroccan French) cooking from chef Jacob Cohen.
4. Lievito
581 Hudson St., nr. Bank St. 212-645-5811
The owners are from Tuscany and Milan, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t order the pizza. Go for the spicy salami pie or the Robiola-laced focaccia, and try not to OD on the excellent Tuscan-style house bread.
5. Frankies 570 Spuntino
570 Hudson St., at W. 11th St. 212-924-0818
Meatball maestros Frank Castronovo and Frank Falcinelli sanctify the Hudson Street renaissance with this brand-expanding amalgam of their work at Frankies and Prime Meats, opening next month.
6. Caliu
557 Hudson St., nr. Perry St. 212-206-6444
Traditional tapas from a young Boqueria vet. According to Eater, closet chowhound Lady Gaga supped here on New Year’s Eve.
7. Spasso
551 Hudson St., at Perry St. 212-858-3838
Housemade salumi, hand-rolled maccheroni, a chef who worked at Lupa and Convivio, and a great Negroni.
8. Upright Coffee
547 Hudson St., nr. Perry St.no phone
Pinball machines will figure prominently at this offshoot of a Greenpoint coffee bar that plans to start brewing Brooklyn Roasting Company beans come October.
9. RedFarm
529 Hudson St., nr. Charles St. 212-792-9700
Starting next week, Chinese-food maven Ed Schoenfeld and dim sum guru Joe Ng collaborate on such modern-Asian innovations as lamb-and-litchi skewers, garganelli with pork-dumpling filling, and Ng’s signature pastrami egg rolls.
10. The Meadow
523 Hudson St., nr. W. 10th St. 212-645-4633
What would life—not to mention popcorn—be without salt? That’s the question posed by this sodium-chloride specialist where fleur de sel is only the beginning. There’s chocolate, too, plus cocktail bitters, fresh flowers, and a nifty snack: ice-cream sandwiches you salt to taste.
11. Dolce Vizio Tiramisu
131 Christopher St., at Hudson St.; 347-556-9999
The ever-ubiquitous eighties-era dessert at this single-minded shop comes in half a dozen outré flavors. Should these fail to sufficiently scandalize the purist, there’s a create-your-own option.
12. Takashi
456 Hudson St., nr. Barrow St. 212-414-2929
This quirky yakiniku (Japanese barbecue) restaurant serves the best beef heart, tendon, and stomach in town.
13. Hudson Clearwater
447 Hudson St., at Morton St. 212-989-3255
What is it about entering a restaurant disguised as a shuttered office space through a bat-cave portal that makes all the difference? Locate the green door on Morton Street and find out.