The Publican

Photo: Martha Williams

CROWDED HOUSE In 2003, the team behind Blackbird opened Avec, and five years later the place still hasn’t slowed down. Now those same guys are opening a third place—but this time they’re prepared for the deluge. The Publican is the biggest restaurant in their repertoire, a lush, expansive space with gold-toned walls and glowing spheres of light hanging from the ceiling. But though the room will be exuberant, the food, prepared by Paul Kahan and chef de cuisine Brian Huston, will be purposefully simple: Dover sole with roasted tomatoes (pictured); pork shank with rapini; and copious amounts of oysters. Sommelier Eduard Seitan has put together a list of 100 craft beers to pair with the food and to calm the hordes of fanatics that will soon storm the place. We have plenty of confidence in him when it comes to the former; the latter, however, is pretty much a lost cause. 845 W Fulton Market at Green St (312-733-9555).

Click here for more just opened restaurants and bars.