Bridges

"New Yorker: "In 2023, when Sam Lawrence and his partners took over the space, some local residents opposed a new business opening under non-Chinese management. But Lawrence's kitchen, at least, seems interested in recognizing neighborhood history""

@ronnierose

"Bar seats before 6pm Try: sardines, Comte tart, kombucha squash with puntarelle, chocolate and hazelnut tart"

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"Good to try once but don’t know if I’d go again "

@seligman.lee

"Located at 9 Chatham Square in the heart of Chinatown, Bridges is chef Sam Lawrence's first solo venture, which opened in September 2024 in the former home of iconic dim sum restaurant Hop Shing (which operated for close to 50 years) and earned a Michelin star shortly after opening. The warm, amber-toned 50-seat dining room with a 12-seat bar area features clean, modern design by Billy Cotton with cool gray walls, tan floors, black leather accents, sleek chrome sconces, and eight intentional booth tables, creating an atmosphere with the ease and comfort of a European bistro that feels distinctly New York—cool enough to double as the inside of a bank vault where drama unfolds on every plate. Known for chef Lawrence's elegant, quietly complex cooking that doesn't fit neatly into any one cuisine box but draws on traditional French and Basque techniques with bold, original flavor combinations using New York's diverse ingredients—standouts include the legendary Comté tart (a buttery-crusted savory cheesecake draped with chanterelles that steals hearts like a glorified quiche), uni topped shrimp custard (chawanmushi-style), cured sardines with Cantabrian anchovies on charred toast with garlic aioli and bullhorn pepper, cured tuna with black trumpet mushrooms and dates, puntarelle salad with kabocha squash and cheese, and chocolate hazelnut tart for dessert. Lawrence, a former lead chef at Nolita's ever-popular Estela who left in 2022, brings the freedom and variety he learned there while creating something entirely his own—a mature, sceney restaurant with relaxed yet attentive service where rich, demanding-of-attention dishes have "all the makings of a classic" according to Michelin inspectors."

@drewmillum28

"I can't emphasize enough how great an experience it is to dine here. It's such a unique menu with bites you will never experience anywhere else. The menu here changes regularly so what I ate might not be on the menu a week from now. However if the mackerel on toast is on the menu you must have it. Thy comte tart is also fabulous. The squid was another fabulous small plate. Chicken was a larger plate that was delicious. As was the monkfish. For dessert we had Gelato that was perfect. There were only three desserts on the menu and they were out of the hazelnut tart. But the other two were delicious. Great cocktails too. The pepper Vesper was wonderful. Service was as good as you can get in a beautiful modern space. This is clearly one of the most innovative restaurants in nyc. Get there ASAP."

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"1 Michelin star 2025 (new) New York Times top 100 2025 #22 on The Infatuation Top 25 2025 #3 The Infatuation NYC’s Best New Restaurants Of 2025 Grub Street Best New Restaurant 2024 the sea urchin custard, both glossy, pale yellow, and so jiggly they could slither out of your fork. The food at Bridges asks something of you, and it’s also shockingly delicious. You’ll think about what you’re eating, and you’ll notice all of the buttery and seasonal, luxurious little details. But more than anything, Bridges is a restaurant with sex appeal. Tables are spaced out like this isn’t downtown Manhattan. Candles flicker without a care in the world. While waiting for the bathroom you’ll notice a floor-to-ceiling red private dining room lit for David Lynch. It’s a restaurant with style."

@nchavotier

" Bridges is the brainchild of Sam Lawrence, a former chef at Estela, who brings a global influence to classic French and Basque techniques. The menu combines bold flavors with traditional methods, featuring dishes like Comté tart with chanterelles and sea urchin custard with shrimp. The wine list, curated by Keara Driscoll, highlights European selections alongside exciting finds from the Americas and Slovenia. The intimate, cozy dining room, paired with a lively bar area, provides a dynamic yet relaxed atmosphere​. Opened 9/24. Hours: D Tue-Sat. Reservations open 21 days in advance and are taken exclusively on Resy. Recognition: Eater’s Hottest New Restaurants in Manhattan 11/24; CNT’s Best New Restaurants in New York City 11/24; NYT’s 100 Best Restaurants in NYC 2025; "

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"Conde Nast: From its unassuming Chinatown location to the lowkey wood and chrome decor, Bridges is seductively simple. And while it’s one of the most talked about openings right now, with reservations booked up for months, dining here still feels like being let in on a really good secret. The menu is deceptively short, with simple one-line dishes like “grilled oysters” and “lettuces, asian pear, and trout roe,” described anti-climatically, like that super secure friend who is much too confident in themselves to outwardly brag. But don’t let the sparing details fool you: every dish here has hidden layers—and that’s no metaphor. There are anchovies and peppers tucked between the sardines and toast; juicy dates and barely-there onions wrapped inside two types of tuna, dark maroon meat with slices of pink belly on top. The Comté tart—the most internet-hyped dish here—sits on a thin pastry base that contrasts satisfyingly against the creamy custard texture, finished with gorgeous chanterelle mushrooms. The king crab legs are barely seasoned but expertly grilled and dripping with salty sweetness, the kind that’s hard to wash off your hands. The highly controlled minimalism of it all ensures flavors are enhanced, not lost, and that each dish is designed to be tasted anew with each bite. It’s the trademark style of Bridges chef Sam Lawrence, previously the culinary director of Mattos Hospitality (the restaurant group behind Estela and Altro Paradiso). Bridges is fine dining in the purist sense, as in delicious food creatively constructed to evoke an experience. Pro tip: the bar is reserved for walk-ins only with plenty of available seating, for now. —H.T."

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"https://www.instagram.com/bridges.nyc"

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"Lot of seafood but chef s from Estela and four horsemen and space looks really cool"

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"Chic. Le spot de la saison. "

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"New Yorker 2024 Reservable sur Resy"

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