One flew south
Mesón, Sunny’s Miami, Gotham, Park Slope townhouse, Hana Makgeolli, Tonchin, King Spa, Hamptons holiday provisions, MORE
GETAWAYS • Miami
The sun also rises
The post-Basel scuttlebutt is that new restaurant Sunny’s is the talk of the town. Here, the scoop from FOUND MIAMI. Need a little more Miami in your life? Subscribe.
The Skinny: While downtown Miami’s beloved Jaguar Sun may have set, a new day has dawned for restaurateur Will Thompson in Little River, where he’s found a permanent home for Sunny’s, the steakhouse he originally premiered as a pandemic pop-up.
The Vibe: A tropical escape in ever-up-and-coming Little River, Sunny’s has outdoor seating around a massive banyan tree (a key holdover from the pop-up). The exteriors are thrown into smart relief inside, by a gorgeous dining room designed with a touch of Palm Beach regency and mid-century modernist flair. There’s also a lush outdoor bar and patio for pre-dinner mingling, as well as another bar inside the restaurant for drinks and walk-in diners.
The Drinks: Jaguar Sun fans will be happy to see the revival of the Green Ghoul, a smoky, mezcal-laden riff on the margarita, and the Wolf Whistle, their spin on a tequila espresso martini. There’s also a large-format clarified rum punch for four, as well as a take on the Hemingway-authored absinthe champagne cocktail, Death in the Afternoon.
The Food: Sunny’s dry-aged steak program is on full display through their massive kitchen — a clear upgrade from their former makeshift outdoor kitchen digs. Start with Treasure Coast oysters or fluke crudo with strawberry and finger lime, before moving on to Parker House rolls and a perfectly dressed Caesar. Pastas include Jaguar Sun classics like a rigatoni with spicy pork sugo and agnolotti with blue crab and saffron. When it comes to the meats, take your pick from USDA prime hanger and Australian Wagyu. There’s also a rotisserie chicken and a pork collar with a Calabrian chili and anchovy rub.
The Verdict: A mature older sister concept rather than a facsimile of Jaguar Sun. The pasta and martinis live on alongside Sunny’s steaks and sauces. –Amber Love Bond
→ Sunny’s (Little River) • 7357 NW Miami Ct • Wed-Sat 5-12p, Sun 4-10p • Reserve.
GETAWAYS LINKS: Audrey Gellman’s forthcoming Six Bells Hotel in Hudson Valley reveals design • Marriott buys portfolio of more than 1000 tiny cabins • The inside track on Siargao • Why family-owned hotels are the height of luxury.
FOUNDLISTING • 278A 1st Street
Postwar in Park Slope
A STUNNING CONTEMPORARY TOWNHOUSE: With nearly 4,500 square feet of living space and over 1,000 square feet of outdoor areas, this residence provides the perfect blend of urban luxury and suburban comfort. In its current configuration, the expansive two-family home offers an upper triplex with four bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms plus a separate two-bedroom, one-bath garden duplex. Upon entering, you'll be greeted by an expansive living room featuring soaring 12-foot ceilings and a wood-burning fireplace. The adjacent dining space flows seamlessly into the chef's kitchen.
→ 278A 1ST St (Park Slope), 6BR/4BA, 4440 SF multi-family townhome • Ask: $4.4M • off-street parking and split system a/c • Agents: Laura Hess, Charlie Pigott, and Jackie Torren, Corcoran. [spon]
REAL ESTATE LINKS: Real estate industry sues to stop broker fee change • Upper West Side Boat Basin redesign clears another hurdle • Penthouse at Olympia Dumbo hits the market for $19.5M, Brooklyn’s priciest condo • Can NYC architects build for rebuilding?
CULTURE & LEISURE • Friday Routine
Tapping into
ALICE JUN • founder/brewer • Hana Makgeolli
Neighborhood you work in: Greenpoint
Neighborhood you live in: Bed-Stuy
It’s Friday afternoon, how are you rolling into the weekend?
As both a brewery and tasting room, Fridays involve tapping fresh kegs, revving up the fryers, and getting the tasting room ready to welcome guests who’ve come by to taste our rice wines. It’s busy, but I like to make time on Fridays for team education and bonding. We recently did a vinegar training with 10+ vinegars from Chris Crawford at Tart Vinegar. If I’m lucky, Bin Bin Sake will be doing a tasting, and I’ll stop by on my way home.
Where are you drinking or dining this weekend?
For dinner, I’m headed to Tonchin in Williamsburg. Their ramen is consistently satisfying, and the interior is dark and cozy. If I’m adventuring into the city, Atoboy in Midtown is my go-to for inventive Korean fare, and I love Chambers in Tribeca for great wine.
How about a little leisure or culture?
I’m a dog mom so leisure usually involves the outdoors. In the off-season, I love to take Chapsal to the Rockaways and get some dumplings from Uma’s or clams from Randazzo's. On a more regular basis, our favorite local hike is the Nature Walk in Greenpoint.
Any weekend getaways?
This weekend I’m headed Upstate to attend a friend’s wedding at the beautiful Inness resort, which is next to one of my favorite breweries, Arrowood Farms. I typically like to keep getaways within a two-hour drive, though, so you’ll usually find me camping in the orchard at Brooklyn Cider House or in the stunning tasting room of C. Cassis!
What was your last great vacation?
Copenhagen. I don’t know if it was the great public transport, the cute coffee shops, the hot dog stands, or something else, but I felt right at home. Plus, the food was exceptional. Some favorites were Propaganda, Koan, and Villette.
What store or service do you always recommend?
Some R&R at King Spa in Palisades Park, NJ!
CULTURE & LEISURE • Talk to Angels
The Black Crowes • Capitol Theatre (Port Chester) • Sat @ 8p • loge left center, $325 per
New York Pops • Carnegie Hall (Midtown West) • Fri @ 8p • parquet, $122 per
Alvin Ailey Dance Theater • New York City Center (Midtown West) • Sat @ 2p • mezz left, $136 per
CULTURE & LEISURE LINKS: Inside Matthew Fisher’s new Seaport Gallery • Galleries played it alarmingly safe this year • The most exciting art museum openings and expansions of 2025 • What Is a New York movie? • The sculptures are real; the history is fake.
THE NINES • FOUND Sponsor
Gifts that keep giving
Must-haves from Gotham for the holidays and beyond.
Luar Small Ana Bag, purse that is compact, chic, and pairs perfectly with every outfit, $265
Harney Brothers Nighttime Tincture, dreamy THC-infused tincture for restful nights, $45
Weed'd x Gotham Pipe & Pot Set, limited edition handcrafted ceramic smoking set, $99
1906 Chill Drops, tin of fast-acting and calm-inducing THC tablets, $35
Ezcaray Color Block Blanket, luxe mohair-wool blend blanket for chilly winter days, $489
KIVA Midnight Mint Chocolate Bar, delicious dark chocolate bar with THC & mint, $30
Edgar Mosa Star Bracelet, solid sterling silver bracelet with playful charm, $500
Drew Martin Variety Pack Prerolls, curated selection of botanically-blended prerolls, $60
WALALA Enriching Serum, CBD serum from Japan that will hydrate and glow, $100
→ Shop: Gotham (East Village, WIlliamsburg, Hudson, NY).
RESTAURANTS • Field Report
Gardens party
When I first saw that there was a new restaurant at 144 Union Street, my heart sank a little. The wine bar Flying Lobster had been operating with gritty charm at that address since 2011. It was dark, usually mostly empty, and famously named for an instance when its owner threw a live lobster at a complaining guest at sister restaurant Petite Crevette next door. It was wonderful. And anyway, everyone in New York City knows that new things are potentially ruinous to perfectly charismatic little areas like this northwestern most corner of Carroll Gardens.
Mesón, which opened at the end of summer, however, slots in marvelously. It’s a bit brighter than Flying Lobster, but still lit to flatter, with an electric bar and plenty of people inside. It’s also polished without (seemingly) trying too hard, and makes going out in the neighborhood feel more like you’re going somewhere. It’s easy to want to be a regular.
There’s wine, plus beer, cocktails, and a few frozen drinks. Recently, a server offered to remake a martini — one that hadn’t taken any great length of time to arrive — if it wasn’t cold enough. It was. The brief menu gets a lot done via plump, lemon-grilled sardines with fennel saffron, fat crab-stuffed piquillo peppers, a beautifully marbled and thinly sliced Ibérico pork secreto, and a 45-ounce bone-in ribeye for two or three that cuts to the convivial vibe of the place. There is also a flying lobster roll. As of this writing, it has remained stationary. –Amber Sutherland-Namako
→ Mesón (Carroll Gardens) • 144 Union St • Wed-Thurs 6p-11, Fri-Sat 6p-12a.
GOODS & SERVICES • The Nines
Holiday provisions, North Fork & Hamptons
The Nines are FOUND's distilled lists of NYC's best. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or found@foundny.com.
Camp Caviar Club (Southampton), caviars and roes in whimsical, bright tins, available for pick-up
Mecox Bay Dairy (Bridgehampton), local raw cow’s milk cheeses
Loaves and Fishes (Bridgehampton & Sagaponack), cosplay as Ina or Martha with ready-made holiday classics, including roasted goose
Cavaniola’s (Sag Harbor), first-rate cheeses, crudites, and caviar platters for pre-order
Carissa’s (East Hampton, Amagansett, Sag Harbor), fancifully decorated, aggressively adorned cakes
The Candied Anchor (Montauk), custom gingerbread houses made-to-order, modeled after your own home or a structure of your choice; DIY kits also available
8 Hands Farm (Cutchogue), housemade chicken pate and cured meats
Peconic Escargot (Peconic), locally cultivated snails available oven-ready, unshelled, or in shell; pick up and nationwide shipping.
Little Ram Oysters (Southold), cold, briny North Fork oysters for the months they taste the best; available 24/7 at their ‘automat’
LOST & FOUND • Behind the Paywall
Dispatches from the frontline, from FOUND subscribers for FOUND subscribers.
→ A handful of favorite NYC restaurants from new subscribers: Minetta Tavern (Greenwich Village) • Corner Bistro (West Village) • Planta Queen (Nomad) • Han Dynasty (Upper West Side, et al.) • L&B Spumoni Gardens (Gravesend/Dumbo)