Minato Izakaya & Garden

Across East 161st Street from Porto Salvo, the same team — chef Luigi Ghidetti and partner Mark Lu — opened Minato in May 2023. The name is Japanese for 'harbor,' a nod to the Italian place across the road, and the concept is an izakaya: small plates, sake and a back garden that turns the meal into an evening when the weather is warm. Its sake list was among the first serious ones in the borough.

Start with Minato's own seared-topping mussels, yellowtail carpaccio in ponzu, karaage chicken and tuna tataki, then move on to rolls — the Bronx Roll is shrimp tempura topped with seared scallop — or a chirashi bowl of assorted fish over rice. Green-tea crème brûlée or lychee panna cotta to finish. Book a table outside if you can; the garden is the room.