I recently met a friend for Restaurant Week at Riverpark in Kips Bay. To find the waterfront restaurant, just walk as far east on 29th Street as possible until you spot the sign. Originally opened by celebrity chef Tom Colicchio, it’s now part of a hospitality group. Naturally, the service was top-notch, and the setting is idyllic. Not every dish impressed, but there were a couple of highlights

While choosing our wine, we nibbled on warm focaccia served with butter and olive oil. We ultimately paired our meal with their featured rosé, Cibonne Tentations Côtes de Provence, France 2025 ($68).

The $60 three-course menu offered a couple of choices for each course.

Sharing everything, we started with two seasonally inspired appetizers: a peach and heirloom tomato carpaccio topped with stracciatella, and a warm corn soup with lumps of crab and a drizzle of chili oil. Both were good.

I much preferred the tender, perfectly cooked watermelon-glazed pork tenderloin with vegetables to the bland farmer’s cheese agnolotti.

We ended with both dessert choices: a mildly flavored tri-melon sorbet and my favorite, sliced fresh stone fruit topped with pecan crumble and maple-bourbon ice cream. Since we were celebrating a birthday, our server also surprised us with a slice of chocolate cake complete with a candle.

With the check came a few tasty meringue cookies.

I’d recommend Riverpark. Worth the trek east for the setting alone.

Riverpark
Kips Bay
450 E 29th St
New York, NY 10016
(212) 706-4131
riverparknyc.com