"At most fun restaurants, it’s booze or music that amp up the party atmosphere. At Shukette in Chelsea, it’s bread. The star of the “Rip This” section of this Middle Eastern restaurant’s menu is the frena, coming in hot from the oven at the center of an open kitchen. But all the other breads are great too, and dipping them into a variety of tangy dips with a couple of friends is a guaranteed good time. Reserve a counter seat so you can watch the rapid production of pitas, kebabs, and other grilled meats in front of you, while basking in the direct heat of the fire. Cool down with some soft serve—if you have any room left after all those glorious carbs." - willa moore, sonal shah, bryan kim, neha talreja, will hartman