5 shiny new concepts for the new year

As 2018 dawns, new fast casuals continue to crop up like snowbanks in a blizzard. Read on to learn about some of the latest entrants in the segment, as well as a retail-cafe mashup making a splash. 

Tao Group, known for creating sprawling nightlife destinations, is taking an entirely different approach with its latest launch: Egghead, a fast-casual breakfast concept in Times Square. The group’s first quick-service restaurant serves riffs on the quintessential bacon, egg and cheese handheld, as well as sides like cheese-stuffed hash browns.

Vini e Fritti makes the third Roman concept Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group has opened at the Redbury Hotel in New York City and its fourth Roman-focused restaurant overall. (There’s coffee shop Caffe Marchio, full-service pizzeria Marta and its fast-casual sister Martina.) The latest entrant in Meyer’s Roman empire is a full-service tempura bar specializing in fried bites paired with sparkling wine.

Andrew Gruel, the chef behind 10-unit fast-casual chain Slapfish, is slated to launch Raw Bar by Slapfish early in the new year. Thenew concept, located in Huntington Beach, Calif., is a full-service restaurant focused on chilled seafood such as Peruvian-style raw fish, oysters and smoked fish. The restaurant will also serve the full Slapfish menu and feature a sushi-style bar where diners can watch dishes being prepared.

Starr Restaurants (the group behind award-winning Le Coucou) controls the kitchen at La Mercerie, a new New York City full-service cafe in which everything—from the plates to the tables to the teapots—is available for purchase. The restaurant is part of the Roman and Williams Guild furniture store (and design firm behind many upscale restaurants). After dining on Parisian fare, customers receive cards listing all of the retail items up for sale.

Investors are paying increasing attention to the growing Indian fast-casual sector, as consumers become more familiar with this global cuisine. Enter Rasa, a new build-your-own concept in Washington, D.C. This one offers a slate of inventive toppings, such as tamarind shrimp, kokum and dehydrated bitter melon, and menu items have playful names like Tikka Chance on Me and Aloo Need is Love. Dishes can be paired with cocktails like the masala gin and tonic.