Nashville hot chicken pop-up Hot Chix finally opened a permanent location in Inman Square at the end of August. The small counter-service spot features the irresistible spicy fried chicken sandwiches, biscuits, and banana pudding fans loved during the pop-up days, while also adding a few new treats like fried oyster mushrooms, fried shrimp, waffle fries, and potato salad, as well as beer and wine. Note that the website says Hot Chix is still in “soft opening” mode, which means the shop should be expanding its limited hours at some point.

South End favorite Petit Robert Bistro has a new sibling in Kendall Square, where Batifol opened in October. Expect a similarly elegant experience at the new spot, with well-executed French classics from house-made croissants, a croque monsieur, and omelets at brunch to French onion soup and steak frites with green peppercorn sauce at lunch to beef bourguignon and escargots at dinner. Interesting wines, cocktails, and even mocktails round things out.

Central Square pizzeria Si Cara brought something a little new to Greater Boston’s vibrant pizza scene this summer: canotto-style pizza, an offshoot of Neapolitan that features an extra-puffy crust. (Chef Michael Lombardi says, “It’s essentially like eating a loaf of bread fresh out of the oven, with fresh toppings,” so be prepared for a lot of crust.) The vegetable-heavy menu is Italian-inspired, hence uncommon pizza toppings like mushrooms with kimchi as well as shrimp and zucchini with salsa verde. And while Si Cara has a full liquor license for cocktails like the Italian Ice — shaved ice flavored with gin, limoncello, and Lillet — the beverage focus is on natural wines.

The Dubliner is an Irish restaurant, but don’t expect the type of menu you’d see at Boston’s countless old-school Irish pubs. Chef and co-owner Aidan Mc Gee, who hails from Ireland’s county Donegal and has worked at Michelin-starred restaurants in Great Britain, aims to serve what people are eating in Ireland today. It’s a cuisine rich in fresh, local vegetables and proteins, he says, with minimalist preparations that draw inspiration from Scandinavia. On the opening menu: pearled barley dumplings Mc Gee calls “Irish arancini,” a “pubby” dish of smoked ham-hock terrine, a “perfect pour” of Guinness, and seasonal soft serve.

Korean barbecue chain Gopchang Story has finally arrived in Boston, several years after the expansion was announced. It’s a love letter to offal, particularly cow intestines, which are served in a variety of ways, including marinated and grilled or in a casserole with shrimp, octopus, and vegetables. The restaurant’s drink list emphasizes the Korean spirit soju.

Blue Ribbon Sushi is New York-based hospitality group Blue Ribbon Restaurants’ first foray into Boston — with two more restaurants planned for the same building in Kenmore Square. While the group is new to Boston, Blue Ribbon Sushi is an acclaimed classic in New York, where the first location opened back in 1995 before expanding elsewhere in the city (and to other cities). There’s omakase, starting at $145 per person, and an expansive a la carte selection highlighting seafood from New England, Japan, and beyond. The sea scallop skewer with miso butter is an early hit.

Fans of Boston classics Toro and Coppa (and their younger sibling in Cambridge, Little Donkey) have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the newest installment from restaurateurs Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette, and now it’s here. Formerly known as Faccia Brutta, Faccia a Faccia — Italian for “face to face” — opened in May in a prime Newbury Street location, drawing inspiration from coastal Italian cuisines with dishes like pansotti, a filled Ligurian pasta, with brown butter and fiddleheads; a grilled half lobster with clams, fregola, and chile butter; and a generous selection of crudos. A sibling spot downstairs, Bar Pallino, focuses on natural wines.

Restaurateur Michael Serpa — no stranger to seafood with his restaurants Select Oyster Bar and Atlántico — closed Back Bay’s Paris-inspired bistro Grand Tour in early September and replaced it with Little Whale Oyster Bar days later. It’s an upscale ode to clam shacks, emphasizing traditional New England seafood like fried clams and oysters, clam chowder, and lobster rolls, cold or warm, complemented by a drink list focused on light, crisp, seafood-friendly wines. And since it has a patio, this is a good spot to catch the diminishing sunshine.

At anticipated Italian restaurant Tonino, you’ll find Philadelphia-inspired tomato pie and pizza bianca with ricotta and hot honey; house-made pastas like cappelletti and chitarra with clams; and snacks like roasted squid. There’s also an eclectic assortment of drinks, from the expected (wine and amaro-centric cocktails) to the unexpected (sake, thanks to co-owner Claire Makley’s work helping open Boston’s first sake bar, the Koji Club.) The Jamaica Plain restaurant’s seeking to become a neighborhood fixture in like the cozy bars and restaurants that surround the center of Rome.