"Thomas Chen's quiet East Village Michelin star, where the Pig Out feeds two — book a weeknight for a first date."
The Pig Out lands for two, a slab of slow-cooked Berkshire pork you pull apart with your hands. Thomas Chen opened Tuome on East 5th Street in the East Village in 2014, cooking New American food shot through with the Chinese flavours he grew up on, and the Michelin Guide gave him a star in 2019. It has kept the star since without raising its voice. The room is small and the menu reads like one cook's autobiography rather than a concept.
Thomas Chen cooked on the line at Eleven Madison Park before opening Tuome in 2014 as his own place, and the menu is personal in a way tasting-menu kitchens rarely are. It is New American at the base with a Chinese-American accent that comes from his upbringing: chicken liver mousse with maple and milk bread, braised duck and daikon on brioche, dishes that read comfortable and turn out precise. The signature is the Pig Out, a Berkshire pork feast for two meant to be eaten with your hands, and it is the order to build a meal around.
Michelin awarded the star in the 2019 guide and Tuome has held it every year since, which for a forty-odd-seat room with no investors behind it is the real achievement. Mains run roughly $24 to $38 and most tables spend $70 to $120 a head before wine. The address is 536 East 5th Street, between Avenues A and B. Read more in the New York dining guide and our best tasting menus under $200 ranking.
Tuome is a narrow, low-lit room that seats around forty, with a small bar up front and tables close enough that you will hear your neighbours on a full night. The mood is warm and unfussy: dark wood, soft light, no pretension despite the star. Noise sits at an easy hum on weeknights and rises on Friday and Saturday, when the bar fills. Tables are tight but not uncomfortable, service is friendly and quick to read a table, and there is no dress code beyond looking like you made an effort. Two can talk easily; a party of six will be cosy.
Book Tuome for a first date because the room does the heavy lifting: it is small and warm enough to feel intimate, quiet enough on a weeknight to actually talk, and the food gives you something to share and laugh over. The Pig Out, eaten with your hands, breaks any first-date stiffness faster than small talk. It is a Michelin star without the three-hour ceremony, so the night stays loose. Take a Tuesday or Wednesday table at eight, sit at a corner two-top, order the pork to share, and let the meal run at conversation pace.
Not for a quiet, spacious anniversary blowout. The room is tight at about forty seats, tables sit close, and weekend nights get loud once the bar fills.
Is Tuome worth it?
Yes, if you want a Michelin star without the formality or the price of one. Thomas Chen's New American cooking with a Chinese-American accent is personal and precise, and the Pig Out for two is genuinely fun. At $70 to $120 a head it undercuts most starred rooms in New York. Go on a weeknight, share the pork, and order a few of the smaller plates around it.
How hard is it to book Tuome?
Moderately hard for prime weekend slots, easier midweek. Tuome takes reservations on Resy, and Friday and Saturday tables at peak hours go a week or two out, while Tuesday and Wednesday are often bookable closer in. The room is small, so off-peak times open up first. You can also call the restaurant on 646-833-7811. For alternatives nearby, see the New York dining guide.
What is the dress code at Tuome?
There is no formal dress code; smart-casual is right. Despite the Michelin star this is a relaxed East Village room, so jeans with a decent shirt or a casual dress all fit. Nobody will turn you away for sneakers. Dinner skews a touch dressier than a weeknight drop-in, but you never need a jacket.
What should I order at Tuome?
Build the meal around the Pig Out, the Berkshire pork feast for two you eat with your hands. Add the chicken liver mousse with maple and milk bread and the braised duck and daikon on brioche to start, then a couple of vegetable plates. It is a menu meant for sharing, so order across it rather than one plate each. The cocktails and an approachable wine list both pull their weight.
Is Tuome good for a first date?
Very. The room is small, warm and quiet enough on a weeknight for real conversation, and the shared, hands-on food keeps a new table relaxed. A Michelin star also signals effort without locking you into a three-hour tasting menu. Book a midweek corner table, share the Pig Out, and keep the pace easy. For more date rooms, see our best New York first-date restaurants.
Book on Resy or call 646-833-7811. Weekends want a week or two ahead; midweek tables are easier and the room is small.
Affiliate disclosure: RestaurantsForKings may earn a commission from reservation links at no cost to you. Our scores and verdict are editorial and never paid for.