Manhattan's Financial District has suddenly become one of the hottest dining scenes in New York City — here's where you should eat

But times have changed, and Manhattan's downtown financial hub has experienced some exciting additions to its dining scene.

Thanks to a series of hotel openings and mega-construction projects, specifically, the new World Trade Center complex, there has been more opportunity for restaurant openings. As a result, some of the world's most celebrated chefs have headed down south to put their mark on the area.

From traditional French brasseries to Michelin-starred restaurants overlooking the Hudson River, here are our picks for the best new places to dine in FiDi right now.

Blue Ribbon Federal Grill

84 William Street

The Bromberg Brothers – the owners and brains behind the Blue Ribbon restaurants – opened their latest venture last month. Within spitting distance of the Federal Reserve, this chic new restaurant serves up a mix of simple meat and seafood dishes. Their classic burger, served on an English muffin, comes with waffle chips and costs $18.

Le District

Brookfield Place, 225 Liberty Street

Beneath the Time Inc. and BNY Mellon offices, and just across the way from Goldman Sachs HQ, Le District is fast becoming a popular spot for investment bankers and media executives to wine and dine. Besides having a gourmet take-out market it also two restaurants, one of which, L'Appart, has a Michelin-star.

Dead Rabbit

30 Water Street

Wall Street's favorite Irish pub isn't only known for its killer cocktails; it also has an exciting food menu. Expect a mix of substantial-sized bar snacks such as baby lamb chops ($8 each), and heartier traditional English dishes such as shepherd's pie ($19) and fish and chips ($20). It also won the prestigious title of "best bar in the world" last October.

Hudson Eats

Brookfield Place, 200 Vesey Street

Above Le District in Brookfield Place, the Hudson Eats food court is a popular spot for lunch and after-work happy hours. It hasBlack Seed Bagel

Eataly

Westfield World Trade Center, 101 Liberty Street

Eataly opened its second Manhattan location here in 2016. A similar concept to its sister complex in the Flatiron District, this new 45,000-square-foot space has a mix of market-style shopping, counter dining, and traditional restaurants. Osteria della Pace is its most formal restaurant, with a large, separate dining room.

Épicerie Boulud

Westfield World Trade Center, 185 Greenwich Street LL

This is Chef Daniel Boulud's third eat-in and take-out café in New York. At lunchtime, you can grab a made-to-order sandwich or salad along with an elegant pastry. In the evening, drop in for oysters, wine, or some house-made charcuterie.

Schilling

109 Washington Street

The sister restaurant to two other Manhattan favorites – Edi & the Wolf and Freud NYC – this restaurant serves modern Austrian food with a Mediterranean touch. Try the signature Austrian weiner schnitzel dish, which comes with potato and cucumber salad ($24).

Blacktail

2nd Floor, Pier A Harbor House, 22 Battery Place

After the success of Dead Rabbit, Irish owners Sean Muldoon and Jack McGarry set up another cocktail bar in nearby Battery Park; this time, rum is the focus. A Cuban-themed bar, Blacktail has a selection of interesting bar snacks and a novel take on the Cuban sandwich, which comes with rabbit, ham, and pork ($23).

CUT by Wolfgang Puck

99 Church Street

World-famous chef Wolfgang Puck opened his first New York restaurant in 2016. CUT, which is in the Four Seasons hotel in FiDi, is based on Puck's famed Beverly Hills steakhouse. The Japanese Wagyu beef, which costs a hefty $130, is the restaurant's specialty.

Augustine

5 Beekman Street

Famed restaurateur and Francophile

Fowler & Wells

Temple Court Building and Annex, 5 Beekman Street

Right across the hall from Augustine in the Beekman Hotel, you'll find another similarly sophisticated restaurant, Fowler & Wells. This opened in 2016 and is the brainchild of chef

Coming soon: Hawksmoor

3 World Trade Center

Hawksmoor, the London city boy's favorite that claims to be "the best steakhouse in the UK," is coming to New York in 2018. Its new home, 3