NEW TOQUE AT THE STOVE Bradford Thompson will be the new executive chef of Lever House (390 Park Ave. at 53rd Street, 212-888-2700) starting June 2. He replaces Dan Silverman. Mr. Thompson won the James Beard Foundation award for best chef in the Southwest in 2006 as executive chef of Mary Elaine’s at the Phoenician in Scottsdale, Ariz.

CONVIVIAL VIBES Scarpetta (335 W. 14th St., between Eighth and Ninth avenues, 212-691-0555), Scott Conant’s latest venture, opened yesterday. Mr. Conant, former chef-owner of L’Impero and Alto, says he hopes the new restaurant’s name — it refers to a piece of bread used to sop up the last splash of sauce on a plate — reflects the casual, convivial nature of the place. The menu includes duck and foie gras agnolotti, and ricotta raviolini with chicken livers and spinach purée. The hit so far on family-and-friends nights at the restaurant has been the braised boneless veal shank with gremolata, bone marrow, and saffron orzo.

ANIMAL-FREE HOUSE Crisp (684 Third Ave. at 43rd Street, 212-661-0000), a vegetarian fast-food restaurant, is scheduled to open tomorrow. The menu is mostly informed by Middle Eastern food, and includes an array of hummus bowls, served with a choice of white or wheat flatbread. Salads and pita sandwiches will be available, too, each paired with a couple of house-brewed teas based on their nutritional composition.

RESCUE MISSION Guastavino (409 E. 59th St. at First Avenue, 212-980-2711), a former restaurant and now an event space under the 59th Street Bridge, has been taken over by the Rose Group and reopened on Monday. Running the kitchen is John Stevenson, who previously headed the banquet department at the Pierre.

SOCCER MATCH People looking for someplace to watch the European soccer championship next Wednesday — for the first time, it’s between two English teams, Manchester United and Chelsea — might consider the Sixth Ward (191 Orchard St., between Houston and Stanton streets, 212-228-9888). The bar’s owners plan to set up a giant projection screen in its outdoor garden, weather permitting, and serve food from England’s Northwest, including a stew made with Boddingtons, a beer from Manchester. Festivities begin at noon. The game is scheduled to start at 2:45 p.m.

AMERICA RUNS ON Dunkin’ Donuts has declared tomorrow free iced coffee day. From 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., the coffee-and-doughnut chain will be handing out 16-ounce cups of the stuff to anyone who walks in.

CRAVING COCKTAILS Crave on 42nd (650 W. 42nd St., between Eleventh and Twelfth avenues, 212-564-9588) has launched two happy hours, one from 5 to 6 p.m., and another from 10 p.m. to closing, except on Sunday when the second happy hour starts at 9 p.m. Specials include $4 draft beers, $5 house martinis, and three-for-two cocktails.

Mr. Thorn is food editor of Nation’s Restaurant News. He maintains nrnfoodwriter.blogspot.com.