diff --git a/R/cell_spec.R b/R/cell_spec.R
index faaf85b..8e3facc 100644
--- a/R/cell_spec.R
+++ b/R/cell_spec.R
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 #' bootstrap module manually. Read the package vignette to see how.
 #' @param link A vector of strings for url links. Can be used together with
 #' tooltip and popover.
+#' @param new_tab T/F for whether to open up the new link in new tab.
 #' @param extra_css Extra css text to be passed into the cell
 #' @param escape T/F value showing whether special characters should be escaped.
 #' @param background_as_tile T/F value indicating if you want to have round
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@
                       color = NULL, background = NULL,
                       align = NULL, font_size = NULL, angle = NULL,
                       tooltip = NULL, popover = NULL, link = NULL,
-                      extra_css = NULL,
+                      new_tab = FALSE, extra_css = NULL,
                       escape = TRUE,
                       background_as_tile = TRUE,
                       latex_background_in_cell = TRUE) {
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@
   if (tolower(format) == "html") {
     return(cell_spec_html(x, bold, italic, monospace, underline, strikeout,
                           color, background, align, font_size, angle,
-                          tooltip, popover, link, extra_css,
+                          tooltip, popover, link, new_tab, extra_css,
                           escape, background_as_tile))
   }
   if (tolower(format) == "latex") {
@@ -80,7 +81,7 @@
 
 cell_spec_html <- function(x, bold, italic, monospace, underline, strikeout,
                            color, background, align, font_size, angle,
-                           tooltip, popover, link, extra_css,
+                           tooltip, popover, link, new_tab, extra_css,
                            escape, background_as_tile) {
   if (escape) x <- escape_html(x)
   cell_style <- NULL
@@ -127,7 +128,12 @@
   }
 
   if (!is.null(link)) {
-    x <- paste0('<a href="', link, '" style="', cell_style, '" ',
+    if (new_tab) {
+      target_blank = 'target="_blank" '
+    } else {
+      target_blank = NULL
+    }
+    x <- paste0('<a href="', link, '" style="', cell_style, '" ', target_blank,
                 tooltip_n_popover, '>', x, '</a>')
   } else {
     x <- paste0('<span style="', cell_style, '" ',
@@ -193,13 +199,13 @@
                       color = NULL, background = NULL,
                       align = NULL, font_size = NULL, angle = NULL,
                       tooltip = NULL, popover = NULL, link = NULL,
-                      extra_css = NULL,
+                      new_tab = FALSE, extra_css = NULL,
                       escape = TRUE,
                       background_as_tile = TRUE,
                       latex_background_in_cell = FALSE) {
   cell_spec(x, format, bold, italic, monospace, underline, strikeout,
             color, background, align,
-            font_size, angle, tooltip, popover, link,
+            font_size, angle, tooltip, popover, link, new_tab,
             extra_css, escape, background_as_tile,
             latex_background_in_cell)
 }
diff --git a/inst/NEWS.md b/inst/NEWS.md
index b7de0c8..45e89a1 100644
--- a/inst/NEWS.md
+++ b/inst/NEWS.md
@@ -32,7 +32,10 @@
 viewer. If you want to disable the default behavior, try to set 
 `options(kableExtra_view_html = F)`. (#455)
 
+* Added a few alternative HTML table themes. See https://haozhu233.github.io/kableExtra/awesome_table_in_html.html#Alternative_themes
 
+* Added a `new_tab` option to `cell_spec` to control whether to open up links 
+in new tab. (#454)
 
 
 kableExtra 1.1.0
diff --git a/man/cell_spec.Rd b/man/cell_spec.Rd
index 61ff27c..bf3a057 100644
--- a/man/cell_spec.Rd
+++ b/man/cell_spec.Rd
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
   tooltip = NULL,
   popover = NULL,
   link = NULL,
+  new_tab = FALSE,
   extra_css = NULL,
   escape = TRUE,
   background_as_tile = TRUE,
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@
   tooltip = NULL,
   popover = NULL,
   link = NULL,
+  new_tab = FALSE,
   extra_css = NULL,
   escape = TRUE,
   background_as_tile = TRUE,
@@ -99,6 +101,8 @@
 \item{link}{A vector of strings for url links. Can be used together with
 tooltip and popover.}
 
+\item{new_tab}{T/F for whether to open up the new link in new tab.}
+
 \item{extra_css}{Extra css text to be passed into the cell}
 
 \item{escape}{T/F value showing whether special characters should be escaped.}
diff --git a/man/kable_classic.Rd b/man/kable_classic.Rd
index b453748..89884ea 100644
--- a/man/kable_classic.Rd
+++ b/man/kable_classic.Rd
@@ -6,18 +6,18 @@
 \alias{kable_material}
 \title{Alternative HTML themes}
 \usage{
-kable_classic(kable_input, striped = FALSE, hover = FALSE, ...)
+kable_classic(kable_input, lightable_options = "basic", ...)
 
-kable_minimal(kable_input, striped = FALSE, hover = FALSE, ...)
+kable_minimal(kable_input, lightable_options = "basic", ...)
 
-kable_material(kable_input, striped = FALSE, hover = FALSE, ...)
+kable_material(kable_input, lightable_options = "basic", ...)
 }
 \arguments{
 \item{kable_input}{A HTML kable object.}
 
-\item{striped}{T/F for adding striped rows.}
-
-\item{hover}{T/F for adding hover effects.}
+\item{lightable_options}{Options to customize lightable. Similar with
+\code{bootstrap_options} in \code{kable_styling}. Choices include \code{basic}, \code{striped}
+and \code{hover}.}
 
 \item{...}{Everything else you need to specify in \code{kable_styling}.}
 }