If want to debate Twitter etiquette whilst wearing a tiny top hat, there is no better roof top in the city.
Chef Andy Nusser has crafted a menu of substantial tapas and medium-sized entrées, done mostly “a la plancha” with unmistakably Catalan flavors; get the duck egg with mojama. [Eater 38 Member] Read more.
A solid choice for date night on the UWS, or a meal before a show at Lincoln Center. Even the most exotic dishes like the zaatar baked cod have that signature Boulud touch. [Eater 38 Member]
Cesare Casella's small plates parlor is a great place for a few bites of premium imported antipasti and a glass of wine, or a larger meal of more substantial meat and pasta dishes. [Eater 38 Member] Read more.
While Champagne-lovers can indulge with a meticulous selection of over 140 varieties, Winston’s also serves creative sparkling cocktails, along with beer, wine, caviar and decadent desserts.
During warmer months, a picnic on the Long Meadow can’t be beat, but until then, grab a cup of hot cider at the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket (Sat 8am–4pm) and explore the secluded nooks in this park. Read more.
This small French space hosts one of the city’s most diverse music scenes in its back room. Arrive early to take advantage of happy hour, with $1 off beers and $3 off cocktails. Read more.
Be prepared to queue up for a table: al di là is one of the most popular spots on Park Slope’s restaurant-packed Fifth Avenue. Chef Anna Klinger's fresh take on Italian fare is worth the wait. Read more.
Sit at the wood-topped bar to watch co-owner Regina Christiansen mix drinks like the classic Blood & Sand, or abscond to one of the smaller tables along the wall for a quiet conversation. Read more.
This subterranean bar, gallery and performance space hosts regular music and comedy events, such as the monthly Acoustic Night and the weekly Comedy Night hosted by Aaron Glaser and Danny Jolles. Read more.
This East Village restaurant is outfitted with vintage wallpaper and pages from a 1915 etiquette text. Sample one of the pre-Prohibition quaffs, like the Sherry Cobbler (sherry and lemon juice). Read more.
Win major points with a beer lover at this subterranean gastropub: A selection of 12 stellar craft and microbrews is always on tap. Read more.
Aside from exhibiting all types of media (such as fanzines, old cameras and arcade consoles), the facility also offers a 267-seat cinema with multiple weekend screenings. Read more.
Romance your companion over a cocktail at this old-fashioned space. Try the Fairbanks (gin, dry vermouth, grenadine and apricot brandy) and enjoy nostalgic dishes like oysters Rockefeller. Read more.
Reserve a table in the main dining area, outfitted with a romantic chandelier and a bright fireplace that’s used to warm focacce, ciabatte and pizzas before they’re served. Read more.
Pick up provisions for a home-cooked Italian meal at Mario Batali’s massive retail-restaurant complex. You can also choose from one of six on-site eateries. Read more.
Pop into this chic neighborhood bar to sip a glass of vino and share small plates. If your evening is going well, stop by Harlem Vintage, the adjoining wineshop, and get a bottle to split at home. Read more.
Try Empire Mayonnaise Co.’s line of artisanal mayos, with more outré flavors available each week (foie gras, black garlic). It’s one of our #100best dishes and drinks of 2011. Read more.
The spicy miso ramen is as good as any of the ramens from Ippudo. There's really nothing else you should get here. Make it extra spicy.
In a dining world overrun with offal, Québécois heft, and pasta, it's nice to have a meal where a roasted carrot can blow you away. [Eater 38 Member] Read more.
The chef here, Ding Gen Wang, is something of a star in his native China. Although everything here is very good, the best dishes are off-the-menu. [Eater 38 Member]
In many ways Esca is as good as the four-starred Le Bernardin. If nothing else, it's cheaper, more relaxed and, bonus, also serves Baltali-brand pasta. [Eater 38 Member] Read more.
One of my favorite bar eating places. Mario’s food is just so good I still taste it a month afterwards. And he is a very funny guy. -Thierry Rautureau, Top Chef
Gramercy Tavern is one of the NYT restaurant critic Sam Sifton’s 50 favorite NYC restaurants. To see the full list, get The Scoop iPhone app, an inside guide to New York: NYTimes.com/thescoop
Pro tip: on Monday nights from 5 - 10 PM, Hill Country offers all-you-can-eat brisket, ribs, chicken, and sides for $25. [Eater 38 Member]
Recommended dishes: Fried shiitakes; cured meat and cheese plates; insalata cotta cruda; pork shoulder; skirt steak; chicken thigh; sauerkraut; family-style “piatto misto” of pork; desserts. Read more.
Daniel Boulud’s more casual bistro is worth a visit for the charcuterie and wine alone.
Turkish kebabs and stuffed grape leaves for club kids, hipsters, cabbies. Food downtown doesn’t come much cheaper, faster, better.
Here's what happens when hipster chefs get it right. Market-driven goodness and go-to pizzas. Check out the Heritage Radio Network, which broadcasts from the dining room on Sundays. [Eater 38 Member] Read more.
