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| Bacaro
Bacaro
136 Division St (Orchard & Ludlow)
212.941.5060
No Reservations Hidden away on Division Street, a quiet block that curves off of Orchard, Chef Frank DeCarlo, his wife Dulcinea and their partner Kama Geary, just opened Bacaro, an intimate osteria. This cozy spot has long wooden tables and benches, exposed brick walls, rough-hewn slate floors, and lots of candlelight, making it a perfect atmosphere for lingering conversation. The menu is a simple array of colorful cichetti, Venice’s traditional bar snacks: platters of mixed crostini, fritto misto, fried sardines, and polpette (tiny spicy meatballs). | | Nobu New York
105 Hudson St (@ Franklin)
212.219.0500 A part of the Drew Nieporent-Robert De Niro restaurant syndicate, Nobu Matsuhisa's restaurant draws celebrity clientele to its door partially for the Hollywood-esque scene that has come to define it, but also for its exquisite New Style Japanese cuisine. The décor is simple yet beautiful and designed by star restaurant interior designer David Rockwell.
| | Prune
54 East 1st St (1st & 2nd Aves)
212.677.6221 This tiny restaurant located in the East Village serves eclectic New American cuisine like fried sweetbreads, lamb loin chops, and whole grilled fish. The atmosphere has a homey sophistication with tile floors, wooden table, and white washed walls. The warm staff and cozy ambiance make this the perfect place for a hearty meal on a cold winter day. | | Blue Ribbon
97 Sullivan St (Spring & Prince)
212.274.0404 Eric and Bruce Bromberg's popular American bistro and raw bar is open from 4pm to 4am. With no rhyme or reason to the menu, the Brombergs have thrown together matzoh ball soup, paella, and sweet and sour catfish to entice their late night crowd. Many come back time and again for its revered raw bar. Always cacophonous, always packed, and always exceptional, the Blue Ribbon is a must for night owls and early birds alike. | | Gramercy Tavern
42 East 20th St (Park Ave & Broadway)
212.477.0777 Gramercy Tavern is a New York landmark boasted by owner/chef Tom Colicchio’s new American menu and exceptional wine list. One can dine in the casual Tavern room or in the elegant and formal main dining room. For dinner choose from a three-course prix fixe menu or from a seven-course tasting menu. Menu selections change seasonally. | | Il Buco
47 Bond St (Bowery & Lafayette)
212.533.1932 An antique store with a hidden kitchen, il Buco is known for its outstanding food as well as its innate charm. Chef Ignacio Mattos (trained as a youngling in his Italian grandmother’s kitchen) prepares Mediterranean cuisine, focusing on the bold flavors of simplistic, prime ingredients. And, with a menu that changes nightly, fresh seafood fare is the order of the day—try the cod croquettes and octopus with Umbrian chickpeas and parsley over charred bruschetta. Or taste the sage-rubbed porchetta with garlicky black kale alongside a glass of wine. | | Smith's
79 Macdougal St (W Houston & Bleecker)
212.260.0100
Riding high atop the trend of market-driven menus, the newest restaurant from Danny Abrams (Mermaid Inn, Red Cat) evokes the simple pleasures of comfort food in an upscale setting. Chef Pablo Romero, formerly of Bouley and Jean Georges, puts a creative spin on classic American cuisine, such as grilled lobster with butternut squash and Brussels sprouts, or steamed egg with creamy polenta and gorgonzola. The menu’s starters change every few weeks, depending on freshly available seasonal ingredients. Equipped with black leather banquettes and an antique mirrored ceiling, the railroad-car dining room is divided into three sections. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect is the velvet-lined hideaway bar in the back, tucked away from view of the eating area and destined to become a hotspot for those in the know.
| | Public
210 Elizabeth St (Spring & Prince)
212.343.7011 Reflecting the minimalist design of SoHo’s architectural landscape, Public's interior evokes the feeling of standing in a public library. The Australasian menu is impressive with selections ranging from grilled kangaroo on falafel with coriander sauce to traditional grilled sea bass with wasabi jelly. | | Schiller's Liquor Bar
132 Rivington St (@ Norfolk)
212.260.4555 With Schiller’s, Keith McNally expands his restaurant empire (Balthazar and Pastis) to the chic neighborhood of the Lower East Side. This über-bistro is adorned with prison block letter-painted wine bottles, low flattering light, and attentive service—all accompanied by a creative cocktail menu. | | The Little Owl
90 Bedford St (@ Grove)
212.741.4695 This West Village corner restaurant offers a taste of several Mediterranean regions at once with knowledgeable and attentive service. The intimate yet rustic feel makes The Little Owl a comfortable place to dine for any occasion. Sit beside the large paneled windows while dining on the asparagus soup with fried soft-shell crab, the scallops risotto, the halibut with ramps and lemon crème fraîche, or the unpretentious grilled pork chop—a favorite among patrons. | | Lovely Day
196 Elizabeth St (Spring & Prince)
212.925.3310 Lovely Day offers tasty Thai food in a cozy environment. Expect to wait now and then for a table in this tiny Nolita eatery, but favorites including the seared tuna with wasabi and the chicken satay are well worth it. The young hip clientele dine in richly colored red booths while sipping on Lovely Day’s delicious mixed drinks. | | Bar Pitti
268 6th Ave (Houston & Bleecker)
212.982.3300 Bar Pitti is more cost effective than its neighbor Da Silvano and boasts a similar reputation for tasty staples of Tuscan fare such as veal meatballs and grilled chicken with lemon and endive. Regulars include Sophie Dahl, Sofia Coppola, and Jay Z. An excellent all Italian wine list, friendly wait staff, outdoor seating, and an always packed house all help set the tone for this popular West Village trattoria. | | Blue Ribbon Sushi
119 Sullivan St (Spring & Prince)
212.343.0404 Located on the same block as the original Blue Ribbon, this top-rated sister restaurant offers fresh, creative sushi from both the Atlantic and Pacific, as well as from the Sea of Japan. And the excellent selections of sake, including seasonal unpasteurized sakes will not disappoint. | | Hasaki
210 East 9th St (2nd & 3rd Aves)
212.473.3327 One of the best casual and authentic Sushi spots in New York, Hasaki offers top quality fish at moderate prices, attracting a loyal local following. This is a small space, but enjoyable for sushi aficionados. | | Balthazar
80 Spring St (@ Crosby)
212.965.1414 Antique yellow ceilings, stained mirrors, and red leather banquettes make up the décor of restaurateur Keith McNally’s classic-feeling Parisian brasserie. With an iced shellfish raw-bar, a café section, an in-house bakery, excellent food, and an extensive wine list, Balthazar is one of the best spots in town. | | The Spotted Pig
314 West 11th St (@ Greenwich St)
888.325.4203 This upscale take on the classic English pub feels authentic while incorporating a modern element into the original pub concept. With wooden pig accents and a homey feel, this fun and friendly spot has a pint-drinking, comfort food menu featuring classics like meat and potato pairings and shepard’s pie, as well as unique plates. | | La Esquina
106 Kenmare St (@ Lafayette)
646.613.7100 A hot of the moment Mexican restaurant and chic café combined into one compact little venue. Unlike other trendy spots in the city, this one actually lives up to its reputation in more ways than just attracting celebrity clientele. After passing the door person and heading downstairs through the kitchen, you enter a charming restaurant where the food is equally as delightful as the seventy types of tequila they serve in accompaniment. | | Freemans
8 Rivington St (@ Chrystie)
212.420.0012 Freemans is like an escape to the countryside—to a place where the local hipsters gather around antique wooden tables to drink wine and dine on wild boar and whole roasted trout underneath assorted taxidermy including moose and elk heads. Located on a discreet alleyway off the Bowery, this hush-hush eatery has quickly become the place du jour for downtown scene-makers with its affordable menu, hunting lodge décor, and laid back staff. |
| Cielo
18 Little West 12th St (9th Ave & Washington)
212.645.5700 Cielo is New York City’s destination spot for house music. The main room has tables and a bar situated around a sunken dance floor, and the sounds range from deep house, club or classics to electronic and techno. The deejays are predominantly big names in the international dance music world including Francois K, Louis Vega, Ben Watt, Frankie Knuckles, and Roger Sanchez.
| | Sway
305 Spring St (Greenwich St & Hudson)
212.620.5220 A Moroccan-themed hideaway for rockers, models and downtowners alike, Sway opened in 1998 under the ownership of Nur Khan, the former owner of Wax nightclub. Inside the intimate, oblong space are colorful Moroccan lamps, decorative North African ceramic tiles, and large plush-upholstered banquettes. The scene is best experienced late, as in post-1am. | | Annex
152 Orchard St (Stanton & Rivington)
212.673.3410 Annex has quickly become the scensters’ place, hosting top deejays like Peter Hook and live music shows with bands including The Ravonettes and Elephant. Owned by the owners of Dark Room and Fat Baby, Annex features a Saturday night party hosted by Spiky Phil, one of our favorite New York door guys. | | Bungalow 8
515 West 27th St (10th & 11th Aves)
Private phone Bungalow 8 has a reputation for having one of the toughest door policies in the city. Predominantly populated by a Fendi and Calypso-clad crowd, the focus at Bungalow is on amenities including on-site concierge services for transportation arrangement. Bungalow 8 is pretentious, over-the-top, and, at times, just what the doctor ordered. | | 205
205 Chrystie St (@ Stanton)
212.477.6688 205 is a place for downtown locals to hang out and listen to music. Inspired by a studio vibe and aesthetic, the décor features pieces donated by local downtown artists including Dash Snowe, Aaron Young, and Dan Cohen. It’s a Warhol-like party working to create a revival of what New York used to be. The space is completely non-pretentious with salvaged, duct-taped couches, applique chairs and tin foiled walls. | | Decibel
240 E 9th St (2nd & 3rd Aves)
212.979.2733 By far the best sake bar in the city, Decibel’s small basement location is designed with dark wood, red paper lanterns, and graffiti-covered walls. Combined with a buzzer at the outdoor entrance, the space has a true speakeasy feel. The sake list is extensive, and the menu is divided into categories based on the brewing process, ranging from mild to very dry. In addition to the sake, the menu offers Japanese light fare including katsuo, khada, saba miso, steamed shumai, edamame, sauteed seaweed, and noodles. While Decibel is a favorite among locals, less experienced new comers may be surprised by the rather uncordial service. But give it a shot—this bar will prove to be a memorable NYC experience. | | Love
40 West 8th St (MacDougal & 6th Ave)
212.477.5683 This small undercover club sits hidden below the ground on 8th Street. With no sign in sight, it’s a spot for diehard regulars who come for the amazing sound system and resident deejays. The deejay booth at Love is absolutely the most elaborate in NYC—so intense that it conjures up feelings of being behind a space ship console. Home to house and dance music nights, the subterranean club is prone to stay open long into after hours. | | Max Fish
176 Ludlow St (Houston & Stanton)
212.253.1922 A local favorite, Lower East Side dive bar Max Fish guarantees a four dollar beer and a chance that you’ll see someone you know. With contemporary art lining the colorful walls of this brightly lit bar, Max Fish attracts everyone from artists and musicians to skaters and fashionistas—all there to listen to a great jukebox and mingle near the surrounding pool table. | | Peasant Wine Bar
194 Elizabeth St (Spring & Prince)
Downstairs
212.965.9511 This little underground room below the street has a warm, private aura that makes you forget about the busy surrounding Nolita streets above. The exposed wood beans, rustic tables, and candle-lit surroundings give the place a mysterious charm. The scene is a mix of hipster and family types, all of whom we doubt just stumbled upon the place. Peasant Wine Bar is a calculated destination, and the patrons come a knockin’. The service is good, and you can order from a selection of wines, cheeses, appetizers, and entrees. | | BBar
40 East 4th St (Bowery & Lafayette)
212.475.2220 This bar and restaurant is a stylish and fun alternative to other downtown spots. Lined with ‘50s-style diner booths and a pressed tin ceiling above, BBar also has a walled-in outdoor area that is perfect for summertime drinks. It’s the home of the longest running and most glamorous NYC weekly Gay party, Beige.
| | The Box
189 Chrystie St (Stanton & Rivington)
212.982.9301 The Box is the combined brain child of Richard Kimmel, Randy Weiner, Serge Becker (La Esquina, 205, Joe’s Pub), and Simon Hammerstein, whose famed grandfather Oscar built the Hammerstein Ballroom. The idea behind the space is to revisit the legendary vaudeville element that made this area of NYC special a century ago. This intimate restaurant and theater has two bars and a stage reminiscent of the old burlesque halls. The crowd is an upscale mix of celebs, trendsetters, and hipster music types, all seeking a bit more than a night in NYC’s standard deejay club scene.
| | Black & White
86 East 10th St (@ 3rd Ave)
212.475.2426 For those in the know, Mondays are the nights when guest deejays such as Carlos D of Interpol and actor James Ransone (a.k.a. PJ) have been known to appear behind the turntables spinning classic and glam rock to their celebrity friends like Jack Osbourne and skater Jason Odell. On other nights you will find a mixed crowd of NYU students and young professionals with creative backgrounds in fashion and art, sipping on reasonable priced cocktails and munching on slightlier pricier food. | | Sweet Paradise Lounge
14 Orchard St (Hester & Canal)
212.226.3612 Owners of Welcome to the Johnsons overhauled this Lower East Side bar to spread the dive bar love downtown. With deejays spinning after 9pm, an eclectic mix of classic rock, new rock, disco and reggae in the jukebox, and cheap drinks as low as two dollars, this bar is sure to please Lower East Siders. And, for those of you with a sweet tooth, the bar sells a variety of goodies as a nod to the candy store that formerly stood in its place. It’s a cool refuge from the mainstream bar vibe becoming so rampant. Check it out. |
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