Top Neighborhood Haunts

Return to main article

EAST VILLAGE

No fuss, no swagger, no reservation traumas…is Hearth (403 E. 12th St.; 646/602-1300; dinner for two $110) too good to be true? Not once you taste the suave, ingredient-focused Mediterranean cooking from Craft-trained Marco Canora. Grab the terrific potato gnocchi and anything with sardines, duck, or lamb in this brick-walled space that hums with an unpretentious neighborhood vibe. The opinionated wine list is presented by grape-savvy waiters who will obligingly pour you a free taste of that voluptuous 1990 Vouvray.

WEST VILLAGE

Greenmarket meets Grüner Veltliner at Wallsé (344 W. 11th St.; 212/352-2300; dinner for two $110), Kurt Gutenbrunner's Austrian hideaway decorated with paintings from Julian Schnabel's private collection. Try the chef's creative seasonal spins on the gemütlich fare of his homeland—grilled venison with caramelized turnips and fragrant elderberry sauce; satiny chestnut soup under a cloud of frothed milk—or go traditionally Viennese with an echt schnitzel or kavalierspitz (boiled beef), followed by the city's flakiest apple strudel.

The Spotted Pig (314 W. 11th St.; 212/620-0393; lunch for two $55), the hellishly hip gastropub that won a Michelin star for its earthy British-Italian cooking, is the Jekyll-and-Hyde of restaurants. At night, you'll endure sadistic waits, cramped seating, and indifferent servers who ignore your pleas for "devils on horseback" (a.k.a. bacon-wrapped prunes) and pot-roasted rabbit. Lunch, however, is absolute bliss—from the cozy warmth of the porcine-themed tavern to the high-octane smoked-haddock chowder, the epic Cuban sandwich, and gnudi that taste like ricotta dumplings from heaven. Order another pint of frothy-smooth Old Speckled Hen and—discreetly—study your neighbor's tattoos.

UPPER WEST SIDE

In a zip code that is better known for its quesadillas and oversauced pastas, Bill Telepan romances local farmers with refreshingly earnest flavors at Telepan (72 West 69 St.; 212/580-4300; dinner for two $105). A zeal for artisanal products shines through dishes like plump pierogi filled with beet greens and ricotta and roasted king salmon that makes you excited about the red fish all over again. The puffy cheddar gougères make up for the rather uncharming moss-hued room.

UPPER EAST SIDE

Fussy East Siders, who treat restaurants as an extension of their own dining rooms, flock to Sfoglia (1402 Lexington Ave.; 212/831-1402; dinner for two $90) for compulsively edible neo-rustic piatti. Saucy clams are flavored with dusky salami; gnocchi are dressed with chicken liver and hazelnuts. The sweet-savory pairings—risotto with prunes and crushed amaretti—are inspired by Renaissance recipes. Dinner reservations too challenging? Drop by at midday after a stroll through the Met.

Copyright © 2008, American Express Publishing. All rights reserved.