Design-led hotel where every room is a unique composition of bold color, pattern, and contemporary art. The ground-floor bar is centered on a long pewter top, serving afternoon tea and hosting weekend jazz.
Historic Midtown dining room with deep red banquettes and monkey lamps glowing above the bar. A wraparound mural of Jazz Age icons lines the main room – look for Sinatra, Ellington, and Dorothy Parker.
Seafood-focused Italian spot on a West Village corner, with a menu of playful dishes like shrimp parm. The buttery yellow room has a buzzy energy and a pewter bar pouring martinis made with garlic-bread-infused vodka.
Sophisticated dining room modeled on a post-colonial Indian social club, serving elevated regional dishes like Alleppey shrimp curry. Reservations are among the city's toughest to secure; try for a walk-in spot at the bar.
Two-room cocktail spot with the feel of a lively house party, complete with vintage couches and a loud soundtrack. The highly technical, culinary-driven drinks are the main draw – expect combinations like strawberry with parmesan or fennel
Grand, Art Deco dining room serving a French interpretation of steakhouse classics from a wood-burning grill. Expect tableside theatre – prime rib is carved from a rolling cart and Caesar salads are tossed to order.
Intimate dining room with burnt-orange banquettes and Murano glass chandeliers, serving a dinner-only menu. Shareable plates fuse Caribbean soul and European technique – from salt cod fritters to oxtail gratin.
Vibrant East Village dining room serving the regional classics of northern India. The newsprint-lined space is always packed, with groups sharing large pots of goat biryani and rich butter chicken.
Fine-dining spot in Lincoln Center serving Afro-Caribbean dishes like braised oxtails and egusi dumplings. The stylish room runs on a 90s hip-hop soundtrack; a line for walk-ins forms daily at 4 pm.
Pioneering Japanese speakeasy where precise cocktails are served under a massive cherub mural. The room is intimate and dimly lit – arrive early to avoid the inevitable wait.
Intimate hotel bar with wood-paneled walls covered in portraits and a carved stone fireplace. Cocktails are globally inspired – think sesame-washed scotch and Martinis made with aguardiente.
Modern homage to Punjabi dining culture, built around family-style plates of kebabs and tandoor-fired breads. The bar pours classic Indian punches for a crowd that fills the room nightly – book ahead.
Twenty-seat cocktail bar hidden above Freemans, styled like an early 20th-century explorer's tavern. Thematic drinks are complex and aromatic – a tasting menu pairs low-ABV cocktails with small plates of seafood.
Japanese speakeasy hidden behind a hair salon – an intimate room with only a dozen seats. Bartenders pour rare sakes and handcrafted cocktails to a soundtrack of vinyl jazz.
Opulent supper club with leopard-print carpets, red corduroy settees, and Murano glass chandeliers. Live jazz from a baby grand piano fills the room, accompanying classic cocktails and caviar served late.
Intimate cocktail salon from the Eleven Madison Park team, where large murals by Francesco Clemente line the walls. The menu is entirely plant-based: technical cocktails in the lounge and a tasting menu at the nine-seat chef’s counter.
Japanese cocktail bar set across two floors of a historic carriage house. Downstairs is a classic Ginza-style bar; upstairs, a cozier loft for meticulously crafted martinis and small plates.
Caribbean cocktail bar tucked into a quiet alley, pouring creative daiquiris and rum drinks from a rattan-fronted bar. The menu centers on West Indian patties; the soundtrack is high-energy and the custom paintings depict quiet island life.
Financial District hotel channeling a private club with its dark woods, brass details, and tufted leather seating. The library lounge pours complimentary prosecco nightly; an intimate upstairs wine bar specializes in Tuscan vintages.
Tribeca restaurant designed like an Indian palace, with towering marble walls and a private room lined with hand-cut mirrors. The tasting menu journeys through India's 29 states; staff present each dish with its origin story.
Candlelit wine bar on a historic Chinatown alley, its walls lined with hundreds of low-intervention bottles. The space is tight: patrons sit elbow-to-elbow sharing modern Chinese plates and soy-braised short rib.
Neighborhood trattoria serving the home-style cooking of Bologna, with a clear focus on handmade pasta. The rustic room is anchored by a large, wood-paneled bar – a remnant from a film set – that gives the space a timeless, lived-in feel.
Lively Ridgewood corner spot with sage green walls and a prominent taxidermy jaguar. The kitchen turns out creative Mexican-American plates for sharing – think fried Oaxacan cheese and dry-spice pork ribs al pastor.
Old-fashioned lunch counter dishing up serious comfort food – think house-roasted turkey sandwiches and elaborate layer cakes. The cozy, tiled space gets crowded; expect long lines on weekends.
