New York City

In a city where restaurateurs leverage their success the way investment bankers leverage their holdings, we fervently admire Alfred Portale. He stands steadfast in one place and continues to create wonderful food that is straightforward and delicious. The dining room is comfortable, sparely elegant and attractively lit. The menu changes seasonally, but among the starters, you can almost always find a tuna tartare. There will usually be a risotto among the second courses, and a recent offering was tagliatelle with Maine ruby red shrimp, ramps, English peas and asparagus. Among the third courses, the grilled New York steak is served with a rich marrow-mustard custard and a Bordelaise sauce.

Although star chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten oversees a global empire of restaurants, the quality here never falters. The dining room is a minimalist space with flattering lighting and large windows facing Columbus Circle. The menu changes regularly, but you can always count on the best ingredients prepared in surprising ways. Look, for example, for dishes such as sea urchin with black bread, jalapeño and yuzu; black bass crusted with nuts and seeds in a sweet-and-sour jus; and for carnivores, caramelized wagyu beef with Gorgonzola puffs and pickled ramp fondue.

New York was once home to numerous classic French restaurants, but tastes changed, and one by one, they faded and died — with a single exception. Ensconced in its own townhouse, La Grenouille is better than ever. The elegant and romantic dining room has silk-sheathed walls, plush banquettes, perfect lighting and the most lavish floral arrangements in New York (the work of the owner, the debonair Charles Masson, whose parents started the restaurant in 1962). The cooking is superb, and while the menu abounds with French classics, there is room for innovation in the seasonal daily specials. Perfectly executed signature dishes include fluffy pike quenelles; flaky, tender grilled Dover sole in a gentle mustard sauce; and, of course, the stuffed frogs’ legs Provençale. The dessert soufflés are justifiably celebrated. The wine list is wide-ranging, and the staff’s advice is worth heeding.

Located in a corner of the Gramercy Park Hotel, this terrific restaurant has a lively front bar where you can eat casually, and a slightly more formal main dining room with linen-covered tables. The wide selection of salumi presents several possibilities for starters, or you can just order the grande selezione (much sourced right in New York and some made in-house). The antipasti range from tripe to a plate of addictive fried artichokes with a pungent anchovy dipping sauce. The many pastas include the tonnarelli with sharp Pecorino cheese and black pepper, and the spaghetti carbonara, with black pepper, egg and guanciale. Among the main courses, do not miss the suckling pig if it is available. Lunch is especially pleasant, with the sun pouring in the big park-facing windows. Reservations are desirable, but you can walk in for seating at the bar and in the front — if you are prepared to wait.