The newest offering from superb chef Michael White is located in the new Setai hotel on Fifth Avenue (White also presides over Marea [see below] and Osteria Morini). In this large, tranquil space, the name is taken to heart — ai fiori means “among the flowers”— with large floral arrangements that add an air of romance and celebration. The menu changes frequently, but look for pastas such as the luscious Trofie Nero, Ligurian-style squid’s ink pasta, with a pleasantly tangy ragout of squid and scallops. The equally outstanding main courses may include Dover sole with beurre noisette (hazelnut butter), lemon and parsley, or an outstanding veal chop with an imaginative garnish of sweetbread-stuffed cabbage. The wines by the glass are excellent (there are more than two dozen), as is the service.
Overview
From Andrew Harper
New York is often seen as a dynamic, inspiring and ultimately exasperating city. But as an autumn stroll through Greenwich Village or a quiet drink in the King Cole Bar can attest, it’s eminently possible to come here for a nice, relaxing stay. Boutique hotels tend to open with a splash then shutter with a whimper, but a handful of classic addresses still delivers stately but comfortable surroundings and uncanny levels of service.
The grandes dames of Fifth Avenue, The St. Regis and The Peninsula, frequently cater to a midtown business crowd, while more intimate Upper East Side retreats like The Lowell, The Carlyle, and the Plaza Athénée are perfect for lovers of Central Park and Museum Mile. The Mandarin Oriental, a sleek tower of glass suspended over Columbus Circle, is the most notable debut of the past decade.
Hotels
All recommended hotels in New York City
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Crosby Street Hotel Visually striking Firmdale boutique hotel in a handsome brick building in vibrant SoHo. |
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Four Seasons New York Dramatic I.M. Pei-designed 52-story modern hotel between Madison and Park avenues, convenient to the Midtown business district. |
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Hotel Plaza Athenee New York Lovely hotel on New York’s Upper East Side that recently underwent an extensive renovation. |
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Mandarin Oriental New York Sleek 248-room contemporary hotel affording panoramic views of Central Park from floors 35-54 of the Time Warner Center on Columbus Circle. |
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St Regis New York Sumptuously restored 229-room Beaux Arts landmark hotel in the Midtown Fifth Avenue shopping district. |
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The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel Renowned 188-room hotel located in the most desirable quarter of the Upper East Side, a block from Central Park, near museums, galleries and specialty shops. |
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The Greenwich Hotel Distinguished 88-room hotel in Tribeca, one block east of the Hudson River, owned by Robert De Niro (whose Tribeca Film Center and Tribeca Grill are nearby). |
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The Lowell Refined 72-room hotel with a serene residential atmosphere set along a tree-lined street between Madison and Park avenues, close to many of the city’s most notable museums, galleries and shops. |
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The Mark Renowned hotel housed within a 1927 building that recently underwent a flamboyant $140 million makeover by French designer Jacques Grange. |
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The Peninsula New York Classically styled 239-room Midtown hotel near Rockefeller Center and 57th Street shopping. |
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Dining
All recommended restaurants in New York City
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This powerhouse Italian restaurant is set in a beautiful townhouse on a quiet side street in Greenwich Village. The dynamos behind its success are star chef Mario Batali and partner Joe Bastianich, whose empire includes several other top New York spots. The downstairs is lively, with an always-crowded bar; upstairs is more subdued and is one of the most attractive dining rooms in the city. Batali’s food far exceeds expectations of an Italian menu. Among the antipasti, the warm lamb’s tongue in a vinaigrette with chanterelles and a three-minute egg is particularly good. It’s hard to choose a favorite from the primi courses, but the rich beef-cheek ravioli with squab liver and black truffles is a classic. Among the main courses, grilled branzino (a white-fleshed fish) with radicchio, pancetta and lemon-oregano jam is a standout.
In a city where restaurateurs leverage their success the way investment bankers leverage their holdings (or used to), we fervently admire Alfred Portale. He stands steadfast in one place and continues to create wonderful food that is straightforward and always 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 sashimi. There will usually be a risotto among the second courses, and they are invariably excellent, a recent offering filled with plump Maine red shrimp and flavored with smoked bacon, tomatoes and arugula. Among the third courses, the grilled New York steak is served with a rich marrow-mustard custard and terrific onion rings with a Bordelaise sauce.
This place is a longtime favorite of mine, but the kitchen lost its way a few years back. Now under the direction of chef Michael Anthony, it is better than ever, with a menu of first-class contemporary American dishes. The handsome space has a lively front bar area, where you can order casual meals — especially pleasant at lunch — as well as the main dining area. The menu features starters such as baby red shrimp and polenta with a salsa verde, and smoked trout with a cipollini onion purée and pickled onions. Main courses might include halibut with broccoli, beans, leeks and oysters, or rack and shoulder of lamb with hen of the woods mushrooms, sunchokes, hazelnuts and collard greens. The far-ranging wine list has 28 selections by the glass.
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 strategically placed floral arrangements, 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 Santa Barbara sea urchin with black bread, jalapeño and yuzu; Maine lobster with black-truffle gnocchi in an herb broth; and caramelized beef tenderloin with roasted Brussels sprouts, pecans and avocado.
The best steakhouse in New York? My vote goes to Keens. Founded in 1885, it is one of the most genuinely atmospheric restaurants in Manhattan, with dark paneled walls hung with portraits and theatrical posters and its ceiling festooned with rows of carefully preserved clay churchwarden pipes, the legacy of the famous Pipe Club, whose members included luminaries such as Teddy Roosevelt, J.P. Morgan, Stanford White and Gen. Douglas MacArthur. The menu is a carnivore’s delight, with steaks and chops of all varieties, favorites being the New York sirloin and the famous mutton chop, which is rich and flavorful. All of the expected sides are available and good, especially the creamed spinach. The wine list, with more than 150 bottles, is well-priced, and there is also a fine selection of single-malt whiskies, the perfect digestif.
New York was once home to numerous classic French restaurants, but tastes changed, and one by one, they faded and died — with one 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 does indeed abound with French classics, there is room for innovation in the seasonal daily specials. A timeless freshness distinguishes the perfectly executed signature dishes such as the fluffy pike quenelles; the 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.
An elegant dining room houses the city’s finest seafood restaurant — maybe the finest in the United States. With its polished teak accents, marine-blue walls and gorgeous paintings of fish and fishing, this civilized Midtown oasis run by delightful owner Maguy Le Coze is where business tycoons broker deals. They also come for chef Eric Ripert’s extraordinary food. The innovative menu is divided into three categories: “Almost Raw,” Barely Touched” and “Lightly Cooked.” Among the highlights are yuzu-cured wild Alaskan salmon, endive and shaved red beet with a coriander-infused verjus; seared langoustine with mache, wild mushroom salad and a white balsamic vinaigrette; and poached halibut with braised artichoke, water chestnuts and bacon in a Persian lime-scented truffle broth.
Handsomely set on Gramercy Park 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 (Italian charcuterie) 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 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 namesake suckling pig if it is available. Breakfast and lunch are 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.
This dependably excellent restaurant has undergone significant changes in the past year, but it remains at the forefront. New chef Sam Hazen has created a menu of contemporary American dishes that pair beautifully with the extraordinary wine cellar’s trove of more than 75,000 bottles. Many came directly from the wineries, and you will likely not encounter them anywhere else, so just perusing the list is a pleasure. The menu changes regularly, but look for starters such as crab salad with lemon jam, black olives and arugula, or lobster with bone marrow. Main courses might be striped bass with an eggplant confit, sweet peppers and sauce vierge, or a pan-roasted veal chop with short-rib ravioli and watercress.
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