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Annisa
13 Barrow St., 212-741-6699, West Village, Manhattan
Last July, a fire destroyed Anita Lo's refined West Village restaurant, which opened to critical applause in 2000. Its rebirth includes updated decor with earth-toned accents, a new bar menu and exotic flavors reflecting Lo's Asian roots and the extensive globe-trotting she did while the space was being rebuilt. Roasted rack of lamb is fragrant with South African spices, for instance, while butter-poached lobster with ramps tastes of a cuisine closer to home. Seared foie gras with soup dumplings is a popular holdover from the old menu. A large picture window frames the small bar, offering snacks of oysters, crisp pig's feet with mustard as well as unagi (freshwater eel) and scallion fritters. The lovely dining room remains a couple of steps up on a raised platform.

Iris Cafe
20 Columbia Place, 718-722-7395, Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn
The experience of a magical little café on an enchanting, tree-lined block is enough reason to head to this eatery for breakfast or lunch. Further incentive: visiting the Brooklyn Heights Historic District and taking in the view of the Manhattan landscape across the river. Strollers and tethered dogs are parked outside the general store–like setting, their owners inside picking up Stumptown coffee or a quick bite like a ham-and-cheddar biscuit sandwiching soft-boiled eggs. The carefully curated comfort-food menu is locally sourced and displayed on a series of blackboards. Lunch features sandwiches, a French dip with blue Brie, "proper" egg salad and meatloaf with melted cheddar.

The Palm Court at The Plaza Hotel
Fifth Avenue and Central Park South, 212-546-5300, Midtown West, Manhattan
Breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea are once again being served at The Plaza Hotel's storied Palm Court. The venue has been closed since January 2009, undergoing a $6.5 million renovation. The chandeliers continue to sparkle, and the re-creation of the magnificent stained-glass ceiling now features lighting that changes color. The menu here is still being finalized, but look for options like the Eloise Tea, which includes plated tiers of sandwiches (grilled cheese, cucumber on buttered bread, organic peanut butter and jelly), freshly baked scones, lemon tea cake and chocolate-dipped strawberries. The Chocolate Tea features chocolate fondue with pound cake and house-made marshmallows, scones with Nutella and double Devonshire cream, chocolate macaroons and truffles, as well as the option to have a glass of champagne or sherry.

The Tangled Vine Wine Bar & Kitchen
434 Amsterdam Ave., 646-863-3896, Upper West Side, Manhattan
This rustic, aboveground wine cellar is particularly food-friendly, offering a seasonal, Mediterranean menu devised by chef David Seigal, who's worked at Mercat, Bouley and Jean Georges. Evan Spingarn, co-author of The Ultimate Wine Lover's Guide, assembled the catalog of mostly organic, sustainable and biodynamic wines, with 30 offered by the glass. A flute of cava is a good match for house-made potato chips dusted with smoked paprika. Other items include Berkshire pork belly sliders, a cheese board, mixed charcuterie and crostini topped with chickpeas and morcilla sausage or shrimp marinated in lemony, herbal chermoula.

Terroir Tribeca
24 Harrison St., 212-625-9463, TriBeCa, Manhattan
Marco Canora and Paul Grieco, the team behind Hearth, Insieme and the East Village's Terroir, opened their new wine bar in time for the Tribeca Film Festival (wrapping on May 2). Crafted from repurposed materials, the brick-walled space has an open kitchen, a long bar and high tables of various sizes to accommodate wine-loving groups of friends. There's a Finger Lakes Riesling on tap and a voluminous wine booklet that includes cheeky treatises on Malcolm McLaren, Jane Jacobs and the pope, an argument for Beaujolais and a harangue against street fairs. The menu is composed of "little bar snacks" for $3 to $4 (smoky almonds, pickled veggies), "fried stuff" for $6 to $8 (sage leaves with lamb sausage, red wine–and–oxtail risotto balls), salads, sandwiches and bruschetta. For heartier appetites, "the big stuff" on the menu ($15–$19) includes pork blade steak and dry-aged Creekstone Farms beef.