Beatrice Inn

When facing this 1840 West Village town house, take the staircase on the right down to Beatrice Inn's hidden doorway. A host will escort you past a roaring fireplace to a dark, clubby dining room with leather banquettes where you may need a votive candle or flashlight to see the menu. Up a short flight of stairs is a lighter, mirror-lined dining room. The handsome bar in between is a great place to stop for a cocktail. Vanity Fair's Graydon Carter and his cohorts from The Waverly Inn, Emil Varda and Brett Rasinski, have created a classic, elegant chophouse. There's grilled prime New York strip with potato rösti and for a splurge an American Wagyu rib eye for two, served with Bordelaise sauce and roasted bone marrow. Fish dishes are a strong suit, and there are always compelling vegetarian preparations, such as wild mushrooms with toasted farro, pearl onions and baby kale.