New York City (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [197]
Arturo’s.
$$ | PIZZA | Few guidebooks list this classic New York pizzeria, but the jam-packed room and pleasantly smoky scent foreshadow a satisfying meal. There’s a full menu of Italian classics, but don’t be fooled: pizza is the main event. The thin-crust beauties are cooked in a coal oven, emerging sizzling with simple toppings like pepperoni, sausage, and eggplant. Monday to Thursday you can call ahead to reserve a table; weekends, be prepared to wait and salivate. | 106 W. Houston St., near Thompson St., Greenwich Village | 10012-2529 | 212/677–3820 | AE, DC, MC, V | No lunch | Subway: 1 to Houston St.; B, D, F, M to Broadway–Lafayette St.
Babbo.
$$$ | ITALIAN | After one bite of the ethereal homemade pasta or tender barbecued squab with roast beet farrotto, you’ll understand why it’s so hard to get reservations at Mario Batali’s casually elegant restaurant. The complex and satisfying menu hits numerous high points, such as “mint love letters,” ravioli filled with pureed peas, ricotta, and fresh mint, finished with spicy lamb sausage ragout; and rabbit with Brussels sprouts, house-made pancetta, and carrot vinaigrette. Babbo is the perfect spot for a raucous celebratory dinner with flowing wine and festive banter. But be forewarned: if anyone in your party is hard of hearing, or bothered by loud rock music, choose someplace more sedate. | 110 Waverly Pl., between MacDougal St. and 6th Ave., Greenwich Village | 10011-9102 | 212/777–0303 | www.babbonyc.com | Reservations essential | AE, MC, V | No lunch | Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, M to W. 4th St.
Blue Hill.
$$$ | NEW AMERICAN | This tasteful, sophisticated chocolate-brown den of a restaurant—formerly a speakeasy—on a quiet, quaint side street maintains an impeccable reputation for excellence and consistency under the leadership of Dan Barber. The Obamas even stopped by here for dinner, shutting down the street for one of their “date nights.” Part of the “slow food,” sustainable agriculture movement, Blue Hill mostly uses ingredients grown or raised within 200 mi, including the Four Season Farm at Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, Barber’s second culinary project in nearby Westchester County. The chefs produce precisely cooked and elegantly constructed food such as wild striped bass with potato-and-clam chowder and house-cured guanciale (pork jowl) and a smoked-tomato soup with tiny knobs of American caviar at the bottom. | 75 Washington Pl., between Washington Sq. W and 6th Ave., Greenwich Village | 10011-9174 | 212/539–1776 | www.bluehillfarm.com | Reservations essential | AE, D, DC, MC, V | No lunch | Subway: A, B, C, D, E, F, M to W. 4th St.
Blue Ribbon Bakery.
$$ | BISTRO | When the owners renovated this space, they uncovered a 160-year-old wood-burning oven. They relined it with volcanic brick and let it dictate the destiny of their restaurant. The bakery/restaurant has an eclectic menu featuring substantial sandwiches on homemade bread (from the oven, of course), small plates, a legendary bread pudding, and entrées that span the globe, from hummus to grilled catfish with sautéed collards and sweet potatoes. The basement dining room is dark and intimate; upstairs is a Parisian-style café. | 35 Downing St., at Bedford St., Greenwich Village | 10014-4319 | 212/337–0404 | www.blueribbonrestaurants.com | AE, D, DC, MC, V | Subway: 1 to Houston St.; A, B, C, D, E, F, M to W. 4th St.
Centro Vinoteca.
$$$ | ITALIAN | Though Top Chef contestant and Eleven Madison Park alum Leah Cohen has left the kitchen, this bi-level Italian spot decked out in gleaming white tiles