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Dark and moody, this diminutive lounge in the shadow of Washington Square Park offers drinks and snacks with a smart, post-graduate attitude. Run by a small and friendly staff, the cozy bar provides sweet and savory crepes and a decent selection of reasonably priced wines by the glass and bottle. Tea lights and dim sconces provide almost the only source of illumination for small groups and intertwined couples deep in conversation at the marble bar or in the vinyl booths. Given its proximity to NYU central the fear might be that Shade is a conventional college hangout, but it’s actually a far more sophisticated haunt, an adult respite in a ‘hood filled with head shops and falafel stands. On weekends, the small space can get crowded and loud, with the din of thesis-writing students talking over the straightforward rock and roll playing over the speakers. But on most evenings, Shade is an ideal spot for Village get-togethers, the kind of understated, comfortable place that can satiate hunger, thirst and the need for a low-key, private rendezvous. — Jane Lerner