Blue Hill

The first thing to know about the Manhattan outpost of Blue Hill, which opened in 2000, is that it is not merely the junior version of chef Dan Barber’s acclaimed farm-to-table destination, Blue Hill at Stone Barns (which is located on a bucolic farm just outside Tarrytown). Instead, Blue Hill New York is a charmingly comfortable Greenwich Village bistro that happens to offer truly pioneering food. The room is cozy but comfortable. Classic rock plays (at a reasonable level) near the bar. Fresh flowers punctuate the dark space. Meanwhile, the dining-room staff is surprisingly large, and notably attentive. Even still, this is Dan Barber’s restaurant, so arrive prepared to eat a full-on progression of hyperseasonal, varsity-level veggies. Barber, chef de cuisine Nick Hukezalie, and the entire kitchen staff tend to riff and improvise as they cook (“We don’t use recipes,” a manager recently boasted). In addition to those simple, gorgeous fruit and vegetable preparations — super-sweet slow-roasted beets that are specifically bred and grown for Barber, for example — there is thoughtfully sourced seafood and meat, and some of the best bread in the city (made with wheat that’s bred and grown for Barber). It’s all rounded out by a comprehensive list of cocktails, beers, and wine. If you are looking to pop the question or celebrate a big anniversary, head to Stone Barns for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If you are instead looking for a smart, grown-up meal in a pleasant, civilized restaurant, with a menu overseen by one of the country’s most prominent, celebrated chefs, Blue Hill is a brilliant option.