1. The Spotted Pig
314 W. 11th St., at Greenwich St.; 212-620-0393
It’s elbow-throwing-room-only at dinnertime, but (comparatively) mellow during the day.
2. Fatty Crab
643 Hudson St., nr. Horatio St.; 212-352-3590
Spend more than you can afford at Jeffrey, then calm your nerves with some deep-fried hunks of “fatty duck” or the man-versus-beast slopfest known as the Chili Crab.
3. August
359 Bleecker St., nr. W. 10th St.; 212-929-4774
Delicious regional European fare like Spanish salt-cod fritters, Alsatian tarte flambée, and a not-so-Euro burger.
4. Barbuto
775 Washington St., at W. 12th St.; 212-924-9700
Tuck into a rustic pizza or some spaghetti carbonara, then waddle back to the meatpacking district for more shopping.
5. Cafe Cluny
284 W. 12th St., at W. 4th st.; 212-255-6900
Like her casually stylish Odeon and Café Luxembourg, Lynn Wagenknecht’s new hot spot, situated on one of the West Village’s most charming blocks, specializes in a distinctly New York brand of French-American fare.