Botanica

The Knitting Factory may have long since moved on to more spacious digs, but its old stomping grounds are still packed with indie rockers, Soho’s remaining art crowd, and other varieties of downtown scenesters. Sink into a massive, threadbare couch in the mood-lit back lounge, gather ‘round a rickety formica table in the front room (where, chances are, a DJ will be spinning an appropriately eclectic mix), or pull up a stool and ogle the bartenders, who could easily double for the grunged-up sexpots in a Calvin Klein ad. It all makes for remarkably fun imbibing: certifiably hip yet entirely free of the attitude you’ll encounter further into Nolita.