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Greenwich Hotel

[Flickr/ulterior epicure]

New York’s Greenwich Hotel garnered lavish critical praise in May 2009 for chef Andrew Carmellini’s new restaurant Locanda Verde, which replaced the lackluster and universally, uh, panned restaurant Ago. But the hotel’s neighborhood, TriBeCa, has four other dining options well worth a visit for a special night out.

Bouley: The flagship of chef David Bouley, who’s been cooking in TriBeCa since 1985, this French-inspired restaurant is best known for its $95 six-course degustation menu that New York Magazine critics declare “ethereal.”

Corton: Named for a region in Burgundy, the 24-page wine list at chef Paul Liebrandt’s restaurant is predictably heavy with Grand Crus. But the real attraction is Liebrandt’s wonderfully imaginative combinations of ingredients like cod and cocoa or rabbit and artichoke. The food, already the star, gets another spotlight from the understated décor.

Macao Trading Co.: From the team behind the wildly popular Employees Only in the West Village, Macao’s likely the only restaurant in New York dedicated to the cuisine of the former Portuguese colony and current Chinese Special Administrative Region. The cocktail list is almost as intriguing as the two-tiered menu that lets diners chose between Portuguese or Chinese dishes.

Smith and Mills: This tiny corner bar just across the street from The Greenwich Hotel has a short dinner menu that stands up to the perfectly crafted cocktails. Because they don’t take reservations, get there early—and make latecomers jealous by staying for another Negroni.