"We love a celtuce tostada as much as the next person. But if we had to pick a highlight from Eleven Madison Park, it might be the tableside Manhattan cart. The plant-based fine-dining spot excels at cocktails, and you can try one without committing to a blowout dinner. Clemente Bar, an elegant wood-paneled cube hidden above sister restaurant EMP, is a very pleasant place to sit on a low banquette, soak in a few contemporary murals, and drink something so complex it should come with footnotes. A piña colada/Negroni hybrid arrives topped with a frozen disc of Campari and sweet vermouth, and a whiskey cocktail with pandan and tahini has pronounced notes of Girl Scout Cookie. photo credit: Evan Sung Bring a date or a client, skip the $225 tasting, and choose an a la carte snack or two, like the carrot tartare or tofu dog under a blanket of shaved truffle. The vegetarian food is just as compelling as what's served downstairs, but it doesn’t have to meet the impossible expectations of a $1,000 check." - Bryan Kim
