Augustine

Augustine is even more beautiful than Keith McNally forebears like Cherche Midi, Minetta Tavern and Balthazar. The 90-seat space in the Financial District’s Beekman Hotel has an art deco look, with hand-painted tile walls, vintage mirrors and golden lighting. Highlights of the French menu turned out by co-executive chefs Shane McBride and Daniel Parilla include a dreamy cheese soufflé, perfect steak frites and salt-baked oysters with Pernod butter and smoked trout roe. The whisky burger—blanketed with Comté cheese, onions braised in Scotch and paired with a shot of whisky—is another standout.