Silverleaf Tavern
Never mind the photos of brownstone stoops and the Brooklyn Bridge. This chic hotel lounge is strictly Park Avenue. In one room, high-backed mahogany banquettes with leather upholstery face off for intimate seating nooks framed by metallic, mustard-colored curtains while behind the leather-trimmed marble bar, 1950s movies screen. Master mixologist Dale DeGroff designed the original cocktail menu, which has now mostly been replaced with a selection of organic concoctions (like the Green Tea Blossom and Agave Nectar Margarita) made with fresh, largely locally grown ingredients. These pleasant twists extend to the tavern menu: buffalo lollipop wings are redesigned pub grub, specifically boneless seasoned chicken wrapped around a daintily stripped bone. With its few outdoor tables along a stretch of under-populated Park Avenue, you may think you’re back in Brooklyn after all. — Daniel Maurer