"This Little Italy spot from Au Pied de Cochon alums Emily Homsy and David Gauthier resists easy categorization. Housed in a former dive bar (and proudly bearing its name), it offers up some great drinks and an impressive wine list, but is first and foremost a restaurant — and an exceedingly good one at that. The menu is seasonal, with nods to Egyptian flavors with crisp falafel, razor clams filled with tabbouleh, and olive- and pistachio-topped labneh alongside gorgeous flatbread, but dishes also hint at a host of other intermingling inspirations. Seafood and fish lovers are well-served here (especially this time of year), perhaps with some unbelievably soft, subtly sweet scallops or rainbow trout atop a pool of beurre blanc , and though you may be tempted to fill up on heftier options like boudin or sweetbreads, be sure to hold space — or be able to summon the will power — for dessert, which is usually a knockout. Know before you go: Bar St-Denis’s menu is in flux with the seasons, so don’t get too attached to any particular dishes." - Valerie Silva