Fine dining with Southern grandma fare, inventive canapés, cocktails

"Characterized by readers as a West End spot serving inventive canapés and cocktails — part of the year’s crop of distinctive small-plates-and-libation concepts that drew people to different corners of the city." - Nadia Chaudhury

"The new restaurant from chef Celtin Hendrickson-Jones, serving Southern grandma fare elevated to fine dining, is offering two New Year’s Eve options: an earlier five-course dinner starting at 5 p.m. for $155 per person that wraps by 10 p.m., and a more luxurious eight-course option for $195 that includes oysters and caviar- and truffle-laden dishes. There is an optional package that includes access to the Jay Hotel’s NYE party at sister restaurant the Third Floor for $245; reservations are available via OpenTable." - Dianne de Guzman

"With chef Mathew Peters’s deep fine-dining background—including work under Thomas Keller at Per Se and the French Laundry and participation on the U.S. Bocuse d’Or team—I expect his new downtown high-end cocktail lounge Prélude to be a strong star candidate." - Nadia Chaudhury
Chandler L.