The Ellington

An homage to Duke, this UWS eatery is a big band of country-chic digs, American gastropub fare and cocktails with a jazzy twist. Owners Glenda Sansone and Andrew Breslin (Slane) give the 60-seat den a rustic feel with whitewashed barnwood walls, oxidized tin ceilings and large antique mirrors. Honey-stained plank tables are set with Cumberland sausage (a coil of peppery pork) and mash, dressed with onion gravy and braised red cabbage, and butternut squash risotto finished with pickled pears, arugula and queso fresco, dished out by former Dovetail toque Lester Almanzar. New York Distilling Company founder Allen Katz supervises the cocktail program at the sage-penny-tiled bar, turning out tipples named after Ellington-penned jazz standards: A Sophisticated Lady shakes Perry's Tot gin with cinnamon syrup, simple syrup and fresh lime juice, while A Prelude to a Kiss mixes Absolut Citron, cherry liqueur and Cinzano dry vermouth.