Alma

A popular destination on Columbia Street’s restaurant row, three-story Alma serves fancy regional Mexican food in a giddy, casual atmosphere. Although the ground floor bar and midlevel dining room are great, diners clamor for a seat on the rooftop patio (open year-round!) for inspiring views of the Manhattan skyline and the glittering, accidental beauty of cargo-loaders below. The food ranges from old standards (fresh, cilantro-heavy salsa and creamy, addictive guac) to sophisticated dishes like huachinango a la naranja, a red snapper with orange sauce, which is as airy and light as the view.