David Burke Kitchen

Celebrity chef David Burke's résumé includes ventures both serious (Townhouse, Fishtail) and head-scratching (anyone remember Hawaiian Tropic Zone?). Here's hoping his latest—this farm-to-table venture in Soho—falls into the former category. The 95-seat dining room channels the refined-rustic zeitgeist with denim banquettes, a wooden ceiling and woven leather chairs. Local, seasonal fare is the focus, but Burke's signature playfulness is visible in dishes like Ants on a Log (bone marrow with snails and fennel butter) and the Sunday special Shanks a Lot (three shanks of different meats). Upstairs at the glass-enclosed Treehouse Bar, guests can order cocktails, such as the Pomegranate Frost (cachaça, pomegranate, rose water, champagne) and the Rabbit Hunter (bourbon, ginger beer, mint, lime), and snack on flatbreads with savory spreads served from preserving jars.