Olives New York (CLOSED)

Almost every seat in this posh Todd English nook in the downtown W Hotel is a prime position for people-watching: Giant, mostly uncovered windows nicely frame the stream of Greenmarket revelers and skatepunks alike—perfect for the longish wait between courses. A wonderful warm escargot-and–goat cheese flatbread will keep your stomach from grumbling before the arrival of a juicy, tender brick oven–roasted chicken in a foamy garlic glaze. The desserts can be fairly vanilla—both figuratively and, in the case of a soufflé with Tahitian vanilla ice cream, literally—but a delicious, supersweet butterscotch tiramisu will disappear quick if you don’t pay more attention to your dining partner’s fork than the crowd outside.