This sceney hotspot has no qualms about continuing the colonization of the Bowery. With décor and cuisine inspired by the British empire’s 19th century reach into the Far East (India, Singapore, and China), AvroKo, the slick design firm behind Public, has turned the old Mannahatta space into a sprawling gem. The main room has a decidedly brasserie vibe with large arched windows, exposed brick walls, vintage light fixtures, and leather banquettes. A long bar with an attached communal table is a bustling scene for people watching and sipping on gin cocktails and Pimm’s Cups. Public’s chef, Brad Farmerie, has been uprooted to oversee the kitchen, along with by Australian chef de cuisine Chris Rendell, serving exotic dishes like Goan vegetable curry and and tandoori marinated foie gras. Afterwards, head next door to an attached bar and lounge, Madame Geneva, serving British-, Indian-, and Asian-inspired cocktails. So there you have it—another regal destination and another nail in the coffin for the city’s former skid row—imperialism, indeed.