Philip Marie Restaurant: Best known for its private “tasting room,” an 18th-century farmhouse kitchen that became a speakeasy in the Prohibition ’20s, this folksy bistro also offers a cramped but cozy bar area where affable, buttoned-down bartenders create 18 signature martinis like “The Grey Lady” (hot apple pie martini, $10) to please a diverse crowd that mingles in the mahogany confines. A homey décor and friendly ambiance make Philip Marie an appropriate spot to impress parents or out-of-towners and a welcome relief from the area bars’ trendiness. Bar patrons tend to be waiting for a table, where hungry boozers can munch on critically lauded dishes like chicken pot pie. Best deal: Saturday’s $17.95 unlimited mimosa brunch, a welcome excuse for late-morning alcohol consumption that packs a nice buzz for afternoon shopping on nearby Bleecker Street. |
