Square Meal

More neighborhood standby than destination dining, this low-key spot has gained a reputation for a seasonal menu with classic inspirations. Just around the corner and down a few steps from owner Yura Mohr's upscale takeout shop Yura on Madison, Square Meal is a shabby-chic cafe that serves plates of wholesome food that any clean-your-plate mom would approve of. Expect standards like roasted chicken and crab cakes, accented with seasonal sides and decadent, comforting desserts (no square meal is complete without a sweet). The crowd is of the UES blue-blood variety, but a BYO policy keeps prices more manageable than some of its Carnegie Hill neighbors.

See more: Upper East Side restaurants, Carnegie Hill restaurants, American restaurants