Monument Lane

Pre-colonial charm gets a modern-day shout-out at this Village newcomer, whose name refers to an old section of its street that once featured a statue of General James Wolfe, a British officer who fought in the Seven Years' War. The digs themselves are a time warp, down to the rustic chairs, vintage maps and reclaimed wood. "It's a romanticized ideal of Colonial America," explains co-owner Josh Frum (Blue Water Grill), who—along with exec chef and Picholine vet Brian Murphy—dove head-first into researching the era's look and flavors. The team buckled down at the Jefferson Market Library, where they came across a 1767 map citing the name "Monument Lane," and tore into a century-old book about life in the 1780s that cited key ingredients and influences from the era. At Monument Lane, you'll see Britain's influence in the housemade head-cheese terrine that rounds out the charcuterie selection, and the Dutch's influence in the whole-wheat pretzels on the snacks menu. Cornmeal samp (a kind of dried corn kernel) accompanies a plate of sherry-glazed squab, and there's a raw bar here offering local oysters and a chilled half lobster because, Frum says, "the waters were really rich with oysters and lobsters back then." Finally, a history lesson that's literally easy to digest!

See more: West Village restaurants, American colonial restaurants