East End Kitchen

A onetime L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon vet is manning the burners at this New American bistro on the Upper East Side, where the focus is on locally sourced ingredients that pimp out their purveyor bona fides (think meats from upstate butchers Fleisher's). There's a French bent to the grub, evident in a flounder ratatouille with couscous, and an reimagined bouillabaisse of haddock. The rest of the menu reveals a comfort spirit, including duck breast with dumplings, crab cakes and "Pork 'n' Peaches" with sweet corn. Rustic digs match the upscale-homey bites—handicraft chairs, tables made of reclaimed wood, antique-chic cabinetry.

See more: Yorkville restaurants, Upper East Side restaurants, American contemporary restaurants