Hospoda

Eastern European food hasn't gotten much attention lately—the last high-profile opening was swanky Russian enclave Mari Vanna, almost two years ago. So Hospoda's here to give a holla! The elegant newcomer, located in the Bohemian National Hall on the Upper East Side, serves up Czech food with a modern twist. The focus is on elegant, composed plates, and while you can still find a potato dumpling here, it's paired with duck breast. Prague-style ham, on the other hand, gets all prettied up with horseradish foam, while white cabbage is served with a delicate rabbit gelatin. And the booze pairing? Beer—the Czech are hardcore! Just to show you how serious the restaurant is about those suds, they've hired a man who won the title of 2010 International Master Bartender to oversee the beer program. He'll be pouring the vaunted Pilsner Urquell: a Bohemian beer that originated the pilsner brewing tradition. In true diva mode, she's delivered express from Bohemia and stored at exactly 44.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything higher or lower and you'll have to take it up with her agent. 

See more: Upper East Side restaurants, Czech restaurants, Eastern european restaurants