Celebrity Chef Tom Colicchio’s famous NYC-restaurant Craft emphasizes individual, delicious ingredients above all else—fitting for Manhattan’s current Greenmarket-obsessed culinary scene. This much imitated Flatiron-area eatery—enhanced with soaring ceilings, leather-covered walls, and filament bulb light fixtures—offers diners an opportunity to create their own meals in a luxurious setting, by sampling decadent, pared-down dishes that focus primarily on one standout ingredient, like roasted foie gras, hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, or pan roasted day scallops—these among the eatery’s must-try dishes. This approach to dining will appeal to customers looking to explore the essence of a gourmet meal, selecting a meat, starch, and a vegetable of their choosing, for example—not to those who prefer to have the choosing done for them. And while Craft’s deconstructed approach to building a menu—and to dining— may seem simple, keep in mind Chef Colicchio’s saying, “simple does not mean simplistic”. —-Alexis Korman

In Brief

Craft
43 East 19th St., NYC
(212) 780-0880

Fun Fact: Tom Colicchio is the primary judge of Bravo’s celebrated series, Top Chef

Credentials: Craft won the coveted James Beard Award for “Best New Restaurant 2002”

Must try: Chocolate waffles with roasted banana

Executive Chef: Damon Wise

Chef de Cuisine: James Tracey

Photo By: Bill Bettencourt