Lowlife

Hugh Crickmore, formerly a partner at Mas (Farmhouse), and Alex Leonard—an ambitious chef who rose through the ranks at Blanca, in Bushwick—teamed up to found Lowlife at the end of 2015. Named for Luc Sante's cultish chronicle of New York City's underbelly and a 1985 album from English rock band New Order, Lowlife is more plush than punk. Knotty pine walls and stacked birch limbs furnish a woodsy feel. The seasonal, avant-garde menu includes items like fluke with hackleback caviar, chicken yakitori with smoked cabbage and lamb tartare with mint and shrimp salt. The voluminous wine list concentrates on natural wines from small producers.