The Brindle Room

Cozy and intimate, The Brindle Room has British gastropub leanings: Lancastrian potted shrimp, salt-roasted beets with Stilton cheese and an academic beer list. Chef-owner Jeremy Spector was formerly at the West Village cocktail haunt Employees Only, but here things are quieter—it's a subdued neighborhood place. He divides his menu into spreads (spicy stewed lentils), small plates (pork belly with warm spinach) and large plates (roast chicken on a bed of seasonal vegetables in a rich porcini jus), all of which are meant for sharing. And in case you're curious about the name, "brindle" is the word for the banded brown coat found on certain animals—and also the color scheme here.