Three Letters

The 19th-century mansions of historic Clinton Hill are as enchanting as anything you'd see in Charleston or New Orleans and worth a trip here alone. Literary and pop culture fans can bask in knowing that residents have included Walt Whitman, Mos Def, The Notorious B.I.G. and Rosie Perez. Gentrification is at full throttle and Three Letters, which opened in early 2013, caters to the newbies while also embracing neighbors who have long been waiting for a stylish bistro within walking distance. Owners Cam Honsa, Asa Johnson and chef/partner Pip Freeman are young DIY guys who helped restore the tin ceiling and installed comfy burgundy banquettes on black-and-white-tiled floors. The French country menu is playful, offering moules poutine (a pile of mussels and fries with mushroom white wine gravy) and chicken St. James with "40 clove" sauce. To drink are craft cocktails, local beer, wine on tap and reasonably priced bottles from all over the globe.