The Savoy

There are a lot of nice things about the Savoy: the exemplary service, the chunky crab cakes, the silky peanut-butter pie. But all of that is secondary to the well-sourced oysters. As is his wont, chef Brian Greene twists the condiments for those oysters, adding wasabi to the mignonette, etc., but his twists are subtle, not showy, and they accentuate the bivalve’s notes of seawater. Greene has a steady hand with entrées as well (especially the delicious whole crispy fish), and the bar turns out remarkable absinthe-based cocktails. In fact, a dedicated lounge in back makes for an ideal spot to start a date, plus you can throw in a dozen oysters for good luck.