And finally, there’s the staff, who are uniformly handsome enough to be a little bit distracting. Then there’s the glass frontage, which has helped transform the block into a gayborhood catwalk. One key draw is the design: chic and lean, with Eames-esque furniture and a layout that lets you have cozy conversations despite the dining room’s generous size. Since opening in 2001, Elmo has been the de facto HQ for gays dining in Chelsea.
Put your name down and walk across the street to the couple’s newly opened Bar Pisellino for a negroni or two.
There are no reservations here, ragazzi, so be ready to wait a while. The rustic interiors (reclaimed wood floors, vintage chapel chairs, and errant antiques) reflect similar influences. Via Carota’s owners, Rita Sodi and Jody Williams, are standout chefs in their own right, lauded for their individual restaurants-I Sodi (traditional Tuscan fare) and Buvette (French-inspired "gastrotheque"), respectively-before coming together in life and in business to open this trattoria-style Italian spot.Īt Via Carota, the duo sources sustainable local ingredients to make Italian classics like grilled artichokes with aioli and Sicilian meatballs. In March, the good people at the James Beard Foundation gave this spot their “Best Chef: New York City” honors and you'll immediately understand why.