Some things in life are worth dressing up for, and a visit to the illustrious River Café is certainly one of them. It enjoys, without question, one of the greatest settings of any restaurant, lying as it does in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge. In fact, the cityscape views are so spectacular, the ordering of a Manhattan as your pre-prandial cocktail seems the only obvious choice.

The entire place also oozes romance. A regiment of experienced, white-jacketed waitstaff keep the whole operation ticking along like the well-oiled machine it is—and they can probably spot an impending marriage proposal even before the potential groom has left his seat.

However, don’t come thinking that the food here will be playing second fiddle to the stellar views. In fact, it provides the perfect match for the setting. The ingredients are top-notch and the kitchen team has an inherent understanding of what goes with what—imagine succulent pork belly with scallops for example, or even glistening duck breast with sweet potato spätzle. It also knows that good cooking is not about showing how clever it is but about creating dishes that are at once balanced, easy to eat and eminently satisfying.