Blue Ribbon Brasserie

On our list of the best special-occasion restaurants in New York.

Since 1992, the Bromberg brothers' Blue Ribbon Brasserie has held its corner of Sullivan Street where the West Village meets SoHo, staying open until 4 a.m. seven nights a week. That hour draws chefs from other kitchens once their own shifts end, so the red velvet banquettes and mustard-colored walls fill with industry regulars as much as anyone off the street. The menu runs from a shellfish platter and beef bone marrow with oxtail marmalade to a simple burger and beer, largely unchanged since the room opened. It's a small dining room, dim enough that longtime regulars often eat in near silence rather than conversation.