Picnic by the Black Parrot

Chef-owner Meir Levy named this Upper West Side kosher bistro after a tulip that caught his eye at the New York Botanical Garden, painting versions of the flower on the walls. The kitchen serves refined American comfort food: a chicken-Marsala pot pie, a burger, and cauliflower with cashew cream among the regulars. There's a full bar program too, run by a beverage director with Michelin-restaurant experience. It's walk-ins only, seated first come, first served, with no reservations taken.