Sturgeon & sauerkraut tart

Salvation Burger

Estrella pasta

 Nix dips

An interior view

Near Bryant Park, chef Gabriel Kreuther (formerly of Danny Meyer’s The Modern at the Museum of Modern Art) focuses on nouvelle cuisine at this lush, luxe restaurant with contemporary tastes and old-world charm.

Website: gknyc.com
Number of seats: 95 in the dining room, 55 at the bar and 100 in the private event space
Average per-person check: $170
Popular dishes: Sturgeon & sauerkraut tart with American caviar mousseline and applewood smoke; squab & foie gras croustillant (for two) with seasonal vegetables and bay leaf jus; classic tarte flambée with smoked bacon, onion, crème fraîche and fromage blanc.
What people come for: Distinctive bar/lounge with à la carte snacks, chef’s table in kitchen
Address: 41 W. 42nd St.
Phone Number: 212-257-5826

Chef April Bloomfield (The Spotted Pig, The Breslin and others) pivoted to fast-casual burger terrain for this spirited upstart concept in the belly of a midtown hotel.

Website: salvationburger.com
Number of seats: 104
Average per-person check: $35
Popular dishes: Classic burger: Two smashed 3.5-ounce patties, American cheese, pickles and special sauce on toasted housemade sesame bun; Salvation burger: 8-ounce patty topped with hen of the woods mushrooms and blue cheese butter; Toasted marshmallow milkshake: with homemade ice cream.
What people come for: Open kitchen with wood-fired grill
Address: 51, 230 E. 51st St.
Phone Number: 646-277-2900

Classic Burger

New Yorkers flock to the new ventures of already successful operators

Chef Justin Smillie, with the help of Philadelphia-based restaurateur Stephen Starr, pays tribute to his hometown California heritage (Upland is the town of his upbringing) with simple, seasonally minded American cuisine with an upscale but laidback touch.

Website: uplandnyc.com
Number of seats: 98, plus 48 in the bar room and 20 outdoors
Average per-person check: $50
Popular dishes: Asparagus with black trumpet mushroom, taleggio and pecorino romano; estrella pasta with chicken liver, sherry, rosemary and sage; roasted short rib for two with Castelvetrano olives, walnuts, celery and horseradish.
What people come for: Open kitchen, popular brunch
Address: 345 Park Ave. South
Phone Number: 212-686-1006

An interior view