August

August restaurant in New York's Greenwich Village is a hole in the wall that's definitely worth visiting. We found this quaint little spot after searching New York Mag's Restaurant list using Critics' Pick and Bistros. The menu is a mix of European foods ranging from Mediterranean to Northern European and changes seasonally since they use local ingredients. There was a nice variety of meat and vegetarian dishes and thankfully most dishes, like the Lemon-Ricotta Gnocchi, can be made to order to accommodate for vegetarians, etc. This past weekend one of the specials was a vegetable spread that included a spring pea and fava bean salad, fava bean puree, ramps and three fried Morel mushrooms.
Besides the food, I loved the rustic feel of the restaurant. The front of the restaurant only has about ten table tops while the back of the restaurant is in a glass-covered courtyard with greenery all around. We sat in the back which I definitely recommend, especially during the hot summer months ahead. August is open for brunch, lunch and dinner and is located in the heart of Greenwich Village at Bleecker & Charles Streets (map).
Click HERE to learn about August's Executive Chef Terrence Gallivan.

Butter

Don't be fooled by the name of this NYC hot spot, Butter is not a greasy food joint, it's actually quite the opposite. Butter is an amazingly chic establishment founded by Scott Sartiano and Richie Akiva in 2002. Apparently there are three dining rooms within the restaurant, the Great Room, the Birch Room and the Gallery Lounge. The upper level is more formal while downstairs the dining experience is a bit more casual.

Upon entering the restaurant patrons are greeted by the large photographic mural of a Birch forest on the back wall that illuminates the entire Great Room. We ate downstairs in the Birch Room where the lights are dim and the walls are covered in silver birch accented wallpaper with a floor to ceiling backlit wine-rack on the back wall. The bar downstairs is across from a DJ station where live DJs spin fun hip-hop music (lots of Justin Timberlake and Rihanna).

I didn't seen any part of the third dining area, the Gallery Lounge but apparently it's a destination for meeting and socializing. With four to six loveseats carved from blocks of Western Red Cedar, the Gallery Lounge is an ideal place for pre-dinner cocktails.

The menu at Butter is amazing, using local and seasonal ingredients the dishes are French in style and technique but use American ingredients. I ordered the Roasted Local Beet, Parsnip and Radicco Salad with white balsamic and cara cara oranges. My sister ordered the special Mushroom Ravioli which she loevd. For dessert we quickly devoured the Roasted Gala Apple- bread pudding, oat streusel and creme fraiche ice cream.

A few days after we ate here Paris Hilton celebrated her birthday at Butter with friends.

Reserve a table in advance via Open Table.
Located at 415 Lafayette, near Astor Place

Da Silvano

Silvano Marchetto first introduced New Yorkers to true trattoria food in May of 1975, with the opening of Da Silvano. Thirty three years later it's still a Greenwhich Village hot spot. Even on a cold winter night Da Silvano was bustling with fashionable people, making it the perfect place the people watch. And it always helps that it's a celebrity favorite for stars like Lindsay Lohan, Lauren Conrad, and Rihanna.

Originally consisting of a mere four tables in the front room, the restaurant now occupies two rooms side by side, a wide popular sidewalk cafe facing Sixth Avenue, and a popular annex, Da Silvano Cantinetta, just next door.

Walking past the anti-pasta bar before being seated at our table I was able to check out their seasonal specials and check out what I would I be ordering- like the golden and red beet salad. Other vegetarian-friendly options on their menu include Bruschetta, Barbabietole E Indivia (beets and endive), Ravioli Bella Firenze (spinish and ricotta filled ravioli sautéed in butter and sage), and the Insalata Mista di Stagione.