VIBE

Cool food meets hip furnishings, and we’re not talking just another IKEA hot dog stand. This organic-to-the-hilt resto by celeb chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten is housed in chichi homeware emporium ABC Carpet & Home and features noshes and design so conscientiously sourced that by the end of your meal, you’ll feel like you’ve just spent an hour volunteering for Greenpeace. The environmentally sustainable eats are (obviously) free of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and insecticides, and they also happen to be scrumptious–exec chef Dan Kluger whips up exciting (and award-winning!) globally-inspired concoctions with the treats he totes home from the market. The rustic-chic whitewashed surrounds are equally do-goody, filled with salvaged, recycled, and locally sourced pieces (like the handmade dinnerware by artisan Jan Burtz) and even scrubbed down with environmentally friendly cleaning products.

CROWD

A well-heeled mix of eco-gourmets and shoppers from ABC Carpet & Home. (This is also a popular spot with foodie celebs à la Gwyneth Paltrow and Martha Stewart.)

WHAT WE WOULD WEAR

The look is “sustainable casual.” This would be a great place to break out an organic cotton t-shirt, vintage jeans, and some accessories by a local craftsman. No need to go too dressy (the servers sport eco-friendly sneakers and t-shirts), but you may want to be sure you’ve got an eco-aware element to your outfit, or you may get snubbed by the locavore in-crowd who rules this roost.

GO HERE WITH

Serious foodies or green eaters; a date; friends - for sharing the delectable small plates

WHY WE LIKE IT

The food, especially the daily “Market Table” specials, is seriously delish. We like to come with a few friends for a long lunch of sampling small plates. (And maybe polishing off a salted caramel sundae for dessert too…)

WHAT WE WOULD CHANGE

It’s just a tad too goody two-shoes. Not that we’re not into saving the planet, it’s just that we get it already! No need to be so preachy on the green…

GOOD TO KNOW

ABC Kitchen was awarded Best New Restaurant of 2011 by the James Beard Foundation. Many of the items in the restaurant (dishes, furniture, artwork, etc.) are also available for sale in ABC Carpet & Home. While ordinary mortals may not be able to visit, the rooftop herb garden sources the restaurant’s flavorings.

CLOSEST COMPS

Maialino (New York); Locanda Verde (New York)

Click here for our full-form mobile travel guide, The Purple Passport to New York City.