VIBE

The informal sister of celeb chef Tom Colicchio’s career-making resto Craft, Craftbar is a comfortably low-key Flatiron spot serving up lots of sharable plates (meat and cheese patters), a menu of rustic mains (pastas, meatballs, pork loin), and decent selection of highbrow wine and beer picks. Crisp clean lines seem intended to give a hip feel, but the warm, earthy colors, swathes of dark, glossy hardwood, and friendly servers actually create a comfortable vibe.

CROWD

It’s generally a young, trendy crowd of 30-/40-something professionals looking to unwind, mixed in with foodies out for a more reasonable take on Craft.

WHAT WE WOULD WEAR

It’s upscale casual. Lots of Midtown office types pop by after work, so you’d fit in wearing a suit, but we’d opt for dressy jeans, a chic blouse, and flats.

GO HERE WITH

Colleagues - for a post-work bite; friends - for long chat over lunch; a date

WHY WE LIKE IT

It works for everything from a quick meal on the fly to a hearty dinner with friends. We like to come for brunch–the portions are perfect, the vibe is laidback but with it, and it’s reasonably priced to boot!

WHAT WE WOULD CHANGE

We find that while the food is tasty, it lacks the wow-factor of parent Craft

GOOD TO KNOW

Most choose to eat family style here. Chef Tom Colicchio is a judge on Top Chef.

OTHER LOCATIONS

Craft (New York, Los Angeles)

CLOSEST COMPS

ABC Kitchen (New York)

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