Chambers

Rating: 4/5

The Bill: $250 for two; $100 on food, $100 on wine, $50 tip.

Atmosphere: Upscale neighborhood restaurant 

Cuisine: New American 

Perhaps the most appealing part of Chambers is the ability to get a table, or seat at the full-service bar, with ease despite its recent surge in popularity. After the recent rebrand from Racines, David Lillie alongside sommelier Pascaline Lepeltier, General Manager Jared David and Executive Chef Johnathan Karis have hit a home run in an establishment in which 1/3 of the tables are left for walk-ins.

A place for cork dorks and wine nerds on their day off, the wine program alone at Chambers makes it worth a visit. While the cellar maintains a strong focus on French wines (because why wouldn’t you?) the list reads more like a world atlas than a menu. Our sommelier, who knew every detail of the elaborate list down to the moustache style of the Frenchman who produced the grape - handlebar, of course, gracefully navigated us around the globe before eventually landing in France with two tremendous bottles under $50, a forgotten concept in New York City!

Despite a strong emphasis on the wine program the food is by no stretch an afterthought. Late season tomatoes fresh from the farm stand stole the show over a fluffy bed of ricotta and pistachios that tasted more like a cream than a cheese in the best way possible. We split the snowdance chicken a plate sized portion, brined and crisped to perfection, along with a pork loin so juicy it seemed to redefine what pig can look and taste like when raised and cooked properly.

Chambers is exactly what you would want a neighborhood restaurant in Tribeca to resemble. Upscale enough to fit the demeanor of downtown Manhattan with delicate fishbowl wine glasses, well thought out lighting and a wait staff that gives a damn. But even with these haute attributes Chambers finds a way to stay comfy with community tables, laid back décor and a “come on in and have a glass of wine attitude.”