Dirt Candy

Amanda Cohen tapped into the fabulous-but-not-funky vegetarian trend years ago: her first Dirt Candy location opened in the East Village in 2008. Michelin stars and an ardent following among foodies led to a popular cookbook and, in 2015, a new location on the Lower East Side that's more than triple in size (60 seats as opposed to 18). You needn't be a vegetarian to fall in love with Cohen's signature creations, which include jalapeño hush puppies with maple butter, portobello mousse with sautéed Asian pears, cherries and truffle toast (a cheeky take on foie gras), and grilled and smoked broccoli dogs with mustard barbecue sauce.