Manhatta
28 Liberty St.
(bet. Nassau and William)
212-230-5788
manhattarestaurant.com
American (New)
More fancy than casual

Fosun International’s ongoing reinvention of One Chase Manhattan Plaza into 28 Liberty includes, on the 60th floor, a huge event space (Bay Room) and a restaurant (Manhatta), both run by Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. Manhatta is on the north side of 28 Liberty, so the views are of the north and east—with Midtown in the distance, and at least four bridges. The decor takes a back seat to the view, as it should. While handsome, the room is a tad generic; if curtains were pulled, you could be anywhere. Lucky for us, the curtains are hypothetical, and there’s just something wonderful about dining so high up—not only the spectacular view, but the sheer novelty of the experience. (It might remind you of being in Tokyo.) Manhatta offers a set menu—three courses for $78, gratuity included—and the choices are relatively few: 17 items total, not including a few snacks. (Note: The à la carte bar menu mostly overlaps the dining room menu, with a few additions, such as the inevitable burger.) This is not the most interesting cooking in the city, but it’s well executed, and sometimes you just want to eat deliciously without being challenged. That it’s a cut above everything else in FiDi goes without saying.

 

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