Contrary to what the name may suggest, Hotel Griffou is not an overnight dwelling, but a secluded speak-easy style restaurant tucked away in Manhattan's West Village. Acclaimed restaurateurs Larry Poston (of Pastis and The Waverly Inn) and Jonny Swet (of Balthazar and Freemans) are the team to thank for this 19th-century Boarding house turned 21st-century nightspot. These connoisseurs-of-the-scene have drawn a chic clientele of celebrities and couples to the latest downtown hangout.

Intimate meals and rave-worthy signature drinks are served in distinctly designed dining rooms: the elegant yet cozy Salon is warmed by a glowing fireplace; the eclectic Studio Room presents beer hall style tables; the quiet Library is outfitted with a typewriter and shelves filled with law books; the Palm Terrace is a calming mix of lush greenery and a bonus wine vault delivers an even more exclusive experience with private dining for up to 14. At Hotel Griffou guests feel as though they’re rubbing elbows with the illustrious writers who occupied the house centuries before, including Mark Twain, Edgar Allen Poe and Edna St. Vincent Millay.  

The Menu: Boasting imaginative cocktails and innovative French cuisine, the menu is divided into options labeled Seasonal and The Classics. Try the grilled trout with tomatoes and braised fennel, the fettuccine with seasonal vegetables, the plat au boeuf with steak, braised short ribs and roasted marrowbone, or a classic burger and fries. Evocative of the days of Prohibition, the drinks in this hideaway are especially noteworthy, from the fresh mint julep and the Tarbell with grapes, vodka and elderflower liqueur, to the navy grog with pineapple juice and rum.

The Must-Have: For a true taste of an earlier era, savor the fried pork cutlets covered in a dark mushroom sauce with peas. The recipe is said to be Marie Griffou’s, the French-born operator of the former inn, and dates all the way back to 1892.