A longtime favorite among night-crawlers is the chic, art deco Odeon (145 W. Broadway, at Thomas St., 212/233-0507, $19), serving consistently good food in a lively, downtown setting.
The Harrison (355 Greenwich St., 212/274-9310, $26) a warm, New American cuisine eatery, has a succinct and spot-on seasonal menu.
Thalassa (179 Franklin St., 212/941-7661, $30) is an upscale Greek restaurant that will take you far beyond taramasalata. The menu demonstrates the simple beauty of fish, charged by the pound.
Reserve months in advance to get a seat at Nobu (105 Hudson St., at Franklin St., 212/219-0500, $90), arguably the most famous Japanese restaurant (with Peruvian touches) in America. Partly owned by Robert DeNiro, and a favorite among celebrities, the sleek eatery offers lots of innovative fare created by acclaimed chef Nobu Matsuhisa.
Once an artists’ hangout, Puffy’s Tavern (81 Hudson St., at Harrison St., 212/766-9159) now attracts everyone from bankers and bikers to police and firefighters.
Walker’s (16 N. Moore St., at Varick St., 212/941-0142) is an 1890s saloon that serves tasty pub grub and Guinness on tap.
The Church Lounge in the trendy TriBeCa Grand Hotel (2 6th Ave., between Church and White Sts., 212/519-6677) is an enormous bar-lobby that is always filled with downtown revelers.