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NIGHT+DAY Ins and Outs (IOs)

Whether you are keeping a dogeared Night+Day guide as your bible to exploring a city, or just relying on NightandDayGuides.com, you’re in the right place for the latest and greatest happenings. Herewith are hotels, restaurants, nightlife, and attractions that have been open long enough to be tested and earn our recommendation.

December’s Top 5 New Restaurants

CHICAGO • ELATE • American
Industrial meets flea-market chic at Hotel Felix’s grub hub, where concrete pillars rise up from rustic-looking tables made from reclaimed wood. The sophisticated, 30-something clientele appears equally content to sip organic cocktails at the zigzag-shaped bar as it is to settle in for the signature, three-course prix-fixe dinner (it promises fresh, seasonal ingredients plucked from the local Green City Market). Don’t miss the leek-slathered burger or the deconstructed take on plum and goat cheese tart. Daily 7am–2:30pm and 5–11pm.
$$ Hotel Felix, 111 W. Huron St. (Clark St.), 312-202-9900
elatechicago.com

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MEXICO CITY • DIANA RESTAURANT • Mediterranean
As can be expected with the opening of the very exclusive St. Regis on Paseo de la Reforma, fine gastronomy follows suit. The hotel’s Diana restaurant is all things luxurious. Here you can expect the finest tableware and elegant leather seating, all completed with a lovely terrace overlooking one of the city’s most iconic monuments—the Diana. Then comes the menu. Executive chef Jean-François Pelaez serves up sophisticated Mediterranean-inspired creations, each with a local flair and, of course, the freshest ingredients. Attractive mains include corn mushroom tournedos wrapped in serrano ham and duck meatballs served with onion marmalade. Begin with the St. Regis’ emblematic Bloody Mary made with Oaxacan mezcal and spiced with chile pasillo.
Daily 6:30–11:30am, 1–5pm, and 7–11pm.
$$$$ 1 St. Regis Mexico City, Paseo de la Reforma 439 (Monte Altai), 55.5228.1702
stregis.com/mexicocity

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NEW ORLEANS • GREEN GODDESS • International
Many restaurants claim to take a global approach, but their food never strays beyond well-worn paths. The Green Goddess, however, explores the world’s cuisine with the attitude of a backpacker out to find the most exotic locales. Led by Chris DeBarr, who made a name for himself at the Delachaise, the kitchen turns out unexpected pairings like crepes filled with Mexican corn fungus, shrimp wearing a “grass skirt” of phyllo dough, or suckling pig seasoned with black lava salt and wrapped in banana leaves. There are McMansions with closets bigger than this tiny dining room on the French Quarter’s secluded Exchange Alley, which means that most nights almost all the seats are claimed by a small contingent of loyal, thrill-seeking gourmets. Mon–Wed 11am–4pm, Thu–Sun 11am–4pm and 5pm–midnight.
$ 307 Exchange Pl., (Bienville St.), 504-301-3347
greengoddessnola.com

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SAN FRANCISCO • STARBELLY • Californian
The owners of the instant success story Beretta are behind this new Castro hang, at the center of which is a communal table fashioned from an old bowling lane. The food is Calfornia comfort, and the drinks are loud with flavor (for instance, the Diablito, a twist on the Michelada, with beer, habanero, and lime). Chef Adam Timney, who lists Bacar and Eos on his resume, cooks up chicken liver pâté, braised lamb cheeks, and Romano beans with Pecorino, all, of course, made from the most local, sustainable ingredients possible. Mon–Thu 11:30am–11pm, Fri 11:30am–midnight, Sat 10:30am–midnight, Sun 10:30am–11pm.
$$ 3583 16th St. (Pond St.), 415-252-7500
starbellysf.com

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SYDNEY • BAROQUE BISTRO PATISSERIE • French Bistro
Located in the heart of Sydney’s historical Rocks Precinct, the Baroque Bistro Patisserie is yet another offering from the Charkos family—the creators of the popular La Renaissance Café Patisserie (also in The Rocks). The bistro is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and its menu features both modern and traditional French dishes (filet mignon, croque monsieur), as well as a range of sweet treats from its onsite patisserie. The sleek décor and breezy indoor-outdoor dining areas bring a certain je ne sais quoi to the raw heritage of the dazzling harborside setting. Definitely the spot for anyone with stylish aspirations.
Daily 8am–midnight. $$$ 2 88 George St. (Mill St.), 02.9241.4811
baroquebistro.com.au