King remains one of New York’s subtlest, and most satisfying, restaurants. Young London chefs Jess Shadboldt and Clare de Boer bring their River Café training to the plate with daily-changing Italian dishes like beef grilled over rosemary branches with favas, wild herbs, and horseradish cream; supple pasta with fresh peas and speck; a proper torta di noci; and a Nemesis-leaning chocolate cake. Co-owner Annie Shi’s wine list continues to deepen and delight. And the no-frills dining room, designed on a shoestring by de Boer’s mother, is just right. It’s especially lovely during Sunday lunch, when the sun slants in just so. —Christine Muhlke

Christine Muhlke, a former editor for The New York Times and Bon Appétit, is a co-author of Wine Simple, with Le Bernardin’s Aldo Sohm, and a co-author of Signature Dishes That Matter. She is also the founder of culinary consultancy Bureau X and creator of the Xtine newsletter