NEIGHBORHOOD GUIDE

Eric and Bruce Bromberg’s popular American bistro and raw bar is open from 4pm to 4am, but it’s the thing to go after 11pm. The unofficial after-hours hangout for chefs, waiters, bartenders and other restaurant industry insiders in search of first-rate fare, Blue Ribbon delivers exactly what its name implies. With an unorthodox hodgepodge of a menu, the Brombergs have thrown together any meal they’re passionate about: matzoh ball soup, paella, and sweet and sour catfish. Come back time and again for the revered raw bar. A staggering list of 250 wines accompanies other such delights as paella, country pate, and a pupu platter. Always cacophonous, always packed, and always exceptional, the Blue Ribbon is a must for insomniacs, elitists and early birds alike.

Photo credit: Robyn Lee