Best bars and restaurants to take parents

Minetta Tavern

A Voce Columbus
Want views of Christopher and the park without paying Per Se prices? A Voce’s sleek new uptown outpost has a solid menu and service even the most demanding patriarch/matriarch won’t complain about. Brick-flattened chicken, infused with roasted garlic, lemon and dried Calabrian chilies and served with Tuscan kale, enormous white beans and potatoes, is a comfort-food triumph. The folks will marvel at your sophistication when you name-check the massive Frank Stella mixed-media piece that currently hangs near the host stand, from owner Marlon Abela’s collection. 10 Columbus Circle at Broadway, third floor (212-823-2523, avocerestaurant.com)

Beacon
Although it opened around the turn of this century, the Beacon has that “been there forever” feel—in a good way. The multilevel dining room is classy yet unfussy—clean lines, wood tones and Frank Lloyd Wright–style stained-glass lamps—and bustles with energy. In addition to all sorts of delicacies cooked in chef-owner Waldy Malouf’s formidable wood-fired oven (oysters, artichokes, meatballs), the menu offers meaty classics like filet mignon and more delicate dishes such as woodsy wild mushroom ravioli. 25 W 56th St between Fifth and Sixth Aves (212-332-0500, beaconnyc.com)

Daniel
If your parents’ idea of fine dining is white tablecloths, hushed tones and belle époque décor, Daniel will prove that it’s possible to embrace the 21st century without losing any of the big-night-out experience. After emerging from a vibrant redesign by Adam Tihany in fall 2008, the surroundings are as fresh as the seasonally changing menu, which might include such starters as wasabi-kissed hamachi tartare paired with hamachi sashimi marinated in a subtle tandoori rub. Entrees are unusually generous, such as one night’s market special: pan-seared Wagyu sirloin with wild mushrooms and a luscious hazelnut-potato croquette. 60 E 65th St between Madison and Park Aves (212-288-0033, danielnyc.com)

Katz’s Delicatessen
Whether they’re from Peoria or Portland, you’ll want to take them to a quintessential New York deli, and this Lower East Side survivor is the real deal. They might get a kick out of the famous faces plastered to the paneled walls, or the spot where Meg Ryan faked it, but the real stars of this cavernous cafeteria are the thick-cut pastrami sandwiches and the crisp-skinned all-beef hotdogs. 205 E Houston St at Ludlow St (212-254-2246, katzdeli.com)

Minetta Tavern
You may have to book the early-bird sitting at Keith McNally’s smoking-hot reinvention of this early-20th-century literati hangout, but your parents probably won’t mind. The price of the prime-beef Black Label Burger ($26) may make them wince, but as tender and fatty as foie gras, it’s worth every penny. Still skeptical? Order the Minetta Burger for a mere $16. 113 MacDougal St between Bleecker and W 3rd Sts (212-475-3850, minettatavernny.com)

Pegu Club
If they like the Carlyle’s classy mural-walled boîte, introduce them to former Bemelmans Bar mixologist Audrey Saunder’s classy downtown venture. It has just the right element of secrecy without any awkward faux-speakeasy trickery. Tucked away on the second floor, the sophisticated spot was inspired by a British officer’s club in Burma and the cocktail list features classics culled from decades-old booze bibles. Gin is the key ingredient—and these are serious drinks for grownup tastes. 77 W Houston St at West Broadway (212-473-7348, peguclub.com)

Peter Luger
Keep it simple: At Luger’s old-school steakhouse, the choice is limited, but the porterhouse is justly famed. And where else can you order “steak for three”? Although a slew of Luger copycats have prospered in the last several years, none has captured the elusive charm of this stucco walled, beer-hall style eatery, with well-worn wooden floors and tables, and waiters in waist coats and bow ties. 178 Broadway at Driggs Ave, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (718-387-7400, peterluger.com)

Super Taste Restaurant
Confirm your status as a real New Yorker by flaunting your Chinatown expertise. In a sea of cheap noodle bars, Super Taste stands out. Watch the cook hand pull your Lanzhou-style la mian, the Chinese relative of Japanese ramen, which is served in a soup with a choice of toppings that vary from beef tendon to eel—at about a five-spot for a bowl. 26 Eldridge St at Canal St (212-625-1198)

Terroir
Need a spot that can stand up to the scrutiny of lifelong wine snobs? The surroundings are stripped-back basic at Hearth’s wine-bar offspring—the focus is squarely on the drinks. Co-owner and oeno-evangelist Paul Grieco preaches the powers of terroir—grapes that express a sense of place—and the superknowledgeable waitstaff aptly helps patrons navigate approximately 50 by-the-glass options. Pair the stellar sips with restaurant-caliber small plates. Hallelujah! 413 E 12th St between First Ave and Ave A (wineisterroir.com)

Union Square Café
Danny Meyer may now have over ten—and counting—eateries under his belt, but his groundbreaking ’80s bistro is still a hit more than two decades since it opened. Longstanding signature dishes still on the menu as rotating weekly specials, such as the iconic lobster shepherd’s pie, may inspire nostalgia and you’ll all enjoy sampling new destined-to-be-classics by chef Carmen Quagliata. 21 E 16th St between Fifth Ave and Union Sq West (212-243-4020, unionsquarecafe.com)

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