Chocolat Restaurant & Bar, New York

Lover and active member of his community, Leon Ellis opened Chocolat's door to invite his Harlem residents to grow together one plate, meal, conversation at a time. In addition to honing his decadent menu, he lines his walls with the art of local creators, nourishing the deep breadth of culture and art which continues to blossom in the Harlem community.

• Brunch: pineapple juice mimosas sipped between bites of smoked apple wood bacon and cheese omelettes or plump red velvet pancakes
• Dinner: begins with a portion of lemon aioli painted crispy fried calamari before moving into entrees of jerk chicken and grilled lollipop lamb chops on a nest of sautéed spinach and furnished with mint jelly
• The chocolate: peanut butter pies compiles a graham cracker and peanut butter crust over dark chocolate mousse; molten lava cake—chocolate truffle over whipped chocolate icing over moist chocolate cake