Family Recipe, New York

When Akiko Thurnauer was a girl, her globe-trotting father's international business trips were always a source of delight. She missed him while he was away, of course, but she also anticipated the treasures that he'd back to Tokyo. Luggage packed with unique ingredients from far-flung countries transformed into delectable, eclectic home meals that filled Thurnauer with love for adventurous cooking and comfortable, at-home dining. Now at the helm of her own restaurant—aptly named Family Recipe—she invites diners into the familiarly cozy communion of imaginative comfort food that she enjoyed as a girl. Gently sloping wood of the ceiling and elegantly curved metal lamps conspire to create a familial atmosphere, accentuated by the bustling open kitchen and servers who refuse to say how proud they are of your career no matter how many hints you drop.

Once at their tables, diners dig into meals from a menu that was praised by the Village Voice for letting "meat-free dishes take center stage." Dishes such as tofu hijiki rice bowls delight veggie palates with smoky tamari and sunflower seeds while organic edamame transcends its ubiquity with seven spice, garlic, and lime. Meat eaters need not feel neglected, though; the menu often incorporates proteins including succulent heritage pork buns, roasted beef marrow, and smoked duck ramen.