ITO New York City

Ito is on Barclay Street. The room runs smart and elegant, serving Japanese sushi in a configuration that remains detached from the surrounding density of the financial district.

You choose Ito for the intimacy of the counter rather than the scale of its neighbours. While the 9/11 Memorial draws thousands to this grid every day, this room stays shielded from the tourist flow. It is a more deliberate experience than the high-traffic halls near the Oculus, where the primary goal is often volume. If you want a meal that requires focus, the relative quiet of these blocks makes it a better bet than the crowded dining rooms closer to the harbour.