MONKEY BAR

A celebrity honeypot, this classic 1930s restaurant was recently rescued from oblivion by Vanity Fair editor Grayson Carter and friends. Featuring a sunken ‘pit’ and strategically placed booths and tables, its seating chart is one of the most meticulously planned affairs in New York, overseen by Carter himself on a daily basis. So you can imagine trying to get a table as a civilian is hard work – and if you do land a spot, the staff are paid not to talk. So you may spy what you think is the back of Brad Pitt’s head, or Anna Wintour’s claw pawing at her salad, but nobody’s going to confirm your suspicions. That said, nary a night goes by without some paparazzi draw. And oh yes, the food – it’s retro menu stuff including oysters, meatloaf, and sticky toffee pudding – but who’s concentrating on their plates when there’s star-spotting to be done? Make like the monkeys and remember – see no evil, hear no evil, speak to evil – save it for People Magazine.