100 Very Best Restaurants 2013: Plume

A trolley full of French cheeses, lushly upholstered Louis XVI chairs, servers to attend to every whim—there seems no end to the creature comforts at the Jefferson hotel’s ornate restaurant—so formal that diners have been known to do double takes when, say, a server arrives with a wee purse stool or bows gravely as you thank him for pointing out the restroom.

The food harkens back to the age when fine dining meant French classics such as lobster Thermidor and rabbit galantine (both excellent here). The wine list is expansive, with more than 50 Champagnes alone (including—for really special occasions—a 1995 Krug with a $5,000 price tag). Don’t miss: Heirloom-tomato tasting; truffled hen; chocolate tart with lemon curd and vanilla ice cream; lemon profiteroles. Open: Tuesday through Saturday for dinner. Very expensive.