When the stiletto crowd begins teetering up the steps of Lincoln Plaza for Fashion Week early Thursday morning, they’ll need something more than their Louboutins and Fiber One promo bars to keep them on their beleaguered feet. Familiar neighborhood standbys like P.J. Clarke’s, Café Fiorello and Josephina might suffice, but the truly en vogue will head for the latest foodie finds, burgeoning within comfortable walking distance of the spring/summer 2012 collections’ showcase.
If you have a generous expense account: Lincoln Ristorante, 142 W. 65th St.; 212-359-6500
The architecturally alluring Lincoln Ristorante, on the north side of the Lincoln Center plaza, was just two weeks shy of its official opening during last September’s shows. This year, the glass-encased hot spot should be a happening in-between-shows hangout. Find a seat at an outdoor dining table to take in the reflecting pool’s Henry Moore sculptures and a healthy swordfish belly and watermelon antipasto ($16), or, if consuming carbs in public really doesn’t faze you, hunker down inside with a plate of mushroom-and-sweetbread-stuffed pasta ($24). And if you need something more bracing, order up something from the negroni bar as well. “We call it ora felice — happy hour—and it gives you a chance to tailor your own cocktail,” says wine director Aaron von Rock. “You can pick and choose different bitters, gins and vermouth.” Beware the afternoon closing time between 2:30 and 5:30.
PHOTOS: LINCOLN CENTER DINING OPTIONS
When you want your entrees to look as avant-garde as your wardrobe: Gastroarte (formerly Graffit), 141 W. 69th St.; 646-692-8762
For those fashionable downtown folk averse to going north of 14th Street, the runway festivities might be the perfect Upper West Side excuse for finally giving the modernist Spanish cuisine of Gastroarte (formerly known as Graffit) a try. Chef Jesus Nunez, who incorporates equal parts visual and culinary art into his menus, is planning a “fashion tasting menu of croquettes,” featuring eight kinds (six savory, two sweet, $20) in varying colors, textures, shapes and flavors such as foie gras, sea urchin and rice pudding.
Best place for a quick pick-me up: Kelvin Slush Truck, see @kelvinslush on Twitter for daily location tweets; 646-200-5083
If you’re looking for something cold, sweet and fat-free, the Kelvin Slush Truck parks a mere block from the tents (usually in front of Lincoln Plaza Cinema on Broadway, Wednesdays, 6 to 10 p.m., and Fridays, noon to 10 p.m.). The all-natural slushies ($3.50 to $6.50) come in three base flavors — ginger, citrus and tea — and have several fresh add-in options, like white peach or pink guava purée and fresh mint or basil. “It’s a more grown-up version of those super-syrupy convenience-store slushies,” says owner Alex Rein. And they won’t turn your tongue Smurf blue, even if it complements your outfit.
Most chic takeout: Epicerie Boulud, 1900 Broadway, at 64th Street; 212-595-9606
The French marketplace/eatery, open since mid-April, is the most casual (though still trés chic) of Daniel Boulud’s Lincoln Center-based triumvirate, which includes Bar Boulud and the even more recent Mediterranean-themed Boulud Sud. But unlike your typical New York deli, the menu has a certain je ne sais quoi: banh mi with house-made paté and jalapeno mayo on fresh-baked bread ($8.90), vegetables du jour like Moroccan chickpeas ($6.90) and gelato ($5 for two scoops) and macarons ($2.25 each). At 4 p.m., the airy corner location turns into an oyster bar with a fine selection of Champagne, wine and beer. “We cater to models, too,” says executive chef Jonathan Kinsella, noting a berry yogurt vanilla parfait with house-made granola and Greek yogurt.