(This article by Jenny Nguyen-Barron was first published in ForbesLife. To read the full article, click here)

New York City is full of restaurants offering sophisticated food, wine and ambiance, but it’s the exceptional ones that can take it to the next level by visually delighting diners with exquisitely prepared dishes. Their artful dishes oblige any table to collectively marvel at the chef’s artistic composition of color, texture and form.

We did some sifting through Melting Butter’s curated restaurant picks and have selected 5 NYC restaurants with artistic chefs who take their restaurants to that next level of sophistication.

1. Navy New York’s fresh sardines on toast with spiced butter, salsa verde & agave

Image by Nicole Franzen courtesy of Navy NYC

Executive chef Camille Becerra put her food styling credentials into good use when she designed Navy’s menu of seafood cooked with a lightness of touch and a heavy focus on freshness and vegetables

2.Sushi at David Bouley’s Brushstroke

Image courtesy of Brushstroke

At Brushstroke, sitting at the chef’s table is like witnessing a stunningly choreographed ballet. Watch as Head Chef Isao Yamada and his team create visually show stopping dishes that form part of a multicourse Kaiseki menu.

3. Contra’s elegantly presented beets with hazelnut & yoghurt

Image by Jose Moran Moya Courtesy of Contra

Contra’s concept of simple elegance done with restraint is a thread that can be seen in their strikingly presented dishes and throughout the restaurant.

4. Blue Ribbon Sushi’s Omakase Menu

Omakase – Image by Melting Butter

To experience that wonderful moment when the whole restaurant stops and stares enviously at your food, order Blue Ribbon’s chef selected Omakase and let it delight every one of your senses.

5. The Musket Room’s cold smoked scallops with cucumbers, black garlic, pears and sea beans

Image courtesy of The Musket Room

Matt Lambert, a classically French trained chef hailing from New Zealand puts his spin on modern New Zealand cuisine at The Musket Room. The result is food sophisticated, elegant and inspired enough to win a Michelin star within 4 months of opening.

(Feature image – The Musket Room’s Ora King Salmon, courtesy of The Musket Room)

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