Whitehall Kitchen + Bar (CLOSED)

The downtown hit-makers behind Scottish hot spots the Highlands and Mary Queen of Scots set aside the tartan and Scotch for this industrial, London-inspired tavern. Chef Chris Rendell—an Australian raised on his English father's hometown grub—puts an upmarket twist on British classics with dishes like grilled lamb loin chop with mushy-pea fritters and mint sauce, and rabbit with sausages, a pickled fennel salad and the Irish mashed-potato dish champ. Gin enthusiasts can geek out over the bar's artisanal selection: Find 50 bottles of England's national spirit, including France's saffron-infused Gabriel Boudier and Scotland's small-batch Bruichladdich, plus cocktails, like the No. 3 made with Plymouth gin, yellow chartreuse, lemon juice, muddled ginger and orange bitters. Owner Brian McGrory is an AvroKO alum, so you can expect high design here: The 85-seat space is outfitted with polished cement floors, slatted wood benches and black leather banquettes.