Only Love Strangers

Painted in the rich blues and stark whites of a Greek island, Only Love Strangers (from the people behind Málà Project) is a jazz club on the Lower East Side that’s great as either a starting point for a night out, or the evening’s main event. They have live music six nights a week, ice-cold martinis, and pretty decent Mediterranean-leaning food, like a crudités platter with two types of hummus. We’d prioritize the cocktails though—they lean fruity and vegetal, with things like yellow pepper, beets, and ouzo. There’s a bar and a dining room upstairs, but the best seating is the lounge downstairs, where you’ll have an equally good view of whoever’s playing that night, and whoever is sitting across from you. Bonus points if you’re also in view of the disco ball.

photo credit: Heidi Bridge