From the June 2015 edition of Reserve, a Bloomberg Brief publication.It sometimes feels like Midtown Manhattan's once-famous restaurant scene has been forgotten in favor of more relaxed spots downtown. The dense heart of the city is marked by several 1,300-foot-plus towers under construction, each aiming to be the tallest residential building in the world. Like them or hate them, they presage a rebound in restaurant activity in midtown. The Baccarat Hotel has Chevalier, the restaurant from Charles Masson of La Grenouille fame. Ralph Lauren's Polo Bar (see full review), the toughest reservation in town, is full of cognoscenti who don't feel the need to go below 50th Street. Each of the new towers will have multiple restaurant and bar options, which have many wondering if New York will become the new Hong Kong, where restaurants are listed by floor.The densest part of Midtown has always been about the mix of housing, hotels, offices, and museums. Growing up, my family lived in a hotel and the world of great cuisine was literally a block away.

I may have to do it again if restaurants of this caliber keep popping up.The Bar at Baccarat: The hottest after-work option of the moment has multiple spaces to choose from: the bar, the terrace, and the hotel lobby itself. Ty Bar at the Four Seasons: Although its lease runs out in July 2016, landmark status means not much can change at this ode to 20th century minimalism.The Modern: Facing the sculpture garden at MoMA, large booths are great for deal-making. The Bar Room is more casual but equally sensible. Avra Estiatorio: This is my favorite of the popular midtown Greek fish palaces. 21 Club: As sophisticated steak houses go, this is still hard to beat for both a business lunch and dinner.Lavo/Tao Uptown: Favorite dinner options that morph into party scenes as others retreat to the suburbs.Monkey Bar, a New York classic.Monkey Bar: A New York classic that is still packed after work and maddening when the owner, Vanity Fair's Graydon Carter, shuts it down for celeb parties.

Casa Lever: Come summer, the public courtyard around Lever House becomes the most fun place to see how native New Yorkers misbehave.Aldo Sohm Wine Bar: Sohm is the sommelier across the alley at Le Bernardin. The group took the odd space and made it into one of the best wine bars in town.best wine in turkeyMá Pêche: Downtown star chef David Chang gets corporate right, too, doing his take on dim sum. best wine bars bathFun bar as well.best french wine townsBetony: Serious modern-American fare near Carnegie Hall. An equally serious cocktail program, too. Library Bar: At the Hudson Hotel, this remains a remarkably civilized place to meet for drinks or a round of pool once you get past the neon escalators.SixtyFive at Rockefeller Plaza: The best view of New York at this bar off the renovated Rainbow Room.

It's easier to get into than the Observation Deck and you can have cocktails and nibbles.Circo: The inside of this popular Italian spot looks like a circus, which helps with visitors of all ages. Also a great pre- or post-theater option.Le Relais de Venise: Steak, frites, salad, and wine. You choose well-done, medium, rare. Exotic enough for family and fairly priced.La Grenouille: Like being on a 1950s French ocean liner, it's perfect for (formal) family occasions and has the best private room in New York.Trattoria Dell'Arte: It's hard to imagine a place better suited to dealing with everything for everybody, except its sister, the Redeye Grill.Brasserie: Under the Seagram building, the space-age design and cool booths make it a great option for power breakfasts or brunch/lunch and dinner with the family.The above is a Bloomberg Brief newsletter sample. Sign up or take your free 30-day trial today.Peter Elliot is editor of Reserve and manages the lifestyle functions on the Bloomberg Professional service. 

Opinions expressed are his own. Follow him on Twitter at @mrpeterelliot.There’s perhaps no better nod to universal celebration than toast. There are plenty of great bottles to pop open at home (check out our buyer’s guide), but if you feel like heading out for your next glass of bubbly, here are some of our favorite fizz-centric spots around the country. A.O.C. – Los Angeles Sommelier Caroline Styne opened A.O.C. with Suzanne Goin over a decade ago, and she has consistently presented one of the best wine lists in the country ever since. The list is large, but it’s impossible to go wrong. Styne’s sparkling selections are especially impressive, focusing on sustainable, small-production, often biodynamic wines from off-the-radar, forward-thinking producers. Ambonnay – Portland, OR Tucked away in a former warehouse in Portland’s buzzing southeast industrial district is sommelier David Speer’s homage to his favorite tipple: Champagne. With six rotating glasses and a daily special, as well as an excellent grower Champagne-heavy bottle list, there are no wrong turns here.

Birds & Bubbles — New York City Thanks to Birds & Bubbles, southern food is a serious contender for best bubbly pairing. Specifically, buttermilk fried chicken. Buckets of bird aside, the bubbles list at this cozy LES wine bar-resto offers more than three dozen offerings neatly organized by flavor profile and growing region. Cork — Washington, D.C. Small-production sparkling wines from France, Italy and Spain are all poured by the glass at this darling Logan Circle wine bar. Exposed brick helps set the mood, while small plates like avocado toast, Spanish mackerel and parsley-dusted fries provide enough sustenance to keep the bubbles flowing all night long. Corkbuzz – New York City Master Sommelier Laura Maniec’s two NYC wine bars are havens for Champagne obsessives. Maniec herself is a champion of Champagne, constantly encouraging patrons to think of it as a daily, rather than occasional, treat. She’s so devoted to it, in fact, that she has begun a “Champagne Campaign,” offering 50% off all bottles of Champagne from 10 p.m. to close every night.

Frank’s Oyster House & Champagne Parlor – Seattle An homage to the classic oyster bar, specifically those that speckle the Northeastern U.S., this cozy Seattle spot has been serving thirsty locals since 2008. Classic bubbles like Piper Heidsieck and Moet are offered by the glass alongside a nice list of cremants from Burgundy, Alsace and Limoux. For those in the mood for something with more of a punch, the cocktail menu has even more options. Kazimierz Wine Bar – Scottsdale, AZ Kazimierz’s wine selection is perfectly described on the menu as their version of “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.” Focused on off-the-map bottles, such as a semi-sweet Sovetskoe, or “Soviet Champagne” from Belarus and a sparkling Gamay/Poulsard blend from the Jura, the list is challenging, exciting and encourages even the most timid to be adventurous. If the ride feels too wild, though, there’s no shortage of classic standbys, like Krug or vintage Philipponnat. Pops for Champagne – Chicago

This beloved Chicago bar, established in 1982, has a cultivated, lived-in sort of graciousness that makes bar goers feel right at home. With more than 200 Champagnes and sparkling wines, their carefully chosen and constantly changing wine list features a wide array of options for tastes and budgets of all types. RM Champagne Salon (pictured above) – Chicago Named for the French farmers, or récoltants manipulants, who grow grapes and bottle their own bubbly, this cozy gem is hidden at the end of a small, cobblestoned alley in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood. Tables tend to be filled with bite-sized nibbles, and the interior is oozing with charm. Sigh – Sonoma, CA An impressive glass list, featuring nearly two dozen Champagnes and sparkling wines available in 2- or 6-ounce pours sets Sigh apart. For just $6, patrons can taste the wonder that is true French Champagne, making it easy to live up to owner Jayme Powers’ belief that every day can truly be an occasion.