Alright, look to your right-Sepia is the brick-faced spot that feels both inviting and just mysterious enough to make you want to peek inside. Now, you’d never guess, but this place started out in the 1890s as a print shop, not somewhere you’d expect to find a Michelin star, a killer wine list, or a spinach ravioli you might write home about. Fast-forward to 2007-restaurateur Emmanuel Nony and chef Andrew Zimmerman bring it back to life, but they keep the bones of the building intact. Inside, you’ll spot custom Art Nouveau tiles on the floor and old-school stemware on the tables-kind of like attending a black-tie event in a space that still keeps its work boots close.
Sepia’s menu is technically called New American, which is industry speak for “comfort food meets artistically plated surprise.” Zimmerman’s got a thing for using whatever’s local and in season-even if “local” sometimes means a wild wine from Croatia, Hungary, or a Greek grape with a name you’ll probably mispronounce. Speaking of wine, there’s over 400 bottles, so if commitment issues strike, they also serve by the glass.
This spot’s racked up some serious praise: Michelin guide gave it a star year after year, and the James Beard folks put Zimmerman on their shortlist as one of the best. Honestly, you get the sense the staff is aiming for greatness, but they wouldn’t judge you for showing up in jeans-though the vintage interior might.
Alright, feeling inspired
