Pinch

This gastro hotspot at Patriarch's Ponds courtesy of restaurateur Ilya Tyutenkov (Uilliam's and Ugolek). The kitchen staff boasts famous Luigi Magni chef, who is responsible for raising a new generation of gourmands capable of intelligently discussing Nordic and other culinary traditions.

The menu combines new Nordic and new American cuisines with light touches of Peru. Delivering such an eclectic dishes is a tall order, but the creators of Pinch have courage and creativity in spades.

Minimalism is the name of the game inside: wooden tables and chairs look as though they've been copy-pasted from a Scandinavian restaurant; an open kitchen occupies about a third of the space and is clearly intended as a focal piece. You can comfortably sit at the bar while waiting for a table.

Cuisine: original.

Atmosphere: friendly / cool.

The crowd: gourmands, expats, locals, designers, creative types.

FYI: Seasonal dishes appear on the menu every month. Open from 8:00, and you can enjoy the breakfast menu by talented Luigi Magni up to 16:00.