Blue Smoke   

Edgar Allan Poe couldn't choose between the pit and the pendulum, but as far as Texas-style BBQ in New York City goes, most carnivores north of Dallas have no problem picking this Flatiron hickory-smoked pit. The name refers to the flame's epicenter, and it serves as an appropriate metaphor for St. Louis restaurateur Danny Meyer's hot, upscale eatery. Shelved in a spacious second-floor rack with exposed brick and natural light teeming in, the cool and comfortable marble-patio atmosphere isn't where you'd expect to find authentic barbecue. But executive chef Ken Callaghan works with bona fide Missouri-made smokers outfitted with high chimneys, which manage to keep the dry-rubbed back ribs low and slow and the pork shoulders mean and lean. Beef brisket, organic chicken and smoked portobello keep things honest, while the bourbon-backed bar and jumping jukebox ensure stylish diners are lassoed long enough for the jazz club downstairs to get fired up. -- Yon Motskin