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Where to get a glass of wine and a bite near MoMA

Staff Writer

A glass of wine

We know, we know. We know all about the Danny Meyer restaurants in the brand-new MoMA. But something tells us the place is going to be mobbed this weekend. And there's a good chance you'll wait forever for a shot at a table in any of them. So, we offer a choice of places right in the neighborhood to go for a drink and a bite after you've admired the art and the building.

Aquavit. For a quick bite, it's hard to beat the Cafe at Aquavit. Located on the entry level, the space is welcoming and cheerful, and the menu includes Scandinavian specialties such as gravlax, herring, and beet soup. There's also a smorgasbord plate, and, of course, plenty of icy cold aquavit. (13 West 54th Street; 212-307-7311)

Brasserie LCB. What do you get when you morph a classic French restaurant (La Cote Basque) into an up-to-date brasserie? You get LCB, with its glittering mirrors, small bar up front, shiny banquettes, and a classic menu that offers onion soup, escargot, choucroute, cassoulet. (60 West 55th Street; 212-688-6525)

21 Club. There's that famous $27 hamburger. But there are plenty of other American classics (Caesar salad, lobster salad, chicken hash) to choose from. The clubby barroom, with its toys hanging from the ceiling and cartoons adorning the walls, is a traditional hangout that feels ever so New York. If you're in the mood for a drink and a snack, there are the sofas and wing chairs in the lounge -- a perfect place to cure museum-foot, so long as you don't arrive before 5:30. (Closed Sunday; 21 West 52nd Street; 212-582-7200)

Beacon. Wood- fired and spit-roasted food dominate the menu at this handsome, deco-style dining room. Thin-crusted pizza. Roasted oysters. Steak tartare. All are on the starter list, and go down well with one of the house's signature cocktails. (Bar opens at 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 25 West 56th Street; 212-332-0500)

Town. Don't bother looking for the sign. There isn't one. You have to know it's in the tres chic Chambers Hotel. The main-level lounge space is as sophisticated-looking as its well-heeled patrons are. Service is sophisticated, too, smart enough to know when to leave you alone, yet always around when you need something. Want something to munch on while you sip a cocktail? How does smoked salmon torte or quail with foie gras sound? Note: On Saturday, the bar opens at 3:30, and you can order food at 5 p.m.(15 West 56th Street; 212-582-4445)

Morell Wine Bar and Cafe. You can stop by in the afternoon for a glass of wine (more than 50 are sold by the glass) and a taste of, say, charcuterie or a roast beef and goat cheese salad. Sundays, there's brunch, in case you decide to stop before you hit the museum. (One Rockefeller Plaza; 212-262-7700)

Rock Center Cafe. The skaters are out there, and the tree is up (even if they haven't got it decorated yet). You can lunch on burgers, crabcakes, pastas and the like. None of this comes cheap, but it is Rockefeller Center, and , as we head into the season to be merry, one of those cranberry mojitos could help that along nicely. (20 West 50th Street; 212-332-7620)

Peninsula Hotel. This grande dame of a hotel has several bars to choose from: the lobby-level piano bar, the Gotham bar and lounge, where you can order drinks or afternoon tea, and the rooftop Pen-Top with its terrific views. (Note: the rooftop bar opens at 5 p.m. Saturday; it's closed on Sunday; 700 Fifth Avenue at 55th Street; 212-956 2888)