The outer boroughs are as culturally diverse as the Meatpacking District generally gets (save for the occasional Euro trash), so this African-inspired eatery is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. The bi-level space earns street cred with wall-sized prints of African faces, twisting root arrangements interspersed between rows of ebony tables etched with proverbs, and puka-shell lamps hanging overhead. Blown-up images of exotic spice markets line the walls as a nod to the famous outdoor market in Ethiopia for which the resto is named. Each of the cocktails is labeled after various African dances and will leave you with a spring in your step: try the Sogba, a mix of Bacardi, ginger beer, bay leaf and mint, or the vodka-based Agbekor that features a floating chile pepper.
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Merkato 55
55 Gansevoort St.
New York, NY 10014
