Competition is fierce in the Meatpacking District but the hip, 10,000-square-foot Aer Lounge is a formidable – if a bit elitist – contender. The swish main bar, with low couches along curving walls, fills nightly with a sexy, label-happy crowd. In a nod to the neighborhood’s snob appeal, Aer also features a downstairs VIP lounge with sleek white furnishings and French-Caribbean nibbles. Be prepared to flash some serious cash to gain entry, but even if you don’t get in, you’re not missing much, as the real action is all happening in the main bar anyway. Perhaps Aer’s biggest bonus – especially for all the cigarette-puffing Europeans – is the glass-walled smoking veranda, which is warmed by heat lamps in the colder months. No matter where you kick it in this massive space, you’ll find it hard to stop at just one drink; the martinis are excellent and the extensive wine list includes top-notch French and Italian reds.