Raoul's has poured Cotes du Rhone and seared steak au poivre on Prince Street in SoHo, New York City since 1975. The bar burger is the off-menu cult order.
Signature: Steak au poivre, Au poivre burger
Order: Steak au poivre or the off-menu bar burger.
Tip: Ten burgers a night, only at the bar, only after 19:30. Get there at 19:00 and put your name down with the bartender.
Ignacio Mattos's Houston Street Nolita room in New York City runs Mediterranean-leaning small plates. Priced at $$$. Kitchen leans new american.
Signature: Burrata with charred bread, Beef tartare with sunchoke
Order: Burrata with charred bread, beef tartare, ricotta dumplings.
Tip: The counter is first-come; bar tables take walk-ins. Wine list is unusually long for a 60-seat room.
Black Seed in Nolita bakes Montreal-style honey-water bagels in a wood oven in New York City. Smaller, sweeter, denser than the New York standard.
Tip: Mobile order is the fastest line. The beet-cured lox sandwich is the cross-style order to share.
Worth the queue: Beet-cured lox sandwich
Balthazar Bakery on Spring Street in SoHo has supplied New York City's croissants and country breads since 1997. Open daily 07:00-19:00. At 80 Spring Street.
Tip: Take the morning pastry to the chairs at the Spring Street subway plaza; the bakery line moves faster than the cafe line.
Worth the queue: Pain au chocolat
Eileen Avezzano has baked mini cheesecakes on Cleveland Place in Nolita, New York City since 1975. Open mon-sat 09:00-21:00, sun 11:00-19:00.
Tip: The plain or strawberry are the originals. The Oreo and the salted caramel are the indulgent picks; share two.
Worth the queue: Strawberry mini cheesecake
Compagnie des Vins on Centre Street is the New York City arm of the Paris natural-wine bar. Located in Soho. Open mon-sat 17:30-24:00. At 249 Centre Street.
Signature pour: Domaine Yvon Metras Fleurie
Wine focus: Natural French wines, biodynamic
Food: Charcuterie and tartines
Tip: Bookings via Resy three weeks out for tables. The bar counter takes walk-ins from 17:30; the seats fill by 18:30.
Ear Inn on Spring Street has poured pints to dockworkers in SoHo, New York City since 1817. The B in BAR fell off in the 1970s and stayed off.
Signature drink: Draught beer
Food: Pub food, oysters
Tip: Sunday afternoon jazz from 14:00. The room is small and loud; the oysters are surprisingly good.
Prince Street Pizza in Nolita has sold the cult $6 spicy spring square slice in New York City since 2012. Sicilian crust, cup-and-char pepperoni.
Try: Spicy pepperoni square slice
Tip: Lines at 13:00 weekends run 45 minutes. Off-hours at 15:00-17:00 are the easy walk-up; the slice still holds heat.
Sadelle's on West Broadway runs the city's most theatrical Jewish brunch in New York City. Located in Soho. Open daily 09:00-15:30. At 463 W. Broadway.
Order: The Sadelle's Tower: bagels, lox, whitefish, sturgeon, the tableside cart.
Tip: The Sunday booking is the hardest seat in SoHo. Weekday 11:30 walks in at the bar without waiting.
Blue Ribbon Brasserie on Sullivan Street has poured drinks and raw oysters until the small hours in SoHo New York City since 1992. At 97 Sullivan Street.
Try: Pu pu platter, fried chicken, raw bar
Tip: Counter walks-in from 22:00. Industry crowd builds at midnight; the kitchen runs strong until close.
Botanica on East Houston is the basement bar with $3 to $5 drinks, a tiny DJ booth and the rare Houston Street happy hour that runs until 19:00 every day.
Tip: Happy hour from open to 19:00, Sunday karaoke is the regulars' tradition. Cash-friendly, no cover.