Cast-iron storefronts, daytime brunch lines and a handful of the city's better pastry counters tucked between the boutiques.
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.
Balthazar Bakery on Spring Street in SoHo has supplied New York City's croissants and country breads since 1997. Keith McNally's brasserie next door uses the same loaves.
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
Compagnie des Vins on Centre Street is the New York City arm of the Paris natural-wine bar. Biodynamic Beaujolais, Loire whites, tartines, candle-lit zinc bar.
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; the bar took the name Ear.
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.
Sadelle's on West Broadway runs the city's most theatrical Jewish brunch in New York City. Major Food Group's bagel-and-lox cart wheels through the SoHo dining room.
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. The pu pu platter is the late-night order.
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.