"NBHD Brûlée in Central Harlem works for a long-haul work date. The coffee shop has tables and outlets inside, as well as a wraparound enclosed porch area with enough mismatched furniture to be mistaken for a stooping opportunity. And the tourism posters from Jamaica are a pleasant reminder of why you’re lugging your laptop around in the first place. When you get hungry, try something from the full menu for your breakfast or lunch break. (We like the Cajun shrimp and grits). And when it's time to unwind, there's always wine." - Sonal Shah

"In the middle of Mushtari Hardware & Garden, between 125th Street and a residential block, this cafe formerly known as 9Tails is full of locals passing through on their way to work or yoga class. It’s a friendly spot to hang out with a cold brew or a matcha latte, especially when Youseph is behind the counter playing vintage R&B, New Wave, or maybe some 22-year-old artist first discovered on TikTok. If you want to do a little social-friendly work on your laptop, there’s wifi too. Or you can walk to the plant-filled back area where there’s usually a table, and, when it’s warm, a spot on the sidewalk. Don't expect to be able to order a full meal, but they have a few basic breakfast snacks, and occasionally, fresh-baked cookies. photo credit: Alex Staniloff photo credit: Alex Staniloff photo credit: Alex Staniloff" - Sonal Shah

"California loves In-N-Out. But if you’ve lived in Oakland long enough, you know another burger joint commands more respect: TrueBurger. This fast-food style spot has mastered three simple things: burgers, fries, and shakes. You don’t come here for herbed goat cheese or sous-vide egg toppings. You come here for juicy grilled patties with tomato, lettuce, and garlic mayo on slightly-toasted egg buns, for thin fries that are perfectly crispy, and for not-too-thick milkshakes that evoke more joy than the Bay views from Grizzly Peak. There are two TrueBurger locations, but we like the newer, bigger one on Broadway." - Lani Conway

"The roulette wheel of featured specials makes Mikkelson’s Market a solid option to utlize when your day-to-day gets boring. Finding the market isn't hard since the white brick building stands out like an old-school bodega in between rows of modern homes in Reynoldstown. Inside, shelves are stocked with pantry necessities, prepared foods, and a few international goods like octopus-flavored chips and winegum. On the bottom shelf, a record player soundtracks your shopping experience (Fleetwood Mac is on regular rotation). But as much as we love Stevie Nicks jams and Swedish candies, we're mainly here for their weekly hot food specials. It could be meats prepared on the grill out front. Sometimes it’s killer sandwiches on bread from Alon’s Bakery, like a mushroom melt dripping with smoked gouda. Other times, it's excellent fried chicken biscuits, beef stew, or a banh mi that made us want to stalk their Instagram for the next announced menu return. Food Rundown photo credit: Juli Horsford Prime Rib Melt Two slices of toasted, buttery white bread hold thinly shaved beef, carmelized onions, pickled mustard seeds, and a light layer of horseradish cream. It’s a hefty portion of beef that’s so tender you barely need to chew it. photo credit: Juli Horsford Fried Fish On Alon’s Lobster Roll The soft roll from Alon’s Bakery already makes this sandwich elite. Factor in the addition of three pieces of lightly fried halibut, pickles, lemony slaw, and a slathering of tangy remoulade, and you'll get why we're actively petitioning for this fish sandwich's menu permanency. photo credit: Juli Horsford Southern Cap Shrooms Mushroom Melt The mushrooms are tender and juicy and get tons of flavor from a hefty dollop of confit tomatoes and garlic. The melted gouda and burrata hold everything together so prepare for some nice cheese pulls after every bite." - Juli Horsford

"There’s diner DNA in the bones of Day Maker, a breakfast, brunch, and lunch spot built in the shell of a former IHOP near Zilker Park. But this isn't just a pancake house revival. With its Southern and Southwestern touches—earthy tones, woven textiles, and a menu that sneaks in chorizo and queso where you least expect them—it feels like a daytime restaurant that grew up bouncing between New Mexico and New Orleans. photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel It’s always busy here, no matter when you show up. Add yourself to the online waitlist before heading out, or get ready to face a multi-hour wait on the weekends. Once you’re in, you’ll realize why everyone was willing to doomscroll on their phones near the entryway for so long—this is a classic diner done different. Pancakes get topped with churro dust and horchata butter, huevos rancheros arrive on a crispy tostada, and even a classic eggs benedict gets served over masa cakes and topped with spicy chorizo. It all works to varying degrees, but even when things fall a little short, Day Maker is still a fun way to kick off an afternoon at Zilker or enjoy a lazy hangover Sunday brunch. photo credit: Richard Casteel Food Rundown photo credit: Richard Casteel Churro Pancakes These make us realize that the best part of the churro is not, in fact, the dust, but the crunchy treat itself. While these pancakes don’t have the same crispy satisfaction of the street snack—and have a slightly metallic taste—they’re a satisfying start to the morning. photo credit: Richard Casteel Huevos Rancheros Tostada Everything you know and love about huevos rancheros gets piled onto a crispy tostada. This is a great plate. Make sure to try it with the housemade hot sauce that packs a bright, fiery punch. photo credit: Richard Casteel Chorizo Benny In a fun spin on classic eggs benedict, english muffins get subbed for masa cakes. They’re a little denser than we’d like, but everything else in this dish is great—from the spicy chorizo and perfectly poached eggs to the fluffy avocado mousse and chipotle hollandaise." - Nicolai McCrary

"Skip past the rice bowls and seaweed wraps on the menu and head straight for the section accurately labeled “this is what ya came for.” And of course, it's in the name since E-Ramen makes really good ramen combinations that you won’t find anywhere else in the city. Think: lobster with a miso broth, the wagyu ramen that regularly sells out, and even vegan selections with an option to substitute kale noodles and pumpkin broth. At lunchtime groups of Tech students and Midtown office workers fill up the sun-lit tables while solo diners hit the bar counter to slurp their noodles while trying not to splatter their laptops with rogue drops of broth. Food Rundown photo credit: Juli Horsford Crispy Tuna Spicy tuna sits on top of a fried rice square. The wasabi lime sauce and sliced serrano kick this up to a must-order appetizer. photo credit: Juli Horsford It’s A Wrap Chicken or pork along with cucumber is wrapped in a mini, doughy flatbread. It’s a pretty filling appetizer if you’re extra hungry, but you won’t miss much if you skip it and go straight to the ramen. photo credit: Juli Horsford Miso-Hot Ramen The miso broth is a little spicy but not enough to scare away anyone who rivals a newborn in spice tolerance. The pork shoulder is cooked well, but the star is the tender ground pork that sops up the flavorful broth. photo credit: Juli Horsford Lobster Ramen You can really taste the lobster flavor in this bowl. And there’s a good enough amount of lobster bits swimming around in the buttery and garlicky broth to make the $24 price tag seem reasonable. E Signature Ramen This is a solid option for the traditionalists. It has a classic pork broth (though a little creamier than most) with drops of chili oil that gives it a tiny hint of heat." - Juli Horsford

"When we hear the words “live-fire kitchen,” our eyes immediately light up. That’s because we, too, have watched the Francis Mallmann episode of Chef’s Table and know how much the added elements of fire, smoke, and char can contribute to a dish. Throw in a beautiful multi-story interior, the subterranean agave bar Subterra, and bold Latin flavors, and you get Ember Kitchen in the Seaholm District downtown. photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel There’s no big spectacle here—unless you count the giant white tree in the middle of the dining room—but most of the menu touches fire at some point, from octopus with burnt salsa to a half-chicken roasted in a Josper charcoal-oven hybrid. Start with crudo and caviar bites, but save most of your stomach space for anything with “Josper” in the description. Most dishes are served with housemade corn tortillas—use them to build a few tacos, then save the leftover ones to mop up any and all sauces on the plate. Food Rundown photo credit: Richard Casteel Josper 1/2 Chicken Anything and everything cooked in the Josper oven should be your priority, especially the chicken. It’s marinated in an orange and guajillo brine that adds sweetness to each bite, and there’s an excellent char on the outside. The dark meat is juicy and tender, but some of the white meat is a little too dry. photo credit: Richard Casteel Wagyu Steak The meat is cooked perfectly, and the dona salsa adds a nice creamy spiciness to each bite. It’s served with a few warm tortillas so you can make your own steak tacos. photo credit: Richard Casteel Scallops Corn lovers, look no further. Our scallops didn’t have a ton of sear, but otherwise they’re cooked well. And the corn mousse and roasted kernels add a pleasant sweetness to each bite. photo credit: Richard Casteel Ember Greens The citrus dressing is nice and tart, and it comes topped with a ton of berries. This is a good way to add vegetables to an otherwise meat-heavy meal, but it feels more like a brunch salad than a dinner side dish." - Nicolai McCrary

"Annam is the latest addition to the flurry of restaurants opening in Autry Park. The Vietnamese menu is filled with vermicelli bowls and small plates of shaking filet mignon and bánh xèo. These dishes come with an extensive wine pairing list, where you can buy a glass at dinner and take a case home if you fall in love with a burgundy. We haven’t been here yet, but want you to know this spot exists." - Gianni Greene

"Wong Kei is one of London’s great time capsules. A reminder that cash can still be king and that great service does not always need a smile. An always-welcome Cantonese restaurant for the solo diner wanting to slurp on wonton soup, Wong Kei is Chinatown’s great sanctuary. This is a place for everyone. The miserable and the happy. The alone and the raucous. The labourer and the accountant. Wong Kei’s front sharing tables—a mixture of bowed heads and balanced phones—is London’s purest form of canteen eating. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Everything here is in and around £10. It’s rare you’ll spend longer than an hour, but there is space for larger groups at the back or upstairs. Of Wong Kei’s many dishes (circa 150, plus off-menu orders) there are two classic standouts we always revisit. A bowl of plump wontons in wishy-washy broth with noodles is a regular winter pick-me-up. Not least with a spoonful of homemade chilli oil. While an irresistible pile of cold roast meats on hot rice, slathered in an umami-ish BBQ sauce, is made to be shovelled. video credit: Jake Missing video credit: Jake Missing video credit: Jake Missing video credit: Jake Missing Lots has been made of Wong Kei’s historically blunt service. For us, it’s something to be admired. Word salads aren’t welcome here, and anyone who sits down expecting The Ritz is plainly an idiot. Within seconds you’ll have a complimentary pot of Chinese tea and minutes after ordering, an enormous bowl or plate of food. This is Wong Kei's charm. It doesn’t pretend to be anything other than what it has always been: a restaurant that people rely upon. (N.B. If you’re looking for a heroically thorough rundown of Wong Kei’s menu, then let us prod you in the direction of this Wong Kei blog. Hats off to whoever authored the project. We'd love to speak to them and, moreover, eat with them.) Food Rundown Wonton Noodle Soup Out of all Wong Kei's many one-dish wonders, their pork and prawn wonton noodle soup is the most reliable. Ask for crispy pork as well if you're that way inclined and, most importantly, some chilli oil on the side. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch Mixed Barbecue On Hot Rice You will find juicier roast duck, more tender char siu, and crispier roast pork in Chinatown. But, to get all three of a very decent quality alongside a slick and savoury BBQ sauce on a bed of rice for less than £10 is extremely good. Prawn-Stuffed Tofu & Aubergine One of a few black bean sauce hits, this prawn mince-stuffed aubergine and tofu can also be ordered with rice as a one-dish number. The engineering involved to pack prawn mince inside slices of aubergine and tofu, or also in the crevices of a bell pepper, is quite ingenious. Dry-Fried Beef Ho Fun The quality of these slippery and sloppy noodles (as with many dishes at Wong Kei) varies. But when the noodles have caught the wok and given them that caramelised wok hei, they're pretty good." - Jake Missing

"Take a deep breath when you step into Au Kouign Amman—the smell of butter (and lots of it) has filled this minuscule shopfront in the Plateau for over 35 years. The production kitchen for kouign amman and the house croissant is just feet away from the counter, and you can watch the pâtissiers laminate the layers of this Bretagne specialty that’s so popular, lines sometimes go out the door. There’s a few tiny tables here if you want to eat one of these freshly made dense, flaky orbs on the spot." - Ivy Lerner-Frank