"Think of your favorite Italian deli. Okay, now imagine that place makes sandwiches even more delicious by drizzling hot gravy or draping lightly fried eggplant on top. That’s Defonte’s, located on a near-empty industrial street in Red Hook. You can tell this cash-only, 1920s sandwich institution means business based on the line of off-duty firefighters waiting for lunch. Get the hot roast pork sandwich with juicy, rich gravy and fried eggplant, or the Italian combo, which includes pepperoni and somehow still tastes light." - willa moore, hannah albertine