Silvana

"Silvana adds a splash of color to the corner of 116th and Frederick Douglass Blvd. It's not only a cool cafe, a boutique with unique goods around the world, a speakeasy music venue, and a hookah lounge. Once you stop by, you'll want to make Silvana your home." - Tracy Zhang

"Silvana has a lot going for it—it’s essentially a cafe, a Middle Eastern restaurant, and gift shop all rolled into one. In the morning, people sit at communal tables with their laptops and lattes for hours, taking frequent breaks to buy a new tote, or a candle they definitely needed. At night, people eat falafel plates, sabich and creamy hummus. Below the restaurant, there’s a grungy basement that hosts all kinds of artists, and never has a cover (except for Blues night on Mondays). They also have karaoke every Wednesday from 10pm-12am. " - neha talreja, hannah albertine, bryan kim, willa moore, sonal shah

"Silvana is a cafe, Middle Eastern restaurant, and gift shop all rolled into one. People sit at the communal tables with their laptops and lattes for hours, taking periodic breaks to shop for candles and totes. Our favorite things to eat are the falafel with tahini and the mini salad, which comes with your choice of six different items. There’s also a huge space for live music downstairs that makes you feel like you’re at the coolest basement party ever, so come back after your show if you want to keep the night going." - sonal shah, kenny yang, willa moore

"Silvana in South Harlem is a testament to the truly unlikely things to be found in New York. It’s a Mediterranean restaurant and gift shop in one, serving superior casual eats like falafel and shawarma, while the downstairs room serves as both speakeasy and charmingly compact venue for world music." - Paul Schrodt, Alexandra Ilyashov, Eater Staff

"Silvana is a cafe, Middle Eastern restaurant, and gift shop all rolled into one. At this Harlem spot, people sit at the communal tables with their laptops and lattes for hours, taking periodic breaks to shop for candles, totes, and knickknacks for their apartments. Our favorite things to eat are the falafel with tahini and the mini salad, which comes with your choice of six different items. (Be sure to include the super creamy hummus with a yogurt-like consistency and the tangy, spicy matbucha.) There’s also a huge space with a bar downstairs that hosts all kinds of artists, and there’s never a cover (except for Blues night on Mondays). You’ll feel like you’re at the coolest basement party ever. photo credit: Kenny Yang" - Kenny Yang