New York

Grindstone’s makes great single-origin organic coffee and flavored lattes—but everybody’s here on Saturday mornings for the yeasted donuts, which are light, not too sweet, and unfairly good. Their evergreen menu leans toward the classics, like simple sugar, glaze, or strawberry sprinkle, while specials lean creative or grown-up. (Perhaps you’ll find Boston cream, lavender, or lemon poppyseed.) Don’t come too late in the morning; they sell out fast.

At La Garçonne, founder Kris Kim curates for the design-minded minimalist—always elegant, never boring. Here, you’ll discover soft longline coats (and matching trousers) from Loulou Studio, bubble-shaped rattan bags from Sacai, and glittery ballet flats from Dries Van Noten.

Gallerists Penny Pilkington and Wendy Olsoff have been ahead of their time since they opened PPOW in the early ’80s, and they’ve stood by artists who otherwise might not have gotten their shot: Betty Tompkins, Martin Wong, David Wojnarowicz, Nancy Spero, and Carrie Mae Weems all showed here early in their careers. The gallery remains forward-thinking, hosting visionary artists whose work interrogates gender, race, sexuality, and inequality.

Fiaschetteria is a casual spot turning out authentic Tuscan food. (The owners still run the original location in Pistoia, Italy.) You come here for handmade pasta, which contends for NYC’s best. There are two locations in New York: In the West Village, it’s first come, first served. In the East Village, you have to call (not email, not Resy) for a reservation.

Chef Helen Nguyen isn’t going for traditional, and you’ll notice some twists on her menu (like pickles in the bánh xèo). But she does traditional Vietnamese food beautifully, and you should load your table with steamed dumplings, imperial rolls, garlic noodles, oxtail fried rice, and sauteed pea shoots.

Che Li does classic Shanghainese food (soup dumplings, braised pork belly, green beans, crispy eel, garlicky eggplant…) in a space inspired by old markets, with wood roofs and lots of paper lanterns. The vibe here is gold—the servers are friendly and helpful, and everyone’s having a good time.

This understated Italian trattoria isn’t reinventing the wheel; it just does candlelit dining and wood-oven roasting very well. Regulars come for their millionth order of sausage rigatoni and the rabbit pappardelle.

Apollo serves warm, fresh bagels with a chewy inside and crusty exterior, well-coated with sesame seeds or everything spice, if you choose. Their menu is simple, with a few types of bagels and a few types of schmear, plus tomato, whitefish, lox, and the typical bagel fixings.

This coffee spot is known for its fruit lattes, which you’ll either love or hate. They’re made with just espresso, milk, and fresh fruit, which cuts the bitterness from coffee.

Abraço roasts all their own coffee, and it’s better than what you’ll find almost anywhere else. It draws a loyal clientele for that, but also for the great pastries, vinyl records, and European vibe. Keep in mind they don’t offer alternative milks here—just whole milk, half and half, and whipped cream.