Villa Brazil Café Grill

On our list of the best cozy restaurants in New York.

This Astoria buffet runs on the Brazilian kilo system: fill a plate from the steam trays and pay by weight, with a churrasco window on the side where a carver works through the day's grilled meats, picanha and frango and sausage straight off the spit. The dining room is small, calm and noticeably clean for a buffet, filled most days with the Portuguese being spoken at the tables around you. Feijoada, the black bean and pork stew, is usually part of the spread, along with chicken wrapped in bacon and ribs cooked until they fall off the bone. It's open daily from late morning into the evening.