Croft Alley

A counter-service cafe with vintage French decor, Croft Alley in SoHo serves only breakfast, brunch, and lunch, open daily from 9 to 5. The banana pancakes come out featherlight under a lattice of butter, and a breakfast burrito and a tuna melt on toasted sourdough round out a short, practical menu. Weekdays it works as a cafeteria for the neighborhood's freelancers and remote workers; weekends bring a brunch line that runs down the block. There's no dinner service and no reservations, just counter ordering and whatever seats are open.