Perhaps the best secret about dining alone is that often you don’t need a reservation—that is if you eat at the bar. At certain New York spots, the bar serves as the beating heart of the restaurant.
There’s the all-knowing bartender, the lingering waitstaff, the regular customer who comes in for a quick burger or an expertly mixed martini. New York is a friendly town so it’s easy to strike up a conversation with your neighbor. Of course, you can always read a book but there is such a singular pleasure in just soaking up the atmosphere, the flavors, the textures and the chatter that surrounds you. (Yes, dining alone gives you a free pass to do some innocent eavesdropping.)
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@The Commerce Inn 2022/The Commerce Inn, @The Commerce Inn 2022/The Commerce Inn, Patrick Dolande/Gab's, Patrick Dolande/Gab's, Nitzan Keynan/Balaboosta, Nitzan Keynan/Balaboosta, Ben Hon/Van Đa, Ben Hon/Van Đa, Patrick Dolande/Café Mars, Patrick Dolande/Café Mars, eat.with.anya/Instagram, Evan Sung /Oxomoco, Bex Finch/Rolo's, Adam Friedlander/Rolo's, Cervo's/Cervo’s, Cervo's/Cervo’s, Max Flatow/Shmoné, Max Flatow/Shmoné, Alex Muccilli/Thai Diner, Alex Muccilli/Thai Diner, Francesco Sapienza/Gramercy Tavern, Francesco Sapienza/Gramercy Tavern, Robster-Tempura/Tempura Matsui, Tempura Matsui/Tempura Matsui, Cervo's/Cervo’s, Cervo's/Cervo’s, Francesco Sapienza/Gramercy Tavern, Francesco Sapienza/Gramercy Tavern, Alex Muccilli/Thai Diner, Alex Muccilli/Thai Diner