Their Success . . . There’s something to be said about taking an age-old concept like a diner and reinventing just enough to meets our modern culinary demands. Back in the 1400’s when Leonardo Da Vinci famously expressed “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Meme’s diner on Washington Ave in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn was most certainly not his inspiration. What did however spawn from that idea is the feeling you experience while dining at Meme’s. Their menu is sophisticated yet straightforward. Daring while self restrained. And comforting while modern. With classic menu items like Parmesan style chicken cutlet with greens to a mouth watering Patty Melt, not only will your taste buds be excited but your experience will be refreshing.

For dinner, be sure to try the Meatloaf or Crispy Noodle Salad. If you’re a side lover like myself, do not leave before ordering the Crispy Potatoes, which are spot-on-delicious (Hint: ask for a side of “Comeback Sauce”)

Weekend brunch fans? You do not want to miss this menu. Of course, there are the staples like a classic breakfast sandwich, which is offered on a potato bun with baked eggs, cheese sauce (cheese sauce!), greens, and bacon. Or the Breakfast Plate with everything you know any love about filling your belly on a Saturday or Sunday morning. One thing you wont don’t to leave without trying is the Meatloaf Sandwich. This monster throws down a slice of their classic meatloaf topped with a fried egg, on garlic toast with bbq sauce and crispy shallots.

Don’t blink at their cocktail menu either. Their eloquent soft-spoken bar, which blends effortlessly into the space, serves up unobtrusive classics like Manhattans, Old Fashioneds, or Negronis. Meme’s wouldn’t be Meme’s though if it didn’t put a little flair behind their work. For this, try the Cosmopolitan, a cocktail that would have Annabelle Bronstein coming back for seconds.

Takeaways . . . The classic diner we all grew up loving has been declining in numbers over the years. Meme’s is brining it back in all the best ways. The menu is extremely inviting with subtleties that elevate dishes to a new level. It is refreshing, while offering top-notch hospitability in a dining space that is welcoming to the point where you might just stay for another round. Bottom line- everyone needs a Meme’s in their life.

Hours: Tuesday – Friday: 5pm – 11pm, Saturday: 10am – 3pm, 5pm – 11pm, Sunday- 10am – 5pm

Location: 657 Washington Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238

Phone: (718) 636-2900

When one of the best chefs in the world—the only chef with two restaurants on the Fifty Best list, in fact—opens a casual, all-day affair in Manhattan’s trendiest neighborhood, you get ATLA. Enrique Olvera’s stripped-down sibling establishment to the dressed-up Cosme is no slouch. Chef Olvera and his Chef de Cuisine, Daniela Soto-Innes, have created another hit: one that dabbles in all day-parts and succeeds from 8AM to 2AM.

The first thing you notice about ATLA, after the well-earned press and praise, is the space. It’s stylish, sleek, and minimalist. The focus here is food, beverage, and people—those inside and those walking past the giant, aquarium windows through NoHo.   Second: the cheery, attentive service team at the ready to settle you in for the fun—be it fresh juice, guacamole toast, single-farm mezcal, or the newly-launched tacos. Finally, that food, which is light, bright, and packing punches you don’t anticipate but welcome warmly. The chicken enchiladas, for example, bathed in either verde or rojo salsa, is excellent in its simplicity, but unlike any enchilada you’ve had before. Sweet blueberries come nested on top of coconut yogurt and drizzled in olive oil. And that’s just breakfast! Stay all day to catch the dinner menu, which abounds with more hits, like the ayocote hummus, fish Milanese, and ceviche verde.

The Takeaway: All-day dining is on the rise in NYC, as restaurateurs look to maximize revenue from rent-straddled locations. Few are doing it better than ATLA, which occupies a space that encourages sitting, watching, and indulging. The menu excels in the morning as well as at night—which is its key to approachability. Not designed to be Cosme-light, but rather of its own identity, ATLA succeeds by providing compelling reasons to visit: superb food, beverages, and service that cater to diners throughout the day.