Cafe Mogador

A St. Mark's fixture since the '80s, Mogador turns out Moroccan comfort food with the easy confidence of a place that never needed to chase trends.

The room hums year-round, but it's the sidewalk tables in warm weather where Mogador really makes its case, plates of merguez and saffron-stained couscous arriving alongside carafes of sangria. Weekend brunch draws lines for good reason: the Moroccan eggs, all cumin and harissa heat, are worth the wait. Decades in, it still feels like a neighborhood secret everyone happens to know about.

Best for: Long, unhurried brunches or a low-key dinner after wandering St. Mark's