I love nothing more than a good old New York coffee shop. Maybe it’s because these neighborhood institutions are disappearing fast. It’s definitely not the food but the cozy, everyone-in-the-’hood-eats-here atmosphere.

My favorite of the moment is Joe Jr. Restaurant in the Village. It’s tiny, not much bigger than a McMansion’s walk-in closet. There’s a counter, of course, where I like to sit, and maybe a half-dozen stools. The men and women serving the food are friendly and efficient and seem to know everyone.

Like every good New York neighborhood joint, the patrons consider the place an extension of their personal living quarters and are not bashful about handing out unsolicited advice. Last weekend I was standing at the counter ordering a ham sandwich (really fresh rye, perfectly OK ham). I was chatting with a friend about “secret pork eaters,” you know, observant Jews and Muslims who normally observe dietary laws but sneak a piece of bacon now and then. A gent eating his eggs piped up: “Yeah, lots of people sneak bacon.” He then proceeded to recommend a book by an Iranian author about her adventures assimilating into American culture, including, apparently, her ham-sneaking escapades, called Funny in Farsi, by Firoozeh Dumas. Haven’t read it, but might be worth checking out.

Joe Jr. Restaurant
482 6th Ave.
NY, NY
Open 7 days a week, 8 a.m. to 1 a.m.
212 824 5220

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