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However tony Hell's Kitchen has become, it's still bad to be bourgeois in this once rough-and-tumble 'hood. And the Coffee Pot's regulars—actors, writers and local joes all jammed inside—revel in its unpretentiousness. Coffee Pot's simplicity is reflected in its java: no cremated beans with Euro-sounding names here. Instead the coffee, served in bowl-cups, is smooth and smartly priced. Lunch is hearty and healthy, with a plethora of low-cal wraps to accommodate ever-dieting actors, while the wholesome soups from Hale & Hearty, odd in June, are perfect in December. The front of the café is spacious with cabaret-style tables and low-priced Internet access. But while the overstuffed couches in the rear are coveted, they've seen better days and seem to beg for sloppy spills. — Leonard Jacobs