Dimes

Dimes’ ambitions were always bigger than its original 18-seat East Chinatown premises: part healthy (but not “health food”) restaurant, part New Age-y boutique, part hipster hangout, part brunch destination. And so, to satisfy the seemingly bottomless appetites of the region’s skate punks and visual-identity crafters, an eventual expansion gave rise to a quick-serve “deli,” an adjacent natural-and-gourmet-foods market, and a bigger version of Dimes itself, this one equipped with amenities like a gas-fired kitchen and full liquor license. The signature açai bowls aren’t going anywhere, but now, they appear alongside Indian-spiced eggs and African-millet porridge, plus grass-fed bar steaks and sustainably sourced fish for dinner. The scene can feel overheated and cliquish, especially if you’re venturing from a distant Zip Code, but the culinary gestalt remains the same: 1970s-era-whole-food-hippie chow for the jaded modern palate.