Profile

Saturated with fast-food outlets and plagued by lackluster saloons, the financial district has always been a budget-dining desert. This elegant café, an offshoot of Bayard's and Harry's on Hanover Square, is an oasis—not only for its mouthwatering patisserie but for its lunchtime panini and satisfying soups. We're partial to the chicken and goat cheese on Tom Cat Bakery ciabatta but are easily swayed by the equally compelling San Danielle prosciutto-mozzarella-pesto or the house-cured tuna. Bonus points: genteel service, real china, and outdoor seating on a lovely cobblestone street.