El Cochinito (CLOSED)

This decades-old tiny family-run Cuban eatery lays claim to having the best cubano in the world (at least, according to the judges at the 2018 International Cuban Sandwich Festival). First opened in 1988, this neighborhood eatery offers not just the country's famous ham-pork-and-cheese sandwich, but plenty of heartier dishes you can't find anywhere else in the city. Take the pollo empanizado: a huge smashed chicken breast gently breaded and fried that's big enough for two and best eaten with a side of plantains. A newer, modern wine and program mean that diners here can drink like they're at Night + Market Song down the street or Eszett basically next door—all while enjoying homestyle Cuban cuisine that's stood the test of time.