Bistro les Amis

This beloved Soho spot hits all the essential bistro marks: Black-and-white Robert Doisneau prints line the walls, white lace curtains dress the windows, and the courtly owner is known to dispense gratis port to deserving patrons. The worn cherry bar is the preferred perch for Spring Street locals, who opt for solid steak frites with herb butter and glasses of bordeaux. In addition to other standards (meaty crab cakes in creamy lobster sauce), there are welcome surprises, like oven-roasted monkfish coated in a bold wasabi sauce. Not exactly groundbreaking, but we’d happily linger on Les Amis’ turf, however familiar.