Empire Diner

Empire Diner has more lives than a cat. The famous Chelsea luncheonette, whose Art Deco exterior has been featured in everything from Woody Allen’s Manhattan to the opening credits of Saturday Night Live, has shifted ownership frequently since the 1970s. (The most recent proprietor was Food Network toque Amanda Freitag, who previously took on the iconic space from January 2014 to December 2015.) Now chef John DeLucie, who has experience adopting historic restaurants (the Waverly Inn), partners with the team behind Cafeteria for this latest iteration of the corner diner. Inside the vintage digs—complete with restored stainless steel, wood panels and outdoor seating in the warmer months—DeLucie serves classic American cuisine, including macaroni and cheese with Black Diamond cheddar and Parmesan bread crumbs, a double-patty burger with herbed french fries, and sourdough-pretzel fried chicken with chili-mustard sauce.