Founded by a pair of longtime friends, Alita offers excellent locally-roasted coffee and sublime pastries and sandwiches, all baked in-house. Get a soft slice of banana bread or gooey chocolate chip cookie to have with your coffee if they haven’t sold out yet. While we’ve placed this in the afternoon pick-me-up category, their breakfast sandwiches (bacon, egg and cheese wedged between fluffy focaccia or warm biscuits) cooked right on the other side of the counter, are another exceptional way to start your day.  

Warm, rustic, with low wooden ceilings reminiscent of a ship’s interior, Ore Bar is an excellent spot for a relaxed, solid pre-dinner cocktail, tucked into one of their booths. Things can get lively later into the night on Fridays and Saturdays with live DJs. On Sundays, the mood gets cosy – they serve ramen.   

This cosy, mystical boutique marries a beguiling mix of ’80s and ’90s apparel (the jackets and dresses have a slightly more tailored, glam feel at times – like shearlings and a slew of floor-length garments) with curios like crystals, incense, and tarot decks. A cheeky marriage of fashion and ritual.     

The room is golden, the music easy, and the food downright joyful. Guatemalan roots run deep here: sweet plantains, pulled pork and creamy scrambled egg carnitas bowls and rum cocktails that go down a little too fast. Williamsburg has plenty of brunch spots, but Claudia’s has real soul.