Serious Eats: New York
Lunch for One: Kiva Cafe
[Photo: Kathy Chan]
The soup is hot and hearty, and always the main draw for lunch at Kiva Cafe. Part art gallery, and part popular lunchtime stop, this Tribeca cafe is a classic community gathering spot. The service is friendly but very slow, and it's certainly not a dining destination, but nonetheless a wonderful spot if you're in the neighborhood.
Soup and sandwich ($8.95) is the combo to get—the soup varies daily, and I've yet to have one that leaves me anything less than happy. Tuscan white bean one day; a traditional black bean another. They run out of soup early in the day, so come in on the earlier side. As for the sandwich, you have your choice from a selection of six, the highlight of which is a warm marinated portobello sandwich, layered with olive tapenade, and parmesan on Sullivan Street ciabatta.
For dessert, there's a selection of little bites, running from cookies to baklava and mini-muffins ($1.25). Muffin flavors change frequently, and chocolate chip banana (pictured above), carrot, and blueberry are often spotted. None is particularly memorable, though they're a simple and sweet way to close off your meal.
Kiva Cafe
139 Reade Street, New York NY 10013 (map)
212-229-0898
kivacafe.com