[Photograph: Robyn Lee]

There are some days when you want a midday meal that feels more substantial than a sandwich or a salad. When that craving strikes, the Rotisserie Chicken ($12) at The Smile To Go is a good bet. A small half-bird comes with a decent portion one of The Smile's great vegetable sides. It's got all you need from a good rotisserie chicken—it's juicy, hot, and well-seasoned; and if on our visit it took 15 minutes to get us our order, well, that just means it's already more popular than we'd realized. Definitely chase it with a cookie, either a pleasingly salty chocolate chip or a crisp-chewy ginger.

The Smile To Go

22 Howard Street, New York NY 10013 (map)
646-329-5836
thesmilenyc.com

About the author: Carey Jones is the Senior Managing Editor of Serious Eats. Follow her on Twitter (@careyjones).