"Depending on your geographical inclinations, this bodega that sells Mexican food on Ave B and 3rd isn’t technically on the LES, but it deserves to be on anybody’s radar in the neighborhood because of their tremendous tortas and tamales. I recently stopped in and opted for a chicken cutlet cemita, which comes on a sturdy seeded roll with crispy chicken, avocado, chipotle mayo, and tons of stringy Oaxacan cheese. I walk by this place every Sunday when I drop off my compost at the Tompkins Square Park farmer’s market, and now that I know about the excellent Mexican dishes here, I can already tell a plate of tacos or a torta are going to become one more thing I look forward to every weekend." - carlo mantuano