Animo!
Mexican restaurant · Midtown East ·
Mexican breakfast classics, fresh pastries, vibrant atmosphere
Mexican breakfast classics, fresh pastries, vibrant atmosphere
"I came for the concha at this Manhattan all‑day cafe, but it was the enchiladas verde ($17) that blew me away. I chose chicken (cheese is the other option), and they arrive smothered in a fantastically tangy green tomatillo salsa with a side of the cafe’s excellent refried beans. Best of all, they’re on the all‑day menu, so you don’t have to be in the neighborhood in the morning to try them." - Bettina Makalintal
"The Deal: $30 Lunch, $45 Dinner If you can’t duck out of work for a two-hour lunch, get something quick at Ánimo in Midtown East. Everything coming out of the kitchen at this Mexican counter-service spot has a simple, hearty, home-cooked feel. Choose from enchiladas, mini tostadas, sopes, and more." - bryan kim
"A tidy scoop of refried beans topped with queso fresco. A jiggly sunny-side-up egg submerged in chunky salsa roja. The food at this Midtown East daytime cafe is hearty, straightforward, and greater than the sum of its parts. Stop by for breakfast or lunch, claim one of the little booths built into the window-lined walls, and enjoy a plate of huevos rancheros so simple it looks like a Rothko painting. Pretty much everything at the counter-service spot—from the crumbly conchas to the thin, stretchy corn tortillas—is made in-house, and you can tell." - willa moore, bryan kim, will hartman, neha talreja, carlo mantuano, sonal shah
"For a quick takeout or sit-down lunch in Midtown East, Animo is the answer. The bright, pastel counter-service spot does tacos and gringas on delicate housemade tortillas, in addition to a bunch of different tortas like one stacked with refried beans and a breaded chicken cutlet. Breakfast is also served all day, in case you want your tortillas topped with eggs and chunky housemade salsa." - willa moore, bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, will hartman, sonal shah
"Every neighborhood needs an Ánimo. But for now only Midtown East has one. The pastel-colored Mexican cafe is a wonderful place for a quick and easy brunch. Order at the counter, find an open booth, then eat a concha, a simple quesadilla, and some huevos rancheros with two thick and tangy salsas." - bryan kim, willa moore, molly fitzpatrick, will hartman, sonal shah