Waverly Diner

"Waverly is now four decades old, and vying to be New York City’s best-known diner. Egg breakfasts are picturesquely served sizzling in a skillet, and will likely include the restaurant’s hash browns from freshly shredded potatoes darkly browned. Pancakes, omelets and other breakfast fare are offered in abundance." - Melissa McCart

"This corner diner over the Washington Square subway station is something of a default dining destination for Greenwich Village, and underwent a refurbishing a few years ago in which topical murals and bouncy booths were installed. Its burgers, pastries, and breakfasts served in skillets have long been admired, and though it’s no longer open 24 hours, the place is still cranks from early in the morning to 11 p.m. or 1 a.m. every night." - Melissa McCart, Robert Sietsema

"Returning to NYC from Europe gives you the good kind of jet lag, the kind that makes you a morning person. Suddenly you’re up at 5am naturally and ready to go full American Psycho. You could easily run on the West Side Highway as the sun rises, blowdry your hair before work…you could even become someone who (gasp!) eats breakfast. Anytime I’m up early, I head over to the Waverly Diner, which is the platonic ideal of an NYC diner—think cozy booths, friendly servers, sizzling griddles. The famous Waverly Melt is life-saving: the eggs and bacon are served in a red-hot steel skillet, and the food arrives before you finish ordering it. They also have amazing honey mustard, which you should get on the side of anything you order if you know what’s good for you." - cat cohen

"This diner is located in an old wood-framed house just off Washington Square, known for its superb fluffy french toast paired with plump sausages." - Robert Sietsema

"Waverly Diner in Greenwich Village has a steady stream of customers from when it opens at 7am to when it closes at midnight. Groups of two eat patty melts quickly and silently, while a table full of people who’ve been coming here since it opened in 1979 settle in for a full meal: big glasses of red wine, steamed vegetables, and plates of steak. The food here is not great—it’s largely under seasoned and overcooked—and the prices seem to have doubled since that group of people first started coming here. But it’s steps from the West 4th Street station, so it might come in handy one day, and the people-watching is adequate. Just stick to the most basic stuff, like a $13.25 plate of two eggs over-easy, and hash browns. photo credit: Kate Previte" - Willa Moore