One of the great ironies of New York is how utterly alone you can be even when steeped in a city of millions. While the crowds of cannoli-craving, latte-loving tourists never seems to thin out at this circa 1892 Little Italy gem, that doesn’t bother chefs like Monkey Bar’s Chris Cheung – in fact, he thinks it’s just perfect. “Whenever we had private meetings, we would do it over cappucino at Ferrara’s on Grand street.”

While it’s not the place we’d go for a quiet coffee, as nabbing one of those marble-topped caffe tables in the red-and-white checker floor dining area is no small feat, it’s a fun spot to bring out-of-town visitors for a glimpse into a disappearing world of sfogliatelle, Neapolitan-style rum-soaked sponge cake, creamy, layered Napoleons, and multi-generational owned businesses that built this crazy town to what it is today.