Oren's Coffee - Grand Central Terminal

If you pass through Grand Central at any caffeinate-appropriate time, make a stop at Oren's. In the wee hours, 6am to 9am, the groove is so solid in there you CANNOT leave without a smile on your face. Fishbone, Al Green, the Police, Stevie Wonder, Beastie Boys. Fucking fat mix every morning. Weekend staff - grungey indie crackers for the most part, with music to match - are a lazy, sullen, and arrogant group - but the coffee and muffins are second to none regardless of who's pouring. Little pricks.

The Waverly - Greenwich Village

Greasy Spoon #1 - in Manhattan. No doubt about it. Great toast, great service, low-fi vibe, and the best part is the head shots of faces that everybody almost knows, but doesn't. "Wasn't she in Buck Rogers . . . ."

At 6th Ave and Waverly place, sitting on top of the West 4th/Wash Square subway stop (NW Corner) - good people watching at all hours and the cabs outside have great momentum in any direction.