Cafe Ronda 249 Columbus Ave. (71st & 72nd Sts.)
Upper West Side
212.579.9929
Cafe Ronda:
Latin American food doesn’t always mean burritos, gringos. The Argentine steak grill choices on Ronda’s dinner menu demonstrate that this is certainly better than your average tapas bar. The place can feel even smaller than it is when it’s crowded, like during Sunday brunch, but can be quite laid-back and cozy when it’s not. The candlelit and Spanish-tiled café boasts a longer than usual happy hour of 2pm-7pm on weekdays, and it attracts siesta-time customers thirsting for anything from lunch to coffee to the after-work cocktail. The sangria, in particular, goes down pretty well. Late summer nights are a good time to sit on the sidewalk patio and start a little fiesta.