Ryu

A full sushi-course away from the Financial District crowd, Ryu slips just south of Cortlandt on Greenwich. The menu rolls in from classic sashimi to heartier donburi while the kitchen works at the counter. You can pencil in either a bento set or a plated kaiseki course depending on the hour. They’ll slide small plates between your pair of chopsticks or split a tempura platter if the group leans that way.

Catch it at 46 Greenwich St New York, NY 10014, tucked in beside the white-brick towers. Tables book up by eight, though seats at the counter stay walk-up most nights. Ring 212-785-7898 when you land; they’ll tell you if the sushi bar’s open or if the udon line is shorter there instead. Directions on the map save the same block twice.

Weekday lunch specials still come with edamame and a glass of house ramune, so timing trumps reputation every time.