Chelsea Square Diner • 1980

When John Boumakis and John Lapsatis opened this Greek-owned 24-hour diner in Chelsea in 1980, they built it on pancakes, omelets, and French toast thick enough to earn a following that spans generations. Still run by Lapsatis and Boumakis' son Manny, the vintage-lined corner spot churns out comfort classics around the clock—burgers, a rotating lineup of five to seven soups daily, and those same fluffy pancakes that made its name.