Noodletown, New York

The most surprising aspect of Noodletown is its modern décor: sturdy wooden chairs and glass-covered tables are complimented by a level of cleanliness that puts most other noodle joints to shame. A bowl of steaming, heavenly wonton noodle soup will run you four bucks, and you can enjoy it sitting down rather than perching at a cramped bar. You can also get a variety of other noodle soups, congee, noodle bowls, and some tasty soft-shell crab, all of which are served in generous proportions. Any place that’s still crowded at 3AM has got to be something worth writing about.