El Faro has occupied the corner of Horatio and Greenwich since the meatpacking district actually merited its name. For decades, this Galician-owned treasure has turned out spot-on preparations of classic Spanish dishes in a cozy, semi-subterranean space that evokes the best local restaurants in smaller Iberian cities.

When I need a paella fix – or, even better, have a craving for unsurpassed gambas al ajillo – El Faro stands like a beacon, drawing me closer until I have to submit to high prices and too-formal service to get my fill. Still, I’m never disappointed here, and no one else I know is either.

Great Tapas