Red Spoon Cafe

Open twenty-four hours a day, the Donut Pub is a classic on 14th Street. This sweets bar harkens back to the style of the vintage soda fountain joint with black and white tiles, marble countertops, and stool seating. It is a true relic of an older time, and this is all thanks to Buzzy Geduld. Buzzy and his brother, Irwin, opened six donut shops around the city back in the 1960s “when there was a donut place on every block. ” Toward the end of the decade, Buzzy was offered a job on Wall Street, and he closed all but one of the businesses: the Donut Pub that is still standing today. Even as Buzzy worked in finance until the 2000s, he visited the shop every Saturday to have a coffee, a treat, and to discuss ideas for introducing new donuts or improving on old recipes. However, the core elements have remained the same. Buzzy is proud to say that everything at the Pub is made by hand, “the old-fashioned way. ” He continues to stop by on weekends to indulge in one of his favorites — a black and white Boston cream — and witness others enjoy the fruits of his labor.

Beneath the Spanish Benevolent Society lies La Nacional, one of Manhattan’s most authentic Spanish restaurants and the most easily accessible part of the society. Just by walking down the steps into the dimly lit basement lounge, we felt the bustle of 14th street quickly recede and we were transported across the ocean. La Nacional has the same relaxed, no frills atmosphere as most tapas bars in Spain. We gazed at the old photographs from the society’s earlier years on the walls and then had the option of sipping a drink at the bar, sampling some classic simple Spanish tapas such as tortilla de patatas, croquetas or chorizo, or dining on a full meal of paella. Perhaps the most authentic option, though, was to simply have a seat by the television to watch the fútbol game - it is always on. For visitors from Spain who want a taste of home, those of us pining for the Spanish travels of our past, or New Yorkers simply curious about a new culture, La Nacional is the place to go.