weekend brunch

Keith McNally's  (Balthazar, Schiller's, etc) take on a Roman pizzeria and trattoria. The wood-fired oven produces slightly charred thin crust pies, featuring a lot of interesting toppings. Also on the menu: several antipasti platters and other entrees (roasted fish,...

Sure, Keith McNally's hot spot on Rivington Street attracts a bridge and tunnel crowd, but the staff goes to great lengths to treat the locals well. If Todd is behind the bar, you can be assured of a perfectly...

A sometimes rowdy Irish theme bar with a fairly substantial menu (burgers, pizza, wings, etc), a large patio in the back and a few pool tables. 191 Orchard, near Houston 212-228-9888 Hours Mon-Fri, noon-4am; Sat-Sun, 11am-4am Web site

Located in an appealing corner spot on Orchard Street, Little Giant serves a homey, locally sourced, seasonal menu.  Brunch is very popular. 85 Orchard, at Broome 212-226-5047 ...

A French bistro with Brazilian and African accents, a laid back vibe and a party atmosphere in the late evenings. The grilled steak marinated in spices from the Ivory Coast, a Brazilian seafood stew and the lamb shank tajine...

At the end of Freeman Alley (off Rivington), Taavo Somer and William Tigertt created an enchanting hideway, offering fancy comfort food in "hunting lodge" surroundings.  "A rugged, clandestine, colonial American tavern," as they call it.  There are three bars...

A Scottish gastropub featuring a large selection of scotch and whiskeys, plus a pretty ambitious menu (including a number of chactuterie plates). 115 Allen Street, near Delancey 212-460-0915 Hours: 6 p.m.-11 p.m, Sun-Thurs; 6 p.m.-midnight, Fri-Sat Menu

Known best for its rollicking weekend brunch, Essex serves an American menu with Jewish and Latin touches. The restaurant also has weekday happy hour specials. 120 Essex, at Rivington 212-533-9616 Hours Mon-Thu, 6pm-midnight; Fri, 6pm-1am; Sat, 11am-2am; Sun, 11am-11pm Web site

A friendly family-owned restaurant serving specialties from Puebla, Mexico. 321 Houston, near Attorney 212-473-3919 Open Tue-Sun, 11am-midnight; Mon, closed Web site

Cusine: MexicanAddress: 253 Broome St. (near Orchard)/mapPhone: 212-228-6710 Hours:  Mon-Fri 11:30 a.m.-1 a.m.; weekends 10 a.m.-1 a.m.Menu/web siteReservations: yesDelivery: noMore than a decade after arriving on the "below Delancey" restaurant scene, Barrio Chino is still one of the most popular...