Ruby’s

219 Mulberry St., (212) 925-5755. Daily 9am-10pm.

There is no better place to be for lunch on a warm summer day in SoHo than Ruby's. That’s when this tiny Aussie-run spot opens up their entire wall to the elements, allowing happy sounds to fill the air, and it gets so overstuffed that there is always a wait. I lucked onto the best item on the menu with a simple B.L.A.T., made extraordinary with a delicious meaty bacon. My dining partners were also happy with their choices--a kale salad enhanced with pumpkin and sunflower seeds plus dried cranberries--and a portobello mushroom burger (it was more like a panini). We couldn’t resist sides of the spectacular, super-flavorful Brussels sprouts and colorful, crunchy corncakes, but that was a lot of food for three people so we lugged away the leftovers to give to a street person, but wouldn’t you know that on this beautiful day in the neighborhood we didn’t find one? So we finished them off at home.