On days I’m working from home, I love meeting friends for lunch. I find it’s a nice way to break up the day, and you can actually hear each other talk! Another plus is that it tends to be way less expensive than dinner. A lot of NYC restaurants offer lunch special, and without the added expense of alcohol, it’s way more realistic.

I’m a sucker for a good diner omelet for lunch (you can take the girl outta Jersey, but tastebuds don’t lie) or a big salad, but it’s nice to mix things up sometimes. I recently had a great meal at Souen near Union Square. Out of all 3 locations, this one on East 13th street is my favorite—I first went there in, like, 2009 or 2010 and then it fell off my radar for a while. I’ve since been making up for lost time, and I was excited to share the place with a lady-friend who’s not a big meat-eater. I went with the tofu and squash dish, which was phenomenal. I wanted to drink the tahini sauce straight but managed to refrain from doing so.

If you’re looking for some tasty, healthy food near Union Square, I’d highly recommend this place.

Do you prefer meeting friends for lunch or dinner?