1 HIDDEN VIETNAMESE
Penn Station Coffee
Uptown
Tucked behind the 17th Avenue Orange Theory Fitness studio in Uptown, Penn Station Coffee is a tiny, unassuming, utterly wonderful hidden gem. Owner Jessica Thai, a Vietnam native who opened the shop in 2016, has dotted her daytime cafe menu (lattes, breakfast pastries, turkey sandwiches) with specialties from her childhood. Your choice of succulent barbecue pork, chicken, or tofu fills Penn Station’s banh mi, built with the perfect proportion of fresh herbs, cucumber, pickled carrot, and rich paté on a warm, toasty-edged French roll; the same proteins also top noodle and rice bowls. “Hu tieu” (a spicy noodle soup redolent of lemongrass), cool pork- or shrimp-filled spring rolls, and sweet, rich Vietnamese coffee are equally welcome, especially given the dearth of high-quality, classic…