Jay Street—Borough Hall, Downtown Brooklyn

1 Zam's The Euro-style sandwiches here would stand out even if they weren’t in the midst of airport-lounge banality. The price makes them irresistible: Just $1.50 buys a roll stuffed with scrambled eggs and your choice of four toppings. The whole thing is pressed in a panini machine, which melds it together into a neat bundle. 415 Fulton St between Adams and Pearl Sts (718-246-2599)

2 Coal Pot Cuisine If you order the porridge, you won’t need to eat again until the workday is over. The oatmeal and cornmeal versions ($3 each), though a bit sweet, are nothing if not filling. If porridge isn’t your cup of gruel, try the amazing cod-and-okra stew, served over rice, for $5. 381 Bridge St between Fulton and Willoughby Sts (718-522-3600)

Lunch

3 Souvlaki House When a souvlaki stand celebrates its 35th anniversary in a neighborhood that has changed completely a half dozen times in that period, it must be doing something right. Here, the pitas are stuffed with the same processed lamb on a spit, tomatoes and lettuce as elsewhere—for a reasonable $5—but the place sets itself apart with a sweet yogurt sauce, spotless conditions and two old Greek countermen who’ve worked together so long, they finish each other’s sandwiches. 158 Lawrence St between Fulton and Willoughby Sts (718-852-0443)

4 El Tio Pio This place doesn’t do much besides simple rotisserie chicken, but its fresh-roasted bird, seasoned Peruvian-style and never overcooked, is a delight in a neighborhood where everything tends to be double-fried. Just $4 gets you two large pieces. 379 Bridge St between Fulton and Willoughby Sts (718-875-3097)

5 The No-Name Place Don’t look for a sign in the window; look for the long line of people scoring glisteningly fresh fried-fish sandwiches and fish-and-chips in a space old-timers remember as La Tavernetta. The fried whiting is a bit thin, but $4.50 buys three large pieces with a mound of excellent sweet-potato fries. 68 Willoughby St between Bridge and Lawrence Sts (no phone)

6 Hibashi Boy Possibly the area’s only quick-serve restaurant that cares about its appearance, this Boy, unfortunately, serves up wan sushi and taste-free noodle soups. But the beef bowl ($4.95) is a delight: a generous mound of slightly sweet, slightly chewy meat slices and braised onions covering a heaping pile of rice. 94 Willoughby St between Bridge and Duffield Sts (718-488-9888)

Dinner

Malaysian Rasa Sayang

7 Amette Jamaican Café The jerk-chicken roti ($6.50) here fills the stomach, warms the soul and doesn’t trouble the wallet. A chickpea pancake comes stuffed with impeccably seasoned, juicy boneless chicken. Kick off your dinner with a spicy, temptingly flaky beef patty ($1.50). 192 Duffield St at Willoughby St (718-222-8310)

8 Justin's Island Cuisine A funny thing about the jerk chicken here: It tastes like chicken. It’s covered in the same abundant spices as other jerks, but the peppery coating never overwhelms the moist, flavorful bird. Served over a pile of fried rice, it’s a great value at $7. 144 Lawrence St between Fulton and Willoughby Sts (718-625-9190)
—Gersh Kuntzman

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