According to restaurant reservation app OpenTable's analysis of its users, the rate of solo dining excursions have increased by 62 percent in the past 2 years, and we here at Opening Ceremony couldn't be happier. The long stigmatized ritual of eating alone needs to finally be recognized for the art form it is. After all, solo eating establishments--the truly great ones--require a precise atmosphere. Some are quiet and discreet. Others are unexpected and lie in plain sight. But they can all be difficult to find in a metropolis.
Luckily, New York Times writer Alex Vadukul has taken on the task of finding the best of the best in solo eating around NYC. In this installment of "Eating Solo," Alex visits the Garment District to eat some some Italian food... and solve a murder at Murdered By the Mob.