A One-Restaurant Town
"Many people have never heard of Tudor City. They ask me, 'is it in Queens?' " —Chris Cannon, the owner of L'Impero, the only restaurant in Tudor City.

The upscale L'Impero has become a destination for foodies from all five boroughs. Cannon feels that the unique, slightly European vibe to the area makes it more of an "experience" than the run-of-the-mill bistro.

Nestled within 45 Tudor City Place, with a small garden for outdoor summer seating and a lone Vespa near the door — "it's a prop," confesses Cannon—the much-lauded Italian restaurant has been open for about a year and a half and has attracted a whole new crowd of visitors to the area. "It's relaxed. It slows your heart-rate when you come here," he says. For partners Cannon and head chef Scott Conant, pictured, the area's lower rent also makes it more profitable. As for the residents' reaction, Cannon concedes that it has been mixed: "Some people do feel alienated."