In New York, we live much of our lives in public. Bars and restaurants are not only places to drink and dine, they’re also places to gather, pass on culinary traditions, and create convivial communities. Single-story buildings house placeless fast food joints, local chains, and beloved culinary institutions, as well as cocktail bars and dives. For many, these places form a mental map built over meals, dates, and everyday and special events. And for the people who work in them—front or back of house, skilled or unskilled—they provide a livelihood. Though they are woven into the fabric of our daily lives, they too are quickly disappearing.