Sarah opened Rita & Maria in 2022, naming the business after her grandmothers. Tucked into a tranquil Brooklyn neighborhood, it’s become a gathering spot for unpretentiously dressed locals who fill the chairs set up on the sidewalk. You can tell that time flows differently here than in Manhattan. Witnessing this “real” view of New York on the daily, Sarah shared some thoughts on style and mornings in the city.

“Personally, I go for men’s shirts and jeans in springtime. Rolling the cuffs a little bit to show the shoes. If I’m feeling something preppy, I’ll wear a button-down tucked into trousers. In a sense, it’s a little like a New York breakfast. Keep it old school, none of the flashy stuff you see at brunch or dinner. I’d say nine out of ten of our customers are regulars. Not dressed up in any big way. Everybody has their own way of starting the day. It speaks to who they are. It might be the kind of pastry they choose, the way they drink their coffee, or the little ways they tend to their appearance. In this crazy world where things are always changing, there’s a persistent undercurrent of simplicity, the unpretentious classics. No matter what happens, New Yorkers will keep having breakfast. It’s not the sort of thing that dies away.”