
Outside of Costas Ieromonahos’ iconic Tom’s Restaurant in Morningside Heights, all but two of the tables he had set up on the sidewalk for the lunchtime rush stand are empty. A few pedestrians make their way down Broadway in the July heat, ensuring there is a 6-foot bubble of space between them and passersby. Those who venture outside are met with the discordant sound of tires cruising across the pavement.