Jenna Wortham is a technology reporter for the New York Times living in Brooklyn. When she isn't hunting for new GIFs on the internet or sending messages in emoji, she's working on her side project, Girl Crush Zine. This is her take on four places she likes, and one place she doesn't.

What: Fried Chicken with Mac n' Cheese and a Biscuit Where: Pies-n-Thighs, Williamsburg's favorite down-home Southern snack-shack. Ideal meal: Cheap, delicious eats for breakfast, lunch, and dinner—minus any shred of New York pretension. Because: Sometimes a simple comfort food meal is all you need to cures life's woes. Tastes like: Crispy batter around succulent drumsticks, thighs, and wings. Melt-in-your-mouth biscuit and gooey mac n' cheese complete the deal. Choose from a long list of sides (hush puppies, grits, and baked beans are my second choices). Bottom line: $11 for the Fried Chicken Box (with a biscuit and a side) will satisfy any appetite, although you may need to snag some extra chicken for the walk home, just 'cause it's so tasty.

● Pies-n-Thighs (Williamsburg) - Long-awaited return of comfort food legend. ● Van Leeuwen (Greenpoint) - Artisan ice cream shop about to change the way you experience McCarren Park.

● Pies-n-Thighs (Williamsburg) - Long-awaited return of comfort food legend. ● Andaz Wall Street (Lower Manhattan) - Hyatt gets haute on the Financial District. ● Andaz Fifth Avenue (Midtown East) - New-school Hyatt brings both style and substance to the heart of midtown.