It might not seem like the best idea to open a New York destination with a dual personality. But that hasn’t hindered San Remo, Soho’s newest eatery. Starting at 8 a.m., the front café is buzzing with regulars picking up a cup of Lofted coffee and House of Waris Teas on the run, while the seats are filled with creative freelancers, tapping away at their computers. This is the vibe until around 6 p.m., when the restaurant and lounge starts serving food, and it continues until “late” (which means 2 or 3 a.m.), when the kitchen closes.

The front coffee bar is light and airy, with white and black tiles and plenty of natural sunlight streaming in from Lafayette Street. The back lounge space is quite a bit darker, with one long green banquette stretching from one end to the other, little red and yellow lacquered tables scattered throughout and an Art Deco mirror fanning out behind the fully stocked bar. The different portions of San Remo are as different as day and night. And that’s kind of the point.