Somewhere along the way, eating alone became something people apologize for — a middle seat at the counter, a book held up like a shield, a quick meal eaten faster than it deserves.
That's backwards. A counter seat at a good restaurant is the best seat in the house: you can see the kitchen work, talk to whoever's cooking if you want to, or say nothing at all. Nobody's waiting on you to finish a sentence.
A few rules that make it work: go to places built for counter seating, not four-tops with an awkward two-seat afterthought. Order like you would with company — a starter, something to drink, don't default to the smallest thing on the menu because you feel like you're "supposed to." And leave the phone in your bag for at least the first course. The whole point is being present for it.
Three counters in the city that get this right are in the full guide — along with which ones are worth booking ahead for, and which ones you should just walk into.