🏙️ East Village, New York
I lived in the East Village for 5 years, and would not have traded it for the world (5 floor walk up and all). I lived on 9th street between 2nd & 3rd, which is one of my favorite streets in all of New York. There is so much to eat, drink and experience in this little pocket of Manhattan, so here it goes!
Time to go:
In my opinion, May-July or Sept-Nov are my favorite times to be in NYC. These months are not too hot & not too cold, although I will say it’s pretty magical around Christmas time!
Transportation:
Subway, taxi, Uber, walk, bike, the options are endless. NYC has some of the best transportation in the world.
eat —
Veselka:
Go for the Pierogi’s and stay for the Borscht (hot or cold). This classic Ukrainian restaurant is open 24/7 and has everything from delicious pies, to their infamous “egg creams”.
Decibel:
A dark, underground saki bar with over 100 different varieties.
Superiority Burger:
Don’t be fooled by the name, as this is a vegetarian burger joint. Their classic “burger” is delicious, and so is the Sloppy Dave.
Whitmans:
This hole in the wall serves up some pretty creative burgers. They have a super unique selection, from a short rib patty blended with habanero peppers, to a beef burger stuffed with pimento cheese. Enough said.
Frank:
This was one of the first restaurants I ate at when I first moved to the East Village. It’s a quintessential NYC Italian spot. Loud, small, crowded, good wine, and even better pasta & pizza. Cash only, so plan accordingly.
Momofuku Noodle Bar:
Momofuku a couple gems throughout the city, but this is one of my favorites.
Narcissa:
Located in the Standard East Hotel, this farm-to-table restaurant is perfect for a date night, or when family is in town.
Ippudo:
A little hyped, but good ramen none the less.
Mimi Chengs:
AMAZING dumplings with other noodle dishes and sides. Flavors change monthly.
Rosies:
Perfect Mexican restaurant for groups, with plenty of outdoor seating. Try the cactus :)
Hanoi House:
Flavorful Vietnamese cuisine. Go early and put your name in, as there is usually always a long wait.
Miss Lilys:
Colorful. Jamaican. Good vibes. Amazing jerk corn.
The Mermaid Inn:
Always a great spot for seafood. Go for the dollar oysters on Mondays.
Huertas:
Great Spanish tapas bar. Try the Spanish wine coolers with their homemade sodas.
Hearth:
This spot has a pretty great prix fixe menu. Not too badly priced either.
Joe’s Pizza:
A NYC classic. Best pizza.
Yuca Bar:
Latin food with a funky ambiance. Try the tequenos and arepas!
coffee —
Coffee Project:
Solid, hip coffee shop with great espresso.
Ninth Street Espresso:
Small coffee shop with a simple menu.
Mud:
Super eclectic coffee shop that also serves brunch. Have the huevos rancheros in the garden out back.
Third Rail Coffee:
The best iced latte!
Porto Rico Importing Co:
Great spot to buy coffee beans. They have coffee as well, but nothing fancy. Super affordable.
Saltwater Coffee:
White washed Australian coffee shop. Try the maple latte!
Abraco:
Great coffee, and even better pastries.
stay —
The Standard: $$
This is the smaller hotel of the two standards in NYC. Still a very hip experience with well designed rooms.
The Bowery Hotel: $$$
This hotel’s lobby is covered with oriental rugs and cozy vintage furniture. They also have house bikes.
PUBLIC Hotel: $$
A sleek and modern hotel with a restaurant and a rooftop.
The East Village Hotel: $
A tiny little hotel in the heart of the East Village.
drink —
Summit Bar:
To be honest, I am not a huge cocktail person. I always find them to be way too sweet. However, the “Charmane’s Star” is one of my all time favorite cocktails. It consists of Polish Vodka, Cinnamon Infused Agave, English Cucumber, Shiso Leaf, Lime Juice & Rhubarb Bitters. YUM!
Blind Barber:
Really fun speakeasy in the back of an old barber shop. Go early to nab a table and avoid lines.
Death & Co:
An old, classic NYC cocktail bar.
McSorleys:
One of the oldest Irish pubs in NYC. Also know for the sawdust on the floor.
The Immigrant:
I lived across the street from this intimate wine bar. Large pours and small bites.
MACE:
This cocktail bar has a menu where each cocktail is created based off a type of spice.
Please Don’t Tell:
Small speakeasy infamous for their entrance through a phone booth within Crif Dogs which is also worth a try! Make sure you call to make a reservation.
sweets —
Van Leeuwen:
Amazing ice cream with vegan options.
Chikalicious:
A dessert bar with asian influence. Mostly known for their churro ice cream cones, and their warm monkey bread which you can smell from blocks away. There are two locations, one is a sit down bar, and the other is take out.
Momofuku Milk Bar:
Famous for their “cereal milk” soft serve which was my favorite thing to get on a hot summer day. Try their crack pie & birthday cake truffles as well, they do not disappoint!
Big Gay Ice Cream:
Creative soft serve concoctions.
Davie’s Ice Cream:
Another solid ice cream spot, with creamy homemade flavors. Try the Nutella Chocolate Chunk.
Sundaes & Cones:
Known for their more unique, asian inspired flavors, like green tea & red bean.
Veniero’s:
A famous Italian bakery that has been around since the 1800’s.
shop —
Stillhouse NYC:
A well curated jewelry and interior shop.
Meg:
Cute clothing boutique with casual, relaxed looks.
Cobblestones:
A vintage consignment shop where you can find all sorts of treasures.
Duo NYC:
Another clothing shop with a large selection of vintage jeans.
Pink Olive:
Great little gift shop with every kind of greeting card you would ever need.
Buffalo Exchange:
A second hand thrift store where you can buy and sell your clothes.
Random Accessories:
This shop is called Random Accessories for a reason. There is really something random for anyone you might know.
Cure Thrift Shop:
A really great thrift store with clothing, home items, and furniture.
The Strand:
One of the last standing bookstores. They have great prices and a HUGE selection of books. New & used.
Verameat:
Handmade delicate jewelry.
Caseys Rubber Stamps:
A store where the walls are lined with every type of stamp you could dream up.