Guidebook for New York
EATING
The East Village and Lower East Side have the highest concentration of interesting, diverse and affordable places to eat and drink in all of NYC.
Classic French bistro. Ultra hip and can be tough to get a table though. A bit pricey as well.
101 locals recommend
Lucien
14 1st Ave.Classic French bistro. Ultra hip and can be tough to get a table though. A bit pricey as well.
Supper
156 E 2nd StAmazing Italian, great ambiance, reasonable prices. Cash only.
Frank
88 2nd AveAnother amazing Italian restaurant with outdoor seating. Cash only.
Van Da
234 E 4th StExcellent, high-end Vietnamese food.
Amazing Italian food, ambiance and wood-fired pizza. Order the pie with prosciutto and fresh arugula that's not listed on the menu and you can thank me later :) Cash only though!
148 locals recommend
Lil' Frankie's
19 1st Ave.Amazing Italian food, ambiance and wood-fired pizza. Order the pie with prosciutto and fresh arugula that's not listed on the menu and you can thank me later :) Cash only though!
Very popular and affordable wine bar just a few doors down the block. Great happy hour and a lively atmosphere with outdoor seating.
Bibi Wine Bar
Very popular and affordable wine bar just a few doors down the block. Great happy hour and a lively atmosphere with outdoor seating.
Downtown Bakery
69 1st Ave.Under the radar spot for affordable and amazing Mexican food.
Drinks & Nightlife
Classic NYC Bar with great people watching. DJ's upstairs and a dive bar vibe on the ground floor. In addition, they have a new, uber-hip secret bar in the basement called Berlin. Entrance is on the side and if you want to get in, do what you can to exude "Downtown Cool."
10 locals recommend
2A
25 Avenue AClassic NYC Bar with great people watching. DJ's upstairs and a dive bar vibe on the ground floor. In addition, they have a new, uber-hip secret bar in the basement called Berlin. Entrance is on the side and if you want to get in, do what you can to exude "Downtown Cool."
Classic dive bar a block away. Places like this are what make the East Village the East Village.
33 locals recommend
Sophie's
507 East 5th StreetClassic dive bar a block away. Places like this are what make the East Village the East Village.
Super fun and quirky dive bar with affordable and delicious New Orleans-inspired food in Dimes Square.
183 locals recommend
169 Bar
169 E BroadwaySuper fun and quirky dive bar with affordable and delicious New Orleans-inspired food in Dimes Square.
Hip downtown bar in my favorite part of the Lower East Side, Dimes Square. Good for dates or drinks with friends. Awesome reasonably priced food as well.
181 locals recommend
Forgtmenot
138 Division StHip downtown bar in my favorite part of the Lower East Side, Dimes Square. Good for dates or drinks with friends. Awesome reasonably priced food as well.
The Bulgarian Bar is a classic, unpretentious and surreal place to go dance your face off with a sweaty international crowd that skews Eastern European.
23 locals recommend
Mehanata - The Bulgarian Bar
113 Ludlow StThe Bulgarian Bar is a classic, unpretentious and surreal place to go dance your face off with a sweaty international crowd that skews Eastern European.
St. Dymphna's
117 Avenue AGreat local bar. Good music. Fun crowd. Garden in back.
Bibi Wine Bar
211 East 4th StreetSuper popular wine bar on our street with a great happy hour.
Pretty Ricky’s
Excellent cocktails, beers and food in the Lower East Side.
Parks & Nature
Great spot to bring your bagel or lunch and people watch. Or better yet, dog-watch in storied dog park!
538 locals recommend
Tompkins Square Park
East 10th StreetGreat spot to bring your bagel or lunch and people watch. Or better yet, dog-watch in storied dog park!
There have been a lot of improvements to the riverside park and it's a great place to chill, go for a run, play tennis, or a bike ride. One can pretty much circle the entire island of Manhattan along the bike path that runs through it.
89 locals recommend
East River Promenade
East River PromenadeThere have been a lot of improvements to the riverside park and it's a great place to chill, go for a run, play tennis, or a bike ride. One can pretty much circle the entire island of Manhattan along the bike path that runs through it.
Arts & Culture
Fascinating insight into the way many generations of Americans arrived in New York and the conditions in which they lived.
603 locals recommend
Tenement Museum
103 Orchard StFascinating insight into the way many generations of Americans arrived in New York and the conditions in which they lived.
Brand new photography museum on Essex Street in the Lower East Side.
52 locals recommend
International Center of Photography Museum
79 Essex StBrand new photography museum on Essex Street in the Lower East Side.
Edgy contemporary art museum in a really interesting building. Your entrance fee will also give you access to the International Center of Photography Museum across the street!
629 locals recommend
New Museum of Contemporary Art
235 BoweryEdgy contemporary art museum in a really interesting building. Your entrance fee will also give you access to the International Center of Photography Museum across the street!
Essentials
Key Food Supermarkets
492 Myrtle AveHuge grocery store across the street.
Union Market
240 E Houston StHigh end and organic grocery store a couple blocks away.
Everything Else
Old school bathhouse that has been around since the 1880's. Full of characters, Russian food and people sweating out their hangovers.
68 locals recommend
Russian & Turkish Baths
268 E 10th StOld school bathhouse that has been around since the 1880's. Full of characters, Russian food and people sweating out their hangovers.