Food Scene
Best burger in the city! Sometimes it's not on the menu, but ask for it, and get it the way the chef recommends-- medium rare.
36 locals recommend
Brindle Room
647 E 10th StBest burger in the city! Sometimes it's not on the menu, but ask for it, and get it the way the chef recommends-- medium rare.
Quintessence
Aw baby I like it raw! Raw vegan food!
Minca
536 E 5th StAwesome handmade ramen.
Macrobiotic power food. Super healthy, simple, delicious, reasonably priced. Pretty little dining room. I eat here often.
27 locals recommend
Souen at East Village
326 East 6th StreetMacrobiotic power food. Super healthy, simple, delicious, reasonably priced. Pretty little dining room. I eat here often.
Plantian arepas, coconut milkshakes, and the rudest waiter in NYC. :)
355 locals recommend
Caracas Arepa Bar
291 Grand StPlantian arepas, coconut milkshakes, and the rudest waiter in NYC. :)
Nuanced, spicy, unusual, delicious regional Chinese food. Handmade noodles. Beloved by foodies (Bourdain, etc.). Eat in the small seating area or bring food to the park. Ridiculously cheap.
107 locals recommend
Xi'an Famous Foods
88 E BroadwayNuanced, spicy, unusual, delicious regional Chinese food. Handmade noodles. Beloved by foodies (Bourdain, etc.). Eat in the small seating area or bring food to the park. Ridiculously cheap.
Italian suckling pig stuffed with herbs, sausage, etc. Scrumptious and not PC. Great side dishes. Very small seating area, but you can eat in Tomkins Sq. Park.
32 locals recommend
Porchetta
Italian suckling pig stuffed with herbs, sausage, etc. Scrumptious and not PC. Great side dishes. Very small seating area, but you can eat in Tomkins Sq. Park.
Legendary NYC deli; it's actually good, and locals still use it.
690 locals recommend
Katz's Delicatessen
205 E Houston StLegendary NYC deli; it's actually good, and locals still use it.
It's the closest restaurant to my apartment and it has excellent soul food at a reasonable price. Very "American"-- and the fried chicken is even organic.
86 locals recommend
Bobwhite Lunch and Supper Counter
94 Loisaida AveIt's the closest restaurant to my apartment and it has excellent soul food at a reasonable price. Very "American"-- and the fried chicken is even organic.
My favorite restaurant in NYC. Raw, vegan, organic, delicious and filling. It´s not for everyone, but if you´re in NYC to try something new, this might be it.
35 locals recommend
Pure Food & Wine
54 Irving PlMy favorite restaurant in NYC. Raw, vegan, organic, delicious and filling. It´s not for everyone, but if you´re in NYC to try something new, this might be it.
The cheapest good falafel in the city. Whole wheat pita option. Perfect location in Williamsburg, right outside the subway stop, one stop east of my place on the L train. Great people watching.
75 locals recommend
Oasis
168 Bedford AveThe cheapest good falafel in the city. Whole wheat pita option. Perfect location in Williamsburg, right outside the subway stop, one stop east of my place on the L train. Great people watching.
Ninth Street Espresso
700 E 9th StGreat coffee and a great place to hang.
Great coffee and a great place to hang, or step to the park from.
236 locals recommend
Ninth Street Espresso
700 E 9th StGreat coffee and a great place to hang, or step to the park from.
Strange, creative (or interestingly derivative) desserts. No seating.
102 locals recommend
Milk Bar East Village
251 E 13th StStrange, creative (or interestingly derivative) desserts. No seating.
Awesome vegan ice cream that non-vegans love. Try the Orange Blossom if they have it. Small seating area.
26 locals recommend
Lula's Sweet Apothecary
516 E 6th StAwesome vegan ice cream that non-vegans love. Try the Orange Blossom if they have it. Small seating area.
Veniero's
342 E 11th StOld-school NY Italian desserts.
A real East Village local spot. Dirt cheap and kinda dirty. Try the pistachio soft serve, stand on the sidewalk and watch the world go by. Open really late.
19 locals recommend
Ray's Candy Store
113 Avenue AA real East Village local spot. Dirt cheap and kinda dirty. Try the pistachio soft serve, stand on the sidewalk and watch the world go by. Open really late.
Straightforward, hearty, powerful, unpretentious, filling Italian food with great outdoor seating in the summer. Even has a legit vegan option with the great fava bean soup.
78 locals recommend
Frank
88 2nd AveStraightforward, hearty, powerful, unpretentious, filling Italian food with great outdoor seating in the summer. Even has a legit vegan option with the great fava bean soup.
Veselka
144 2nd AveI put it on the list because it's open 24 hours. Decent Russian food.
A weird, old-school-NY-diner take on vegetarian food. Cheap, decent, neighborhood place. Tiny seating area.
24 locals recommend
B&H Dairy
127 2nd AveA weird, old-school-NY-diner take on vegetarian food. Cheap, decent, neighborhood place. Tiny seating area.
Pok Pok Phat Thai
137 Rivington StGreat foodie take on Thai food.
Dirt Candy
86 Allen StHighbrow foodie vegetarian comfort/junk food.
Hearth
403 E 12th StFilmmaker Wes Anderson's favorite restaurant. $$
Truly delicious Austrian food close to my place, served in a pretty, rustic dining room. $$
90 locals recommend
Edi & The Wolf
Truly delicious Austrian food close to my place, served in a pretty, rustic dining room. $$
il laboratorio del gelato
188 Ludlow StAwesome gelato.
Mission
171 E BroadwayHipster Chinese food that tastes good.
Taïm
45 Spring StThe best falafel in the world. $
Essentials
Pho Real #2 Sandwich with tofu instead of roast beef. Free 24 hour delivery or eat in Tompkins Sq. Park.
63 locals recommend
Sunny & Annie's Deli
94 Avenue BPho Real #2 Sandwich with tofu instead of roast beef. Free 24 hour delivery or eat in Tompkins Sq. Park.
It's close, cheap (for NYC) and full of Puerto Rican groceries.
135 locals recommend
Fine Fare Supermarkets
175 Clinton StIt's close, cheap (for NYC) and full of Puerto Rican groceries.
Um, because it's full of MODELS??? Oh wait, because of the great selection of organic foods, right… and the amazing build-me-a-salad bar upstairs.
1895 locals recommend
Whole Foods Market
95 E Houston StUm, because it's full of MODELS??? Oh wait, because of the great selection of organic foods, right… and the amazing build-me-a-salad bar upstairs.
The best "standard" supermarket in the neighborhood. Reasonable prices for Manhattan. Note: not many organic options.
181 locals recommend
Associated Supermarkets
216 5th AveThe best "standard" supermarket in the neighborhood. Reasonable prices for Manhattan. Note: not many organic options.
Commodities Health Food
165 1st Ave.A good neighborhood natural/organic foods grocery.
Trader Joe's
130 Court StInexpensive staples; organic options.
Sightseeing
Just unbelievably amazing. Go at night. I like a long walk toward it up Broadway from the south when it's glowing like mad and pulling you in.
2037 locals recommend
Times Square
Just unbelievably amazing. Go at night. I like a long walk toward it up Broadway from the south when it's glowing like mad and pulling you in.
Fun place for a walk/run during the day; bridge and Brooklyn views. Despite where the flag is on the map, it runs along much of the river and the footbridge to it is nearby at the east end of 6th St.
451 locals recommend
East River State Park
90 Kent AveFun place for a walk/run during the day; bridge and Brooklyn views. Despite where the flag is on the map, it runs along much of the river and the footbridge to it is nearby at the east end of 6th St.
Everything Else
The heart of the East Village. Super fun on a summer day. A great place to watch people and be a person.
The southwest corner sports a year-round farmer's market; open Sundays 9-6.
538 locals recommend
Tompkins Square Park
East 10th StreetThe heart of the East Village. Super fun on a summer day. A great place to watch people and be a person.
The southwest corner sports a year-round farmer's market; open Sundays 9-6.
The real deal. With just enough weird extra stuff to remind you you're still on earth.
Dharma Yoga Center
46 W 24th StThe real deal. With just enough weird extra stuff to remind you you're still on earth.
Donation-based yoga! You can't beat it! Power to the People!
66 locals recommend
Yoga to the People Teacher Training
12 St Marks PlDonation-based yoga! You can't beat it! Power to the People!
The oldest spa in NYC-- from before spas were cool, or really that clean. A real New York institution. Not fancy but a ton of fun. Mens' day can be kinda gay cruisy-- the rest of the time it's not.
68 locals recommend
Russian & Turkish Baths
268 E 10th StThe oldest spa in NYC-- from before spas were cool, or really that clean. A real New York institution. Not fancy but a ton of fun. Mens' day can be kinda gay cruisy-- the rest of the time it's not.
Westsuits, fins, some surf hardware. Cool surf clothes, books and boards-- whether that's good or bad is your call.
38 locals recommend
Pilgrim Surf + Supply
33 N 3rd StWestsuits, fins, some surf hardware. Cool surf clothes, books and boards-- whether that's good or bad is your call.
Essex St station
J & M Subway stop.
Astor Place
Astor Place6 Subway stop.
Shopping
Buffalo Exchange
504 Driggs AveCheap secondhand clothing, some designer good designer finds.
Odin New York
328 E 11th StCool menswear. Great sale stuff in the back.
Ladies & Gentlemen
338 E 11th StVintage American clothing as only Japanese people can fetishize it.
DQM New York
7 E 3rd StCool, functional men's skate shoes and clothing.
Pas De Deux
328 E 11th StCute women's apparel.
Tokio 7
83 E 7th StHigh-end secondhand designer clothing.
More fashion than surf stuff, but some of the workers actually know what they're taking about. Great coffee with a hidden back patio for spring/summer/fall hangout!
56 locals recommend
Saturdays NYC Crosby St
31 Crosby StMore fashion than surf stuff, but some of the workers actually know what they're taking about. Great coffee with a hidden back patio for spring/summer/fall hangout!
In case you need to ship your purchases home, or print something out.
27 locals recommend
FedEx Office Print & Ship Center
250 E Houston StIn case you need to ship your purchases home, or print something out.
Arts & Culture
Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre East Village
45 Bleecker StHilarious.
DROM
85 Avenue AGood bands and dancing, depending on the night.
Film Forum
209 W Houston StLegendary film screenings.
Anthology Film Archives
32 2nd AveArt films.
This is actually also the location of the New Musuem, but the attached store is pretty cool, too.
629 locals recommend
New Museum of Contemporary Art
235 BoweryThis is actually also the location of the New Musuem, but the attached store is pretty cool, too.
Frick Collection
1 E 70th StIncredible European masterpieces.
Colossal, overwhelming collection of artworks from around the world.
2653 locals recommend
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 5th AveColossal, overwhelming collection of artworks from around the world.
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
1071 5th AveThe building; the art.
American Museum of Natural History
200 Central Park WestAmazing.
Tenement Museum
103 Orchard StFascinating window into the history of NYC and America.
Drinks & Nightlife
Nublu Classic
62 Loisaida AveKiller live music and dancing (depending on the night).