Cafe Medi at the Hotel on Rivington describes itself as "the most Instagrammable, best Mediterranean in the L.E.S" and it’s easy to see why. With walls covered in tiled artwork, it feels like dining among an ancient Minoan fresco, and the food is just as beautiful. Go for coastal Mediterranean fare and excellent cocktails.
This restaurant specializes in food from the southern Mexican region of Oaxaca, and is also the home for Los Amantes – the high-class mezcal brand started by restaurant owners Guillermo Olguin and Ignacio Carballido. Understandably, they pride themselves on serving the best mezcal drinks in New York City, and who are we to argue?
Claudia Gold – better known as Claw Money – started as a prolific graffiti artist (you can see her signature claw motif all around the city), and has since established herself as a recognized artist, author, designer and fashion editor. Her shop in the Lower East Side sells vintage clothes and accessories, as well as Claw-customized clothes and artwork.
Dudley's serves cocktails and seasonal dishes for brunch, lunch and dinner that focus on unexpected but complementary flavors, all made with the finest ingredients – think burrata with pear and crushed pistachio, fries with truffled aioli, and crab linguine with chili, garlic, lemon and pangratto (grated bread).
Essex Street Market is a one-stop culinary shop, where you can find some of the city’s best independent businesses. It began in 1940 as a new home for the Lower East Side’s pushcart vendors, and has since become a must-visit foodie stop, selling everything from artisanal pastries to freshly caught fish.
Formaggio Kitchen founders Ihsan and Valerie Gurdal are passionate about cheese, and everything that goes with it, travelling throughout the US and Europe to source the best products, as well as jams, honeys, mustards, vinegars, olive oils and cured meats. Many of the cheeses are hand-made and aged by some of the world’s most respected affineurs (cheese agers).
Coffee nerds unite at Irving Farm, which started serving organic, handcrafted and fair trade coffee long before the words were part of everyday language. The roasting company has a long relationship with the cozy cafe on the corner of Orchard and Broome, first as a supplier, and now as an owner.
Chef Ivan Orkin describes himself as a “Jewish kid from Long Island”, and also has big love for all things Japan – so much so that he moved to Tokyo and opened a ramen shop in 2007, which became one of the city’s top noodle destinations (quite a feat for a foreigner). Now he has returned to bring Ivan Ramen to New York. Slurp and enjoy.
Ni Japanese is proof that great things come in small packages. The tiny Essex Street Market stall has garnered a big fan base thanks to its exquisite Japanese vegetarian and vegan delicacies, such as brown rice balls, tofu skin rolls and Japanese-style coleslaw.
Find a pocket of Paris in this Lower East Side cocktail and oyster bar, which is named after Rrose Sélavey – the female alter-ego of Marcel Duchamp. The interior is inspired by the moody romance of the French capital in the early 20th century, and the menu has daily fresh oysters, a full raw bar, and French-focused plates and cocktails.
Is it a café? Is it an office? It’s both! Spreadhouse Cafe serves coffee, cakes, beer and wine, and has tables that are big enough and power sockets that are plentiful enough to make it a freelancer’s dream second home. It’s worth a visit for the interior alone, which has a hut at the back that wouldn’t look out of place in Myanmar.
Not a lot comes for free in New York City, but street art? The Lower East Side has that covered. The New Allen is an art foundation created by Franco Noriega and Milan Kelez of the restaurant Baby Brasa, established to unite a collective of graffiti artists and muralists who are transforming Allen Street into a must-visit street-art gallery.
Like Beer? You’ll love Top Hops, which is described as “a celebration of beer, and the good people who brew it”. It is a shop and tasting bar for craft and import beers, and also a cultural center, hosting a range of educational events, book signings, brewmaster visits and food pairings.
The Tenement Museum preserves and interprets the history of immigration through the personal experiences of the generations of newcomers who settled in and built lives on Manhattan's Lower East Side, America's iconic immigrant neighborhood.
Image and description courtesy of Tenemant Museum
A design studio with a mission to craft clever garments that become the most hard-working pieces in your closet for years to come. In 2010, 7115 was founded by designer Szeki Chan. After years of living in the bustling city of New York, Szeki set out to make the search for high-quality and functional basics more effortless.
Image and description courtesy of 7115 by Szeki
Being naked is the #1 most sustainable option. Reformation is #2. Eco friendly dresses, jumpsuits, two pieces, tops, bottoms, wedding dresses, tees etc.
Image and description courtesy of Reformation
Zarin Fabrics is the largest resource of discounted designer fabrics in New York City and the surrounding tri-state area. Established in 1936, this third generation family-owned business is a three-floor fabric wonderland stocked with thousands of bolts of upholstery and drapery fabrics.
Image and description courtesy of Zarin Fabrics
The Angel Orensanz Foundation for the Arts was established in 1992 as an artistic and cultural resource open to artists, writers, thinkers and leaders from all over the world, and to the community around us.
Image and description courtesy of Angel Orensanz Foundation
Tictail Market gives that global community a brick-and-mortar home, and brings the newest in fashion, art, and home decor to shoppers like you. With events, activations, and a rotating selection of products, there’s always an opportunity to #discoversomethingnew.
Image and description courtesy of Tictail Market
Stop by Economy Candy to stock up on your favorites of our 2,000+ items, including chocolate covered graham crackers (with and without jelly), chocolate covered pretzels, jelly rings, bags of gummies, or that candy bar you just can’t find anywhere else.
Image and description courtesy of Economy Candy
The first project of Argentine Chef Fernando Navas, Balvanera represents the cuisine and spirit of Buenos Aires - porteña cuisine with influences from the dynamic regions of Argentina.
Image and description courtesy of Balvanera
Trapizzino was invented in 2008 by one of Rome’s most famous pizza legends, Stefano Callegari. He wanted to come up with a new way to serve classic dishes of the cucina romana, something that would make it fast to eat what is slow to cook.
Image and description courtesy of Trapizzino
Edgy boutique stocking women’s & unisex streetwear & harajuku fashions imported from Japan.
Image and description courtesy of Tokyo Rebel
Founded in New York City in 2004 by makeup artist David Klasfeld, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics started with a pair of Lip Balms, ‘Tarred’ and ‘Feathered’. As an artist, Klasfeld wanted to develop products that met the needs of artists who weren’t satisfied with the traditional options found on the market, through a commitment to innovation in color, texture and selection.
Image and description courtesy of Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics
The Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center Inc. (The Clemente) is a Puerto Rican/Latino cultural institution that has demonstrated a broad-minded cultural vision and a collaborative philosophy.
Image and description courtesy of Clemente Soto Velez Cultural and Educational Center
Opened in April 2015 by self-styled beer aficionados Annie Morton and David Peterson, Benson's brings a laid back approach to finding something new or an old favorite you won't find elsewhere. The relaxed atmosphere makes this the perfect spot for catching up with friends, or going out to make new ones. With over 40+ beers on offer, plus a great selection of hard cider and wine, there is something new for everyone.
Description Courtesy of Benson's
Soft Swerve is not your regular soft serve destination--they offer unique flavor bases such as matcha green tea, black sesame, ube (purple yam), and of course the classic vanilla. That's just the start with mouthwatering 'Swerve Specials' including the locally named Woodside (Ube Purple Yam Ice Cream, Toasted Coconut, Mochi) and Division Street (Black Sesame Ice Cream, Reese's Puffs, Mochi, Chocolate Drizzle)
Establish in 1888, Katz's Delicatessen began as a small neighborhood deli on Ludlow street. As the Lower East side transformed to the migration hub, Katz’s grew to be the neighborhood classic gathering spot. Friday nights were particularly popular as locals gathered to enjoy Franks and Beans. Now Katz’s is visited by thousands of NYC travelers who come to dine in the deli every year. We suggest you savor the pastrami!
Founded over 100 years ago, the original Russ & Daughters shop began as push cart by Joel Russ who’s original goal was to cater to the needs of Polish and Jewish immigrants. He later purchased a storefront, and named it Russ & Daughters, to give his family a partner role. Still family operated, the business is known for smoked salmon and bagels. To cater to customers who typically waited in long lines, the business opened up a cafe 3 years ago, which houses all of the store’s classic dishes.
Photo By Elizabeth Goodspeed (own work) [cc by-sa 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Dedicated to producing the very finest ice cream and sorbet, il laboratorio del gelato opened in August 2002 on Orchard Street in Lower Manhattan. With a growing list of almost 200 flavors, il laboratorio del gelato was born with the idea, as the name suggests, of being a custom "lab", where chefs and caterers are encouraged and welcomed to work with to develop unique flavors for their individual menus.
Description Courtesy of Il laboratorio del gelato
This cherished and tattered relic has been in the same Lower East Side spot since 1910 and was a pushcart before that. Proprietor Alex Wolfson, a Ukrainian immigrant, is a descendant of founder Yonah Schimmel, who helped popularize the Eastern European–inspired knish, thanks to his wife's recipe. The enormous potato specimen is the top seller, steamed in a microwave and livened up with spicy brown mustard.
Description Courtesy of NYCGo, By Urbankayaker at English Wikipedia - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by Liftarn using CommonsHelper., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11371443
Sweet Chick lives by three simple rules: great food, a cool vibe, and interesting cocktails at a great price. Along with some of the best fried chicken and waffles in New York City, they serve what they like to call American cuisine with a Southern accent: rustic but modern American comfort food and twists on classic dishes and cocktails, plus home-baked desserts that will make you feel like a kid again.
Description Courtesy of Sweet Chick
Opened in 2000 by Landmark theaters, Sunshine Cinema brings the Lower East side a wide variety of films — ranging from independent and foreign film to 3-D movies and smart films from Hollywood. Sunshine cinema is dedicated to exhibiting and marketing independent films.
Description Courtesy of Landmark Theaters
Metrograph is a unique experience of seeing prestigious films; of stepping into a special, curated world of cinema, a world of hospitality harkening back to the great New York movie theaters of the 1920s, as well as the Commissaries of the Hollywood Studio back lots, a world inhabited by movie professionals screening their work, taking meetings, watching films. It’s the ultimate place for movie enthusiasts.
Description Courtesy of Metrograph
Despite its name, Arlene’s Grocery has nothing to do with food—at least not anymore. In 1995, the former bodega and neighboring butcher was transformed into this bar and music venue that helped forge the thriving music scene on the Lower East Side. Known for booking bands like The Strokes before anyone had heard of them, Arlene’s continues to take risks on everything from singer/songwriters and country music to edgy hard rock groups.
Description Courtesy of New York Magazine
Great mix of live bands and DJs in a space that's a former piano store.
Description Courtesy of New York Magazine
The brightest stars from the cutting edge of contemporary music (think college radio, not radio radio) are the Bowery Ballroom's bread and butter—the high percentage of sold-out shows at this venue confirms that it's the place to hear what's happening. Bars on all three floors keep things buzzing before, during and after sets; this place feels so familiar it's hard to believe it hasn't always been here. Get tickets early, bring earplugs and stay all night.
Description Courtesy of NYCGo
Canada was one of the pioneers of the Lower East Side–Chinatown gallery scene, opening way back in 2000. Since then, it's been joined by one major institution (the New Museum on the Bowery) and dozens of other venues. Canada still keeps it real, though, with a program that reflects the nabe's old-school, funky DIY aesthetic, as expressed by artists like Carrie Moyer, Frankie Martin and Michael Williams.
Description Courtesy of TimeOut
Founded in 1974, the International Center of Photography is the world’s leading institution dedicated to photography and visual culture. The ICP Museum hosts dynamic exhibitions that focus on the past, present, and future of imagemaking and the role images play in our society. Diverse public programs and free tours for school groups accompany each show. Featuring a multilevel gallery and free public space, the ICP Museum inspires fresh dialogue about images as mediums of empowerment and as catalysts for social change.
The International Center of Photography, including its exhibition space, will be relocating to Essex Crossing in 2019.
Lesley Heller Workspace is a contemporary art gallery in New York’s Lower East Side which primarily highlights the work of early and mid-career artists. The gallery opened in 2010 with a unique program of concurrent solo and guest curated exhibitions within two separate spaces in the gallery.
Description Courtesy of Lesley Heller Workspace
Since 2004 flower girl has been bringing lush and whimsical arrangements with a distinct edge to new york city. native new yorker Denise Porcaro founded flower girl over ten years ago, having come from a background in production design for film. flower girl arrangements always focus on what is available seasonally — flowers that evoke the vibrancy and changing seasons of New York City.
Description Courtesy of Flower Girl
Founded by former gallerist Greg Armas in 2008 and 2015, Assembly New York & Los Angeles are forward thinking retail environments with an eponymous modern RTW collection for men & women. In addition to their own label, Assembly New York focuses on international and otherwise independent designers who maintain an emphasis on craft and design as an ethos, regardless of trend. Select archival vintage & art d'objet are interwoven through the collections to form modern narratives.
Description Courtesy of Assembly New York
Bluestockings is a volunteer-powered and collectively-owned radical bookstore, fair trade cafe, and activist center in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. They carry over 6,000 titles on topics such as feminism, queer and gender studies, global capitalism, climate & environment, political theory, police and prisons, race and black studies, radical education, plus many more! They host readings, workshops, performances, discussions and films almost every night.
Description Courtesy of Bluestockings
If you’re wondering where all of the Lower East Side girls get their gorgeous Jane Birkin-esque style, here’s the answer: Edith Machinist. Supercool vintage dresses, handbags and shoes (all well kept and in impeccable condition) are arranged by color at this store, with selections from the 1940s to the 1980s. Forgotten labels mix with vintage designer finds, including classic Chanel and early Marc Jacobs.
Description Courtesy of NYCGo
World traveler Nina Allen’s collection of whimsical trinkets, originally only available through her wholesale company, can now be obtained at her cozy Lower East Side store. Between poplar wood walls and glass cases, Allen displays discoveries from Europe, Scandinavia, Japan, Korea, Morocco, and India.
Description Courtesy of New York Magazine
You’ll recognize this 14-story building for its striking faceted facade. Apartments are characterized by gracious proportions and open-plan layouts, and the building also has its own fitness center, entertainment lounge, children’s playroom, and a landscaped rooftop garden.
Located between Essex and Norfolk Streets, this landmark 25 story building will offer a range of one, two, and three bedroom apartments. It will also offer entertainment and retail spaces on the lower levels including a 14 screen luxury movie theater, entrance to the Market Line, and the new home of the Essex Street Market.
This 14 story building will house 83 residential units with a below ground marketplace called the Market Line, shops at street level, offices on levels two through five, as well as shared terraces and a landscaped public garden on the mezzanine level above the market.
Residential, retail and office space will converge in this 25-story building, with a marketplace below ground called the Market Line, shops at street level, offices on levels two through five, and approximately 263 apartments above this, as well as shared terraces and a landscaped public garden on the mezzanine level above the market.
This 15-story building will offer a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, as well as a 15,000 Sq. ft. park designed by West8 that will include a children’s play area. Amenities include communal terraces, a fitness room, a yoga room, a children’s playroom, a dog-wash room, bicycle storage and a resident’s lounge.
At the corner of Delancey Street and Clinton Street, this 14 story building will feature ninety-nine rental residences for seniors. It will house a new NYU Langone Medical Center and ground floor retail, as well as a workforce development and social enterprise café, The GrandLo, and an expansive intergenerational community center, both operated by Grand Street Settlement. Site 6 will be capped by rooftop gardens and focus on energy efficiency through the use of solar panels.
This site will offer residential rentals as well as retail space.
This site will offer residential rentals as well as retail space.
This site will offer residential rentals as well as retail space.
The International Center of Photography (ICP) is the world’s leading institution dedicated to photography and visual culture. Cornell Capa founded ICP in 1974 to preserve the legacy of “concerned photography”—the creation of socially and politically minded images that have the potential to educate and change the world—and the center’s mission endures today, even as the photographic medium and image-making practices have evolved.
The Market Line will be one of the world’s greatest markets. It will be a gateway to an inspiring community where vendors, individuals and awe-inspiring spaces will introduce one of a kind experiences. Spanning three city blocks and connected via substreet tunnels, The Market Line will boast 60 foot ceilings welcoming natural light to this underground landscape. In addition to awe inspiring architecture, this marketplace will feature a food hall and a variety of large and small businesses. It will be anchored by the historic Essex Street Market in its new home.
