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Only on the Lower East Side

Manhattan-Lower East Side

This guide features some of the most unique spots on the Lower East Side so you can really get to know the unique character of the neighborhood and experience the best of what it offers that is distinctly New York.

Perry S.Perry S.

Perry  is a husband and Dad with a love for planning beautiful outings for family and  friends from New York to Nafplion. He loves shooting photos of the streets of the city and thinks Battery Park City remains one of the most underrated corners of Manhattan.

Clinton St. Baking CompanyRestaurants & Cafes
American restaurant especially known for its very popular weekend brunch & its pancakes
$$
(646) 602-6263website
4 Clinton St, New York City, NY 10002

Start your morning off right with a visit to the Clinton St. Baking Company. Hands down one of the best breakfasts in New York City so be thankful you are nearby and snag a table before it gets too crowded. The accolades “best pancakes” according to New York Magazine are warranted. It’s a delicious place and a very chill no frills space. Perfect for mornings!

Tenement MuseumMuseums
1863 preserved tenement building brings Lower East Side immigrant stories to life with guided tours.
$
(877) 975-3786website
103 Orchard St, New York City, NY 10002

The Tenement Museum is consistently highlighted as one of the more unique museums in the city. The mission is to celebrate the stories of immigrants that came to the United States including the many that settled in New York City and particularly on the Lower East Side. The museum offers tours of apartments that have been preserved and staged to represent different time periods and experiences.

Additionally the museum  also offers neighborhood walking tours. If you love history and love the feeling of stepping into the past they offer a great experience.

Tours do book up so if you’re interested I’d suggest picking out the day and time and reserving some tickets ahead of time. You can do so here: https://www.tenement.org/tours/

© photos courtesy of Tenement Museum
Economy CandyBakeries
Since 1937 this shop has been stocking all types of candy, nuts & dried fruit from floor-to-ceiling.
$
(212) 254-1531website
108 Rivington St, New York City, NY 10002

If you are in need of a little afternoon pick-me-up or at the very least a nice distraction, head to Economy Candy. It’s an old school candy emporium. Emporium is really the only word to accurately describe it because of it’s massive selection as well as the very antiquated nature of a physical shop in Manhattan dedicated to items that cost 10 cents. It’s a gem.

Momofuku Noodle BarRestaurants & Cafes
Asian-accented American fare
$$
(212) 570-2211website
171 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10003

If terms like ‘spicy beef ramen’, ‘sausage buns’ and ‘roasted shiitake’ make your mouth water then Momofuku is the spot for you. The Noodle Bar was the first restaurant in the Momofuku family. Now David Chang's food empire has ballooned but this spot still serves some of the originals that made the chain famous throughout New York, including fried chicken and caviar (upon special reservation) and of course pork buns.

Also, if you are a lover of fried chicken the noodle bar offers a special meal that required a little advanced planning. Fried chicken is Noodle Bar’s large format meal. It feeds 4-8 people. The meal includes two whole fried chickens, one southern style and one Korean style, and it comes with mu shu pancakes, baby carrots, red ball radishes, bibb lettuce, four sauces, and an herb basket. Guests are encouraged to eat as they please, from making wraps with the pancakes to eating the chicken straight-up. The southern style chicken is fried with buttermilk and spices. The Korean style chicken is triple fried and served with a light spicy glaze. More details here: https://momofukunoodlebar.com/east-village/menu/fried-chicken/

Abrons Arts CenterTheatre
Progressive performing & visual arts venue featuring classes & noteworthy names in many disciplines.
$$
(212) 598-0400website
466 Grand St, New York City, NY 10002

The Abrons Art Center offers are number of amazing shows and performances throughout the year. It's a smaller theater so you can usually catch interesting and eclectic performances. You can see what's on the calendar and buy tickets here: https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/cal/209

Katz's DelicatessenRestaurants & Cafes
No-frills deli serving mile-high sandwiches since 1888
$$
(212) 254-2246website
205 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002

Regardless of where the rest of the night takes you, make sure any light night hunger pangs are cured at Katz’s. Open until 12AM on Friday and 24 hours on Saturday, Katz’s is one of the last remaining old school deli’s in New York. Get a ticket (because that’s a thing here) and exchange that ticket for some of the most delicious corned beef and pastrami you’ve had.

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