This is a guide for anyone who is planning on visiting and is looking for music, music instruments, places to eat and places to shop. This guide is mostly dedicated to the East Village, however, you will find listing throughout Manhattan as well as Brooklyn.
ALE HOUSES
McSorley's Old Ale House
15 East 7th Street, bet. 2nd & 3rd Aves. famous for being the oldest continuously operating ale house and for their own Mcsorley's Ale (dark or amber). best times are afternoons - avoid Fri-Sat after 5pm--you may have to wait to get in.
Swift
34 E 4th St., near Lafayette Ave.
(212) 260-3600 best for Guinness
Puck Faire
298 Lafayette St., bet. Houston & Prince
(212) 431-1200 excellent ales & food
AUSTRALIAN
Eight Mile Creek
240 Mulberry (near Prince)
212-431-4635
Frank & Will Ford, owners yes, they serve kangaroo!
BAGELS Kossar's Bialys
367 Grand St. (@ Essex)
877-424-2597 the best bialys* in the city. Also try a cranberry, raisen, nut bagel *A Bialy is a chewy round yeast roll. Somewhat similar to a bagel, it has a depression rather than a hole in the center, and is sprinkled with chopped sauteed onion before baking. Stop over at Gus's Pickles afterwards, right arounf the corner at 49 Essex
David Bagel
228 First Ave., near 14th St.
212-533-8766 the east villages most known bagel shop...right near our office!
Pete's Tavern
129 E. 18th St., @ Irving Pl.
212-473-7676 highly recommended
McSorley's Old Ale House
15 East 7th Street, bet. 2nd & 3rd Aves. best when Marry is behind the grill...try Tuesday - Thursday evenings or Saturday & Sunday afternoons
Stage Restaurant
128 2nd Avenue (btwn 7th & 8th)
212-473-8614 best when Andrew is behind the grill...after 3 pm - Monday-Saturday...closed Sunday
Shake Shack
Madison Square Park
Madison Ave. @ 23rd St.
(212) 889-6600 voted Best Burger 2005 by New York Magazine - great shakes too! seasonal - April – September
CHICKEN WINGS since Pluck U closed we have not found a replacement, yet...but we're still looking
CHINESE Noodles
Mee Noodle Shop & Grill (temporarily closed)
219 1st Avenue @ E. 13thStreet
212-995-0333
Jade Mountain
197 2nd Avenue @ E. 13thStreet
212-533-3770 try the dumpling soup
Dumplings
Plump Dumpling
299 East 11th Street (near 2nd Ave.)
212-473-8614 family owned and operated
Bleecker Grocery
Bleecker St. @ Crosby St.
212-228-5992
CUBAN Havana Central (Union Square)
22 East 17th Street, (btwn Union Sq. West & 5th Ave.)
212-414-4999 excellent Cuban cuisine
National Café
210 First Avenue, near E. 12th St.
212-473-9354
DESERTS (also see ice cream)
Chocolate Truffles, Cakes, Cookies, and more
Something Sweet
177 1st Ave @ E. 11th St.
(212) 533-9986
(212) 254-5705 great mom & pop shop...love the cookies and mousses!
Shake Shack
Madison Square Park
Madison Ave. @ 23rd St.
(212) 889-6600 hotdogs, bratdogs and burgers - great shakes too! seasonal - mid-April – September
New York Style
Jumbo Hot Dogs
149 Canal Street Chinatown jumbo hot dogs for $1.00 (tax included)
Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs (since 1916)
1320 Surf Ave. @ Stillwell Ave.
Brooklyn
718-946-2202 the original and still the best....worth the long subway ride. while you're there go to the Coney Island Amusement Park and boardwalk ...two minutes to the beach..
Ben & Jerry's
41 3rd Ave., bet. 10th & 11th Sts.
(212) 995-0109 still great even after Ben & Jerry got bought out.
Ronnybrook Farm Dairy
Union Square Greenmarket
Union Square Park
E. 17th St. btwn Union Sq. West & East no cones...by the pint Wednesdays & Saturdays
OR
Tompkins Square Park Greenmarket Farmers' Market
Union Square Park
E. 7th St. and Ave. A Sundays
INDIAN (inexpensive)
Curry In A Hurry
119 Lexington @ 28th Street
212-683-0900
ITALIAN (Little Italy!--Forgetta bout eet)
John's Restaurant
302 E. 12th St., near 2nd Ave.
212-475-9531 they serve spaghetti with extra large meatballs. Check out the candle tower in the back room
Café Centosette
160 2nd Avenue @ 10th Street
212-420-5933 a casual dining Italian café. Attached off 10th Street is their pizzaria, CentoPizze Saturday & Sunday Brunch 11 am - 4 pm Ask Siyab (pronounced Chee-hod) the bar manager (Wed. - Mon. evenings) to make one of his specialty drinks and say hello to Malika the General Manager (Mon. - Sat. evenings) eho's always there to greet you
JAPANESE Sushi, Teriyaka, and more
East Restaurant
3rd Avenue, Bet. 26th & 27th Sts.
212-889-2326 Sit at the counter and watch the sushi go by on a conveyor belt...pick what you want. Prices start at $1.50 a plate. A full menu is also available
Shiki's
135 1st Ave, @ St. Marks Pl.
212-614-1605 owned and operated by Shiki and his wife, Maya. Shiki makes a great Cha-han (fried rice)
Ramen Noodle, Gyoza, Fried Rice, etc.
Men Ku Tei
63 Cooper Sq., bet. 7th St & St. Marks
212-228-4152
Soba
Sobaya
299 E. 9th St. @ Stuyvesant
212-533-6966
Lunchboxes, baked goods, sandwiches, deserts
Café Zaiya
69 Cooper Sq., bet. 7th St & St. Marks
299 E. 9th St. @ Stuyvesant
212-533-6966 highly recommend
JAS Mart
35 St. Marks Place, near 2nd Avenue
(212) 420-6370 top level is a café and a grocery store in basement level
Grocery
Sunrise Mart
4 Stuyvsant Street, 2nd floor
(212) 598-3040
JAS Mart
35 St. Marks Place, near 2nd Avenue
(212) 420-6370 basement level
MEXICAN
Burrito Loco
166 W. 4th Street, near 6th Ave.
212-675-1977 excellent sangria & frozen margaritas...you must try the homemade Guacamole
Ronnybrook Farm Dairy
Union Square Greenmarket
Union Square Park
E. 17th St. btwn Union Sq. West & East try the coffee or chocolate milk and their drinkable yogurts! Wednesdays & Saturdays
OR
Tompkins Square Park Greenmarket Farmers' Market
Union Square Park
E. 7th St. and Ave. A Sundays
Shake Shack
Madison Square Park
Madison Ave. @ 23rd St.
(212) 889-6600 try the coffe or the chocolate! seasonal - April – September
MUFFINS
Muffin Madness
Union Square Greenmarket
Union Square Park @ Union Sq. West & E. 17th St. Wednesdays only amazing muffins, cinnamon buns and cookies
