See Your City: Lower East Side
Published 11/17/2016
Map out your Lower East Side itinerary with these neighborhood hot spots.
1
New Museum
1
235 Bowery
The downtown institution continues to push boundaries: consider this fall’s residency by performance-art troupe My Barbarian, or the winter 2017 retrospective of works by artist Raymond Pettibon. Bonus: on Saturdays and Sundays, the museum’s Sky Room is open to the public, affording stunning views of Lower Manhattan.
2
Mr. Purple at the Hotel Indigo
2
180 Orchard St. 15th fl.
Can’t get enough of the skyline? Visit this posh 15th-floor rooftop bar with wraparound windows. The view pairs well with its sparkling negroni, which arrives with a twist-off cap and is specially bottled in-house.
3
Russ & Daughters Café
3
127 Orchard St.
This sit-down offshoot of the vaunted Jewish appetizing shop (102 years and going strong!) is a must for anyone who loves smoked fish. Splurge on the Anne platter, which includes Nova, trout, sturgeon, sable, salmon roe and all the fixings. It’s like Sunday morning at Bubbe’s, anytime you want it.
4
The Tenement Museum
4
103 Orchard St.
This museum is located in an actual tenement, where thousands of working class folk lived in the 19th and early 20th centuries. History buffs will be thrilled to take a guided tour and to stock up at the shop, which features NYC-themed gifts (think coffee-table books, taxi totes and subway token necklaces).
5
International Center of Photography
5
84 Ludlow St.
ICP celebrates all things visual with photography, video and new media exhibits, classes and even a library. Images in the museum explore the interplay between history, photography and social culture.
6
Katz’s Delicatessen
6
205 E. Houston St.
Serving mile-high sandwiches since 1903, Katz’s has remained relatively unchanged over time. Take your ticket at the door and hold on to it as you navigate the lines to order your meal: bide your time with a snappy hot dog while waiting for your pastrami on rye.
7
Metrograph
7
7 Ludlow Street
This hybrid coffeehouse-bookstore-cinema oozes nostalgia with plush theater seats (made with reclaimed wood from the old Domino sugar factory) and 35mm old Hollywood screenings. Check out its calendar for indie flicks, documentaries and even book signings.
8
The Delancey
8
168 Delancey St
Tucked away in the shadow of the Williamsburg Bridge, this lounge features a boisterous, clubby three-level dance space, with a live music venue in the basement. If you didn’t bring your earplugs, make your way to its roof deck and relax with a cocktail amid lush palm trees and fountains.
9
Pig and Khao
9
68 Clinton St.
Hit up this cozy, happening spot for a pork-centric Filipino-Thai meal. Chef Leah Cohen created the menu based on the inspiration of her travels across Southeast Asia, with dishes like sizzling sisig (pork head with chili and egg) and halo-halo, her take on Manila’s shaved ice street food.
10
The Mercury Lounge
10
217 E. Houston St.
This no-frills, intimate music venue welcomes a range of up-and-coming, often international artists. Since opening in 1993, it’s been a launching pad for NYC bands such as the Strokes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
11
Morgenstern’s
11
2 Rivington St.
Owner Nicholas Morgenstern, a former pastry chef, creates flavor-forward, additive-free ice cream at his often-packed shop. Stop by the parlor for elevated versions of old favorites butter pecan and rocky road or try more adventurous options like sunflower seed or durian.
12
Bluestockings
12
116 Suffolk St.
The collectively owned, volunteer-run bookstore not only houses 6,000 titles, it’s host to a dynamic range of community events and has an organic and vegan café.