Delancey Street / Essex Street (F, J, M, Z)
Grunge-cool vintage shopping and elevated dinner spots lead the way to a loud evening bar scene, with nearby Chinatown and historical Jewish influence speckled in the mix.
Sister stops: Grand Street (BD), Bowery (JZ), East Broadway (F) and Second Avenue (F).
Delancey and Essex are both busy car streets, so I’d recommend walking down any of their smaller, parallel streets for a better pedestrian vibe, like Orchard or Broome.
The stores along Orchard are fun and quirky. Some of my favorites out here are Sweet Pickle Books, a disco-pickle themed used bookstore, Susan Alexandra, a beaded accessory shop that’s a bright delight on the eyes, Moo Shoes, a vegan shoe store known for its resident cat, Georgi, and LAAMS, a street culture lab. There are so many vintage shops. LAAMS, Rare Bodega and The Vintage Twin are just a starting point for the area.
New York's Best Pickle Bookstore
Georgi, owner of Moo Shoes.
I think the Tenement Museum offers some of the best tours in the city, and I’d make a trip to the LES just for that alone. If you’re into NYC history, or you’re down for a good tour regardless of what it’s about, or you just want to feel better about how small your apartment or hotel room is, this is your stop. The museum store doubles as one of my favorite gift shops, too.
For food, skip lunch (most restaurants around here don’t open until 5 anyway) and come for dinner. Dirt Candy is my favorite in the area! But if vegetarian fine dining isn’t your deal, you’ll be well-covered with options in the area.
At night, get ready for the chaos. For peak punk rock grunge bar vibes, try Clockwork Bar. Overall, you won’t have trouble finding a spot to start or end your night around here… but you might have some trouble getting any peace and quiet before 4am.
What did I miss? Scroll past the pics to let me know in the comments.
LAAMS
A little taste of LA color in NYC, from Big Bud Press.
Frames at Moscot, an eyewear store that's been around for over 100 years.
Cool n grungy
