Filter by our Side PicksThe art of offering personalized services has been perfected on this side street. 7th Street – where legendary guitars are customized, hats are designed to specification (East Village Hats), where one can try on vintage clothing in boutique … read more
What personality all of these community gardens have; no two are exactly the same. Here we entered under a short covered walkway made of coffee cans that have rusted over time. Once inside you cannot miss the majestic weeping willow that towers over half of the garden along with a variety of funky hand … read more
You might recognize this classic, horseshoe-shaped bar, that was built in the 1920’s, from such hit movies as The Godfather Part II, The Verdict, Crocodile Dundee, Serpico or TV favorites like “Sex and the City” and, most recently, “Person of Interest.” Despite their fame, they are just a … read more
When life brought Chef Ali Sahin from Turkey to the USA, his first American address was in the East Village. Though he studied economics back home, in New York City he worked in restaurants, first as a bus boy and eventually as a cook. When he decided food was something he might want to turn into a career, … read more
I walked into Avant Garden and had the pleasure of sitting down with the owner himself, Ravi DeRossi. His name might seem familiar as he has become synonymous with trendy New York bars including Death and Co. and Amor Y … read more
In the heat of the day, we stopped in Pylos to eat a light lunch. While waiting for our horiatiki salads, we enjoyed the ambiance of contemporary and traditional styles blending as one: the clean, crisp decor clashed nicely with the ceiling strung with clay pots and the house bar topped with gray marble. … read more
This fabulous dessert shop began its life as an ice cream truck, which is no longer in operation. Bowing to popular demand, and only after securing a preferred location on 7th Street, it expanded into a full-fledged shop. Back in 2011, on the first of many visits to The Big Gay Ice Cream Shop, I struck … read more
Strolling on 7th Street in the East Village, it is quite easy to miss the narrow Ruffian Wine Bar & Chef’s Table. Doing so would be a shame, however, considering the unique wine-drinking experience that owner Patrick Cournot, a Greenwich Village native, presents to the customers that pass through … read more
Three ladies founded this quaint, cheerful dessert shop in 2008 after spending several months sampling recipes, dedicated to finding the perfect bases and smooth buttercream frostings. I have stopped in too many times to count, guided by the sweet smells that confirm the founders’ devotion to quality. … read more
In this narrow 7th street haven, Tea Drunk graces New York with the true experience of traditional Chinese tea. The long room lined with exquisite sets of dishes culminates in tables of petrified bamboo and a living wall. “The best place to have tea,” Shunan Teng, the owner of this intriguing salon … read more
