New York City (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [35]
EAT AND SHOP WITH THE HIPSTERS
The epicenter of the trendy, gentrified Lower East Side falls along parallel Rivington and Stanton streets, between Orchard and Essex streets, and the section of Ludlow Street that crosses them. Among the restaurants, boutiques, and bars are stores that fluctuate from hip to historic, like Babeland, a women-oriented sex shop, and Economy Candy, every kid’s fantasy and a pseudo-general store literally crammed to the rafters with barrels of nuts and shelves of old-time and current candy favorites. The area also has a handful of quirky shops, most of which sell vintage-y clothing and knickknacks.
The indoor Essex Street Market took the place of the pushcarts that once dominated Hester Street, and has a colorful assortment of fish markets, butchers, cheesemongers, and more, where sellers are more than happy to pass out samples.
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TOP ATTRACTIONS IN THE LOWER EAST SIDE
Eldridge Street Synagogue.
This was the first Orthodox synagogue erected by the large number of Eastern European Jews who settled in the Lower East Side in the late 19th century. The exterior is a striking mix of Romanesque, Gothic, and Moorish motifs. Inside is an exceptional hand-carved ark of mahogany and walnut, a sculptured wooden balcony, jewel-tone stained-glass windows, stenciled walls, and an enormous brass chandelier.
The synagogue can be viewed as part of a tour, which begins at the small museum downstairs where interactive “touch tables” teach all ages about Eldridge Street and the Lower East Side. The crowning piece of the museum’s restoration of the synagogue is a new stained-glass window by artist Kiki Smith and architect Deborah Gans, weighing 6,000 pounds and with more than 1,200 pieces of glass. | 12 Eldridge St., between Canal and Division Sts., Lower East Side | 10002 | 212/219–0302 | www.eldridgestreet.org | $10 | Sun.–Thurs. 10–5; tours on the hr | Subway: F to E. Broadway; B, D to Grand St.; N, R to Canal St.
Fodor’s Choice | Essex Street Market.
Started in 1940 as an attempt by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia to establish a place for street pushcarts and vendors, the Essex Street Market’s character was defined early on by the Jewish and Italian immigrants of the Lower East Side. After being run cooperatively by the merchants for years, the market was taken over by a private developer in 1992 until the New York City Economic Development Corporation assumed control of it. They started their $1.5 million renovation and consolidation of the space in 1995.
These days the market has been reinvigorated, and is filled with terrific stands of produce, meat, fish, and gourmet cheeses. Standouts include Jeffrey’s Meats, Saxelby Cheesemongers, and local favorite Shopsins General Store, which moved there in 2007 after decades in the West Village. The store’s extensive and creative menu is an all-around feast (you need a microscope to read the menu, and it’s filled with delicious and creatively named items such as Blisters on My Sisters sliders). | 120 Essex St., between Rivington and Delancey Sts., Lower East Side | 10002 | 212/388–0449 | www.essexstreetmarket.com | Tues.–Sat. 8–7| Subway: F, V to Delancey St.; J, M, Z to Essex St.
WORTH NOTING IN LOWER EAST SIDE
Gallery Onetwentyeight.
Inside the jewel-box space, artist Kazuko Miyamoto directs crisp and provocative group shows. | 128 Rivington St., between Essex and Norfolk Sts., Lower East Side | 10002 | 212/674–0244 | www.galleryonetwentyeight.org | Subway: F to Delancey St.; J, M, Z to Essex St.
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Long the home of writers, artists, bohemians, and bons vivants, Greenwich Village is a singular section of the city.