6 Classic East Village Spots Worth Revisiting Again and Again
Once an affordable bohemian haven and known as the birthplace of punk, the East Village of today sometimes seems like it’s exclusively awash with trendy brunch spots, influencer-filled coffee shops, and overpriced cocktail bars. If you believe everything on TikTok, that is.
Sidestep the NYU freshmen who haven’t yet learned proper New York sidewalk etiquette, and you’ll find that the always-exciting East Village is still packed with no-frills dives, longtime eateries, killer thrift shops, gritty tattoo shops, and several haunts that keep the neighborhood’s rebellious spirit alive. We love checking out what’s new and exciting, but it’s important to show some love to the locals’ favorites, too.
With that said, we’ve rounded up a handful of classic, semi-underrated spots below—all reminders of why there’s still no place quite like the East Village.
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Want to feel like you’ve been transported to a pint-sized punk-rock drinking den in Tokyo’s Golden Gai? Then head to East 9th Street and look for the blinking “ON AIR” sign, whose hazy red glow guides you down a dingy flight of stairs and into this dark and cozy bar. Open since 1993, the perpetually packed, gritty watering hole is small on space but big on vibes. Paper lanterns hang from low ceilings with exposed pipes; the walls are covered in graffiti and stickers; and endless bottles of sake, shochu, Japanese whiskey, and beer line the bar. Izakaya-style bites include gyoza, takoyaki, and Karaage and are served in aluminum foil takeout containers. You don’t have to be a pierced and tattooed sake connoisseur to hang out at this beloved East Village haunt. Order a Lychee Martini pitcher—they’re actually really good and packed with big, juicy lychees—because what’s more punk than that?
240 E 9th Street, New York
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A perfect day in the East Village should always involve cozying up on a Tompkins Square Park bench with a coffee and a good book. Avoid the overcrowded bookstores we’ve all seen all over TikTok and stop by East Village Books, an indie cash-only used bookstore on St. Marks Place that’s been open since 1994. (Plus, it’s a two-minute walk to Tompkins.) Inside the long and narrow spot, you’ll find floor-to-ceiling wood shelves crammed with an eclectic selection of books, from literary fiction, art and photography, and underground comics and graphic novels to tomes on philosophy, mathematics, religion, anti-establishment, the occult, and more. They also sell DVDs, CDs, records, and postcards. You can sell your books here too, but be sure to check out their website for info about what they’re looking for.
99 St. Marks Place, New York; T (212) 477-8647
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This family-owned Alphabet City dive and kitschy karaoke joint has welcomed fans of karaoke and stiff drinks for over twenty years. The space is kaleidoscopically lit and zanily designed, with a bevy of zebra-print wraparound couches that have seen better days lining red-lipstick walls. It’s the perfect place for belting your face off even if you’re tone-deaf because—sorry for generalizing—everyone’s drunk. There’s no stage or private rooms, so do your American Idol thing in front of a bunch of strangers, which includes the occasional bachelorette party. Some choose to sing while seated at the neon-lit bar, others on the vodka-drenched black-and-white checkered floor. Anything goes at this raucous, uber-lovable spot.
219 Avenue A, New York; T (212) 353-9500
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Hi-Collar
Walk into Hi-Collar (est. 2013) during the day, and it feels like stepping into a charming, old-school Japanese cafe (known as the kissaten in Japan) that’s tucked away on a quiet sidestreet in Tokyo. Inside, you’ll find a hushed atmosphere and happy customers sipping coffee from pretty porcelain cups. But this is not your average coffee. Skilled baristas use a variety of brewing methods, from pour-over to, Hi-Collar’s specialty, siphon. Go on and pair your cup of heaven with some classic kissaten fare, like ketchup-drenched omurice, souffle-like pancakes, and a variety of sandwiches, from tamago (egg salad) to crazily crispy pork katsu, all served on sliced fluffy Japanese milk bread. Things get a bit more lively at night when the space converts into a dim-lit izakaya. Expect lots of sake as well as shareable plates, including onigiri and Hiroshima-sourced oysters.
231 E 9th Street, New York; T (212) 777-7018
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Holiday Cocktail Lounge
Holiday Cocktail Lounge has been an East Village hotspot for a very long time. It was frequented by The Ramones in the ’90s, Madonna, Iggy Pop, and Keith Richards in the ’80s, Allen Ginsburg in the ’70s, and Frank Sinatra in the ’60s. Before opening as Holiday Cocktail Lounge in 1950, it was a speakeasy (apparently visited by Al Capone) and then a burlesque venue. Today, Holiday Cocktail Lounge is a hip locals’ favorite cocktail and dive bar hybrid with teal banquettes, Christmas lights, pretty great bar food, and Instagram-ready craft cocktails–some feature glow sticks, others come with mini dinosaur figurines. The lounge’s showstopper–the 1920s mahogany horseshoe bar–has been preserved. So has a handpainted mural from its days as a burlesque venue and a vintage wooden phone booth. Then there’s Holiday Cocktail Lounge’s locally famed big red awning that continues to beckon the curious passerby to step into a historic hotspot.
75 St. Marks Place, New York; T (212) 777-9637
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Il Posto Accanto
Looking for excellent, affordable wine and authentic classic Italian dishes? Then head to Il Posto Accanto, a homey, brick-walled trattoria tucked away on East 2nd Street that Rome-born Beatrice Tosti di Valminuta has run with her husband Julio Pena since 1999. This unpretentious, rustic restaurant serves up some of the best meatballs and pastas below 14th Street, and their lightly-grilled calamari alla griglia (fresh calamari marinated for 24 hours in EVOO, fresh lemon, red crushed pepper) is a must-order. They also offer several gluten-free and vegan options that don’t skimp on flavor. Bookend your meal with dessert, which includes a heavenly slice of tiramisu and lemon sorbet made with Sicilian lemons and sage. Live la dolce vita and go on and order another bottle of wine.
190 E 2nd Street, New York; T (212) 228-3562
WORDS Alex Catarinella
