Best of the East Village
Ten East Village spots I checked against the real world in 2026, from Veselka to McSorley's, still open and worth the trip.
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- 1East Village · $$ · 144 2nd Ave
Also No. 2 on Best Hangouts in Manhattan → · No. 2 on Best Late-Night Eats in NYC →
A 24-hour(ish) Ukrainian diner on the corner of 2nd Avenue and 9th Street, serving pierogi, borscht, and stuffed cabbage since 1954.
Because it has served pierogi and borscht from the same 2nd Avenue corner since 1954 and brought back Friday and Saturday 24-hour service in April 2026.
Order Cold beet borscht with a side of potato-cheese pierogi.
Go after midnight on a weekend to catch the 24-hour service, and expect a short wait even then since it never really empties out.
Photo: Antanana, CC0 1.0 Photo: Antanana, CC0 1.0 - 2East Village · $$ · 15 E 7th St
Also No. 1 on Best Historic Bars in NYC → · No. 1 on Best Hangouts in Manhattan →
The oldest continuously operating Irish saloon in New York City, pouring its own dark and light ale since 1854, with sawdust on the floor and a cheese-and-onion plate as the only real food.
Because it has poured its own ale from the same East 7th Street room since 1854, making it the oldest continuously operating bar in New York City.
Order Their own light or dark ale, always served two mugs at a time.
Bring cash, order 'two' since that is the only way they pour the ale, and go before 6pm on weeknights if you want a seat without a wait.
Photo: (vincent desjardins), CC BY 2.0 Photo: (vincent desjardins), CC BY 2.0 - 3East Village · $$$ · 171 1st Avenue
Also No. 4 on Best Ramen in Manhattan →
Map ↗verified 7w agoDavid Chang's original ramen counter, opened in 2004 on 1st Avenue, credited with kicking off the modern American ramen boom.
Because David Chang opened his first ramen counter here in 2004 and it still holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand at the same 1st Avenue address.
Order The pork ramen with a soft-cooked egg.
Book a reservation about a month out for a table, or just walk in and grab a counter seat if you are dining solo.
Photo: Dave Winer (Flickr: scriptingnews), CC BY-SA 2.0 Photo: Dave Winer (Flickr: scriptingnews), CC BY-SA 2.0 - 4East Village · $$ · 342 East 11th Street
An Italian pastry shop and cafe open since 1894, known for cheesecake, cannoli, and glass cases full of old-world desserts.
Because it has been baking cheesecake and cannoli at 342 East 11th Street since 1894, making it well over a century old.
Order A slice of the original cheesecake with a cappuccino.
Get your cake to go and eat it a block over in Tompkins Square Park, since the cafe tables fill up fast on weekend afternoons.
- 5East Village · $$ · 119 Avenue A
Brooks Headley's vegetarian burger stand on Avenue A, loved for its plant-based patty and soft serve.
Because Pete Wells gave it a rave in the New York Times and it holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for a vegetarian burger stand, a rare combination.
Order The Superiority Burger itself, with soft serve on the side.
It is counter service in a tiny room, so go right at opening for lunch or expect to wait on the sidewalk.
- 6East Village · $$ · 127 2nd Avenue
A tiny kosher-vegetarian dairy lunch counter open since 1938, serving blintzes, pierogi, borscht, and challah French toast at a row of stools.
Because it is one of the last surviving Jewish dairy lunch counters in the city, serving the same blintzes and borscht since 1938.
Order Mushroom barley soup with a cheese blintz.
There are only a handful of stools at the counter, so treat it as a solo seat or takeout stop rather than a group meal.
- 7East Village · $$ · 113 Avenue A
A round-the-clock egg cream, soft serve, and Belgian fries counter on Avenue A, run by Ray Alvarez since 1974.
Because Ray Alvarez has kept it open 24 hours a day since 1974, egg creams and all, at the edge of Tompkins Square Park.
Order A classic egg cream with an order of Belgian fries.
It never closes and cash is preferred, so keep a few bills on hand for a 3am egg cream.
- 8East Village · $$ · 113 St Marks Place
A cult hot dog counter open since 2001 on St. Marks Place, known for deep-fried and bacon-wrapped dogs, plus the hidden phone booth entrance to the speakeasy PDT.
Because its oversized hot dog sign was reinstalled in June 2026 after facade restoration, meaning it stayed open through the renovation rather than closing for good.
Order The Chihuahua, a bacon-wrapped dog with avocado and sour cream.
If you want into PDT, ask the host at Crif Dogs about the phone booth first, since it only opens up when there is room inside.
- 9East Village · $$ · 240 East 9th Street
A subterranean izakaya and sake bar open since 1993, with graffiti-covered walls and an extensive sake and shochu list.
Because it has poured sake and shochu from the same basement room on East 9th Street since 1993.
Order Whatever is on the sake list that night, paired with grilled yamaimo.
It is below street level with no sign to speak of, so go early on weekends and expect to wait on the stairs down if it is busy.
- 10East Village · $$ · 101 St Marks Place
A Moroccan restaurant open since 1983, serving tagines, couscous, and merguez from a St. Marks Place storefront that has anchored the block for over four decades.
Because it has served tagines from the same St. Marks Place storefront since 1983 and won Village Preservation's Business of the Month in May 2026.
Order Lamb tagine with a side of merguez and a glass of mint tea.
Weekend brunch lines start early, so go on a weeknight for the tagines without a wait.