East Village

If you spot an East Villager, there’s a good chance they will be reading Patti Smith’s NYC memoir Just Kids. They might also be dressed head-to-toe in L Train Vintage finds and headed for a coffee at MUD between thrifting sprees. Famously having hosted writers and punks on Saint Marks Place, the East Village neighborhood has a long history of nurturing an underground scene of alternative art and music. 

And while those underground roots are still very much felt in this downtown Manhattan area, it’s also constantly popping up with great new restaurants, coffee shops, and nightlife. The East Village is a perfect place to spend nights hopping between cool bars and following it up the next morning with delicious New York City bagels and Tompkins Square Park hangs.