Lower East Side Restaurants
By Justin Hartung, Restaurants Editor
The Lower East Side has turned into a tale of two neighborhoods, with luxury condo towers going up next to tenement buildings. Fortunately, whether you're looking to honor the cuisine of the neighborhood's immigrant communities or want to impress out-of-town clients, there are food options for all.
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Allen & Delancey
115 Allen St, New York, NY
Carefully crafted bohemian decadence, from the candlelight-splashed room to the homey, yet refined New American menu. -
Freemans
Freeman Alley, New York, NY
The uber-hip nosh on affordable old-country Americana at this discreet alleyway eatery. -
'inoteca
98 Rivington St, New York, NY
An outstanding Italian wine bar and addictive small plates on a trendy Lower East Side block. -
Schiller's Liquor Bar
131 Rivington St, New York, NY
Recycled subway tiles, antiqued mirrors, sexy downtowners and all the usual bistro favorites ... It all amounts to yet another instant classic from Keith McNally. -
Suba
109 Ludlow St, New York, NY
If at first you don't succeed with a tapas restaurant, try again with a red-hot chef. -
The Stanton Social
99 Stanton St, New York, NY
Trendy plates, snazzy digs in the Lower East Side. -
Essex
120 Essex St, New York, NY
A blend of Jewish and Latin cuisines in a bright and endearingly trendy LES space.
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wd~50
50 Clinton St, New York, NY
Wylie Dufresne's restaurant is New York's undisputed haven for challenging, artful food. -
Grotto
100 Forsyth St, New York, NY
A charming little den of excellent Italian food. -
The Orchard
162 Orchard St, New York, NY
Freewheeling Italian that seems tailored for the newer, less gritty Lower East Side. -
Falai
68 Clinton St, New York, NY
Behind a modest storefront, chef Iacopo Falai's Lower East Side Italian restaurant delights diners.
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Kuma Inn
113 Ludlow St 2nd Fl, New York, NY
Delicious Southeast Asian tapas and sake in a cozy upstairs nook. -
Salt Bar
29A Clinton St, New York, NY
Seduction in a dark room, with upscale bar snacks and plenty of wine to seal the deal. -
Chubo--CLOSED
6 Clinton St, New York, NY
An affable, affordable Clinton Street date spot with an eclectic menu. -
Little Giant
85 Orchard St, New York, NY
Hearty, homespun dishes with quirky names draw in-the-know diners to this out-of-the-way Lower East Side eatery. -
Les Enfants Terribles
37 Canal St, New York, NY
An exotic beauty of a bar with an affordable Afro-French menu to match. -
Kampuchea Noodle Bar
78 Rivington St, New York, NY
Cambodian-cooking chef noodles with Western influences. -
Le Pere Pinard
175 Ludlow St, New York, NY
Despite its Ludlow Street location, this wine bar and restaurant maintains a distinctly French feel.
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The Doughnut Plant
379 Grand St, New York, NY
Some of New York's finest doughnuts can be found in a neighborhood that's famous for pickles and bialys. -
Fried Dumpling
99 Allen St, New York, NY
A ridiculously cheap taste of Shanghai thrives on the Lower East Side. -
Kossar's Bialys
367 Grand St, New York, NY
The bagel's close cousin stars at this New York classic. -
Clinton St Baking Co & Rest
4 Clinton St, New York, NY
A friendly neighborhood alcove offering top-notch breakfasts to a young, hip crowd. -
Katz's Deli
205 E Houston St, New York, NY
This classic New York deli serves up enough pastrami to feed an army. -
88 Orchard
88 Orchard St, New York, NY
Soup, sandwiches and a host of coffee drinks on a hip Lower East Side corner. -
Tiny's Giant Sandwich Shop
127 Rivington St, New York, NY
Inventive, itty-bitty, veg-friendly sandwich shop lives up to its name in every way. -
Sugar Sweet Sunshine
126 Rivington St, New York, NY
This no-frills bakery does sweet goodies with a homespun touch. -
Hat Restaurant (El Sombrero)
108 Stanton St, New York, NY
Cheap Mexican food and drink served late, amid tropical murals and unpretentious charm. -
Congee Village
100 Allen St, New York, NY
Home to belly-warming bowls of China's great Mom food.
