Strolling Through the History, Food and Art of the Lower East Side

While visiting New York City it is easy to get swept up in the glitzy magic of the Broadway shows, the chic displays of storefront windows and back alleys where strands of leftover Christmas lights still cast a warm glow above Little Italy’s bistro tables. However, the city’s enchantment tends to wane when you find yourself trapped in a taxi ensnared by the unmoving sea of parade participants. Or stuck underground waiting for a delayed subway train watching what you think is one rat nibbling on the dead carcass of another rat under the train tracks. But don’t let the occasional chaotic congestion of the city nix your vacation plans. Instead pick a small pocket of the city where you can spend days enjoying microcosms of experiences just steps away from your hotel without ever having to catch a cab or ride the subway. 

Choosing a hotel with a three-to-four block radius filled with iconic landmarks, traditional eateries and down-to-earth bars is getting harder and harder in this continuously bougied up city. One such hotel is the Moxy Lower East Side on the corner of Bowery and Broome Street. The Moxy is a newer Marriott line of hotels designed with Instagram in mind for the snap-happy millennials. They offer “smartly-designed” micro-rooms with every inch of space meticulously plotted out to maximize both style and function. The space is optimized with foldable furniture, wall pegs for clothes instead of closets and ample plugs for your gadgets all tucked into a cozy 185 square feet. The best part of the hotel chain is the wallet-friendly rates leave you with enough cash to afford those $20 cocktails. 

The Lower East Side was known for waves upon waves of immigrants that settled the neighborhood starting in the mid 1800s, and in time the Bowery became synonymous with poverty and general seediness. While the neighborhood is not immune to the swift rate of gentrification sweeping the city forcing mom-and-pop eateries to close to make way for Chipotle and new “artisan fusion gastronomic farm-to-table” restaurants, there are still a number of old school New York places within a short walk of Bowery and Broome. 

“That is what is cool about this little strip, that there are still great little places like Fig 19, Black Seed Bagel, Ergot Records and Mother’s Ruin,” said Rob, a bartender at Bar Louis. “You go north of 14th street and good luck finding those type of great local places.”

Where to Eat

Nom Wah Tea Parlor is the oldest continuously run Chinese restaurant in Manhattan. It originally opened in 1920 as a modest tea parlor and bakery. The restaurant’s first location was near the 90-degree corner of Doyer St. known as “Bloody Angle” because of Chinatown’s violent gang activities. The local bakery famed for its mooncakes has evolved into a dim sum restaurant with three locations in the city. 

Today Nom Wah Nolita one block south of the Moxy stands as a testament to New York’s ever-changing food landscape where the past is honored even as new chapters unfold. This location embraces a fast-casual vibe that speaks to both tradition and modernity. The neighborhood staple serves almond cookies, Chinese pastries, traditional steamed dumplings, lotus paste and a ton of dim sum. 

Another iconic institution serving food to Lower East Side residents for more than 100 years is Russ and Daughters. This landmark cafe and shop making traditional Jewish delicacies opened in 1914. It  is renowned for its exquisite smoked fish, bagels and a variety of cream cheeses. The shop embodies the rich culinary heritage of the neighborhood as it stands as another example of the immigrant experience. The bagel and lox are not cheap, $22 for the breakfast, but is there really a price too high to taste a slice of New York history? 

Bar Louis is a new kid on the block, but feels like a step back into the glamor of the ‘70s and ‘80s. It is a throw-back to the dimly lit corners where an elegant cocktail could be paired with an honest plate of grub instead of the new crop of  “concept” bro-bars that put more energy into their gimmick than the drinks and that are popping up all over the city. Unlike those bars that are heavy on flair and light on substance, Bar Louis is resurrecting a slice of vintage New York with its simplicity. The low, ambient lighting bathes everything in a warm glow highlighting the dark wooden accents and softening the edges of the plush velvet seating. In addition to a classic cocktail menu, the daily chef’s selection of east and west coast oysters, charcuterie boards and an array of cheese is enough reason to spend the whole evening here. 

What to Do

The Lower East Side would not be the Lower East Side without the waves of immigrants that built and rebuilt the neighborhood. Nothing encapsulates the immigrant experience better than the Tenement Museum. Within the walls of its restored 19th-century buildings the museum breathes life into the stories of immigrants who sought the American dream. Guided tours and meticulously recreated apartments transport visitors back to an era when the neighborhood served as a melting pot of cultures, dreams and struggles. Each room tells a different story as it recounts the daily lives of the German-Jewish families of the 1870s to the Italian and Eastern European communities that followed. 

Other area museums include the New Museum where visitors can explore the frontiers of artistic expression in this avant-garde art museum. A 21-story staircase in the citizenM Bowery hotel acts as the Museum of Street Art (MoSA). 20 artists from a local art collective turn one floor each into their version of the city’s gritty spirit.  Last, but not least, the International Center of Photography (ICP) serves as a hub for the exploration of photography and visual culture. Both historical masterpieces and innovative images from emerging photographers find their place in this gem of a museum. 

Jennifer Simonson is a travel writer by trade and a lover of the world’s food, cultures, drinks and outdoor spaces by nature.