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179 E Houston St (btwn Allen & Orchard St), New York, NY
Gourmet Store · Lower East Side · 422 tips and reviews
Travel + Leisure: The legendary Jewish "appetizing" store—selling smoked salmon, herring, and bagels with a schmear—recently added caviar, a nod to the neighborhood's increasing gentrification.
146 Essex St (btwn Stanton & Rivington St), New York, NY
Tapas Restaurant · Lower East Side · 579 tips and reviews
Travel + Leisure: Beautiful people, tufted sofas, killer cocktails, shared plates (try the grilled cheese with smoked bacon and tomato soup dumplings)—and complimentary pink champagne served in the ladies’ room.
84 Stanton St (btwn Allen & Orchard St), New York, NY
Italian Restaurant · Lower East Side · 621 tips and reviews
Travel + Leisure: The mix-and-match menu of meatballs, sauces, and sides is worth the wait at this super-casual, deliciously simple spot. Save room for an ice cream sandwich on homemade cookies.
Cupcake Shop · Lower East Side · 247 tips and reviews
Travel + Leisure: The best-kept cupcake secret in New York, where the perfectly sized treats cost just $1.75. Stick with the straightforward “Bob,” yellow cake with chocolate almond buttercream.
New American Restaurant · Lower East Side · 97 tips and reviews
Travel + Leisure: Globally-inspired dishes are inventive, if on the small side. The real draw is the exceptionally well chosen wine list, which spans the world from Oregon to Lebanon.
17 Orchard St (btwn Hester & Canal St), New York, NY
English Restaurant · Chinatown · 223 tips and reviews
Travel + Leisure: Meals here start, aptly enough, with a gratis plate of radishes. Dishes are lighter and more vegetarian-friendly than your average gastropub. Case in point: sweet pea pot pie.