East Village

Widely recognized as the historical center of counterculture in of the city, the East Village attracted an incredible number of artists, writers, poets, and punk rockers over the years. Many still remain, giving the neighborhood an increasingly rare feeling of authentic New York. Streets are lined with low buildings -- a of walk-ups, lofts and single-family townhomes -- intermingled with small independent shops and the 10.5 acre Tompkins Square Park. The restaurant scene has become one of the best and most varied in the city, with big ticket establishments like Momofuku Ko tempered by blocks populated entirely by one type of food, like Curry Row (a block of Indian restaurants) and the Japanese version of the same.