If you love Irish ale, Italian pasta, Dutch-inspired ice cream, giant celebrity-face cookies, Japanese tea ceremonies, Korean honey butter chips, Venezuelan arepas, omakase sushi, chic cakes, avocado toast, plant-based menus, rum bars, jerk chicken and callaloo, you can enjoy them all on East 7th Street. Here, our guide to a one-block staycation.
1. Miss Lily’s 7A
109 Avenue A at E. 7th
https://www.instagram.com/p/BcA6FGvFxjO/
Great music, delicious Jamaican food, extensive rum bar, friendly servers, and a mostly young and happy crowd is what this place is all about. The décor is bright,, the seats are comfortable, and the customers represent the East Village at its best. Go at lunchtime for traditional ackee and saltfish with plantains and greens. Not a meat-eater? No problem: There’s a great West Indian curry vegetable roti with tamarind chutney.
2. Oiji
119 First Avenue at E. 7th Street
This rustic-elegant modern Korean restaurant draws a chic crowd from all over the city. The food is homey yet sophisticated, charming yet surprising. Brian Kim and Tae Kyung Ku, who worked in the kitchens of Bouley and Gramercy Tavern, bring a finessed simplicity to a dish of homemade tofu with spicy cod roe and smoked yellow trout roe, then handle complexity perfectly in a truffle seafood broth with crispy rice. End your meal with the honey butter chips—you’ll dream of them forevermore.
3. Setsugekka
74 E. 7th Street
In this tiny shop, the rush of the city drops away. Junya Mori and Souheki Mori have created a meditative space where you can enjoy a cup of freshly ground matcha prepared the traditional way by Souheki (an award-winning tea master) at the specially designed counter in the back while gazing at the formal tea ceremony area in front with its gorgeous handmade Japanese ceramics.
4. Cupcake Market
74 E. 7th Street
https://www.instagram.com/p/BauTBK-Hs-M/
This is the place to go if you love Instagramming your food. The cupcakes are adorable and the life-size celebrity-face cookies are totally covetable. The only problem is: Do you want to eat Drake’s face or Hillary’s? Ryan Gosling’s or…your own? Custom orders can be made.
5. Van Leeuwen Ice Cream
48.5 E. 7th Street
https://www.instagram.com/p/BcVW1NYAyCx/
In the competitive world of NYC ice cream, Van Leeuwen’s a winner with its unbeatable texture and irresistible flavors. Born in Greenpoint and now with seven locations around the city and three in L.A., they keep everyone happy with dairy and vegan flavors.
Honorable Mentions:
McSorley’s Old Ale House, 15 E. 7th Street; Porsena, 21 E. 7th Street; Caracas Arepa, 91 E. 7th Street; Kyo Ya, 94 E. 7th Street; Rose & Basil, 104 E. 7th Street; Ladybird, 111 E. 7th Street; Big Gay Ice Cream, 125 E. 7th Street
