13 Hidden Gems of NYC
Your 2017 for-locals, by-locals guide to avoiding the tourists.
Let’s face it, New York City is a tourist trap. It’s the Big Apple (Fun fact: ‘apple’ used to be slang for ‘city’...this was the ‘big’ one). Anytime something exciting comes along, it takes roughly the length of a stalled downtown A train before it’s overrun with out-of-towners. And that’s fine! Our city exists because of the come-from-aways feeding our neverending urge to sit at the cool kids’ table (People still make a pilgrimage to get a Cronut. And to check out that cookie dough store. And to try those milkshakes that look like an eight-year-old threw up an entire Dylan's Candy Bar in the back of the bus after having a few too many Milk Duds and Slim Jims on his class trip. Hypothetically..)
It’s a love-hate relationship we have with our revolving door or AirBnB-ers, but alas, we know we need them. Just not all the time. We all crave a moment of solitude to douse the disproportionate rage that washes over us when we’re stuck behind a gaggle of giggling friends walking three abreast on the sidewalk (your blood pressure spiked just from reading that). Hell, sometimes we need a reminder of those who came before us, but aren’t about to wake up early on our day off to catch that morning ferry out to Ellis Island or fight the First Friday crowd at MoMa.
To help you out, here are some places the tourists haven’t discovered yet; or perhaps are still too scared to ride the subway to check out. Either way, it’s empowering to feel like you belong in a city, and part of being a local means living like one. Ironically in the biggest apple of them all, it’s easy to settle for a belting your best Elphaba at Marie’s Crisis night after night; but you didn’t move to New York to find comfort in redundancy. This may be the city that never sleeps, but you do, and you spend half your life doing it. Spend those waking hours discovering something new. We have a lot more to offer than Chelsea Market and Times Square. Those are just what we serve the tourists.
Best Cheesecake: Eileen’s Special Cheesecake
New Yorkers don’t like talking to anyone we don’t have to, yet our favorite pastime is flaunting our fierce, unwavering opinions (read: facts), specifically with those who never asked for them in the first place.
Politics aside, food is the most popular debate topic. Bagels and pizza are staples of these great islands, but it seems that the glory days of cheesecake have been left behind in the sepia-toned yesteryears of Damon Runyon.
The tourists flock to Juniors because it’s convenient, historic, Obama’s been there, and their signage is larger than last year’s Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest winner (although he’s actually pretty fit, so the metaphor is a bit faulty. I digress.)
Here’s my factual opinion: Junior’s is gross. Don’t believe me? Try it! Drop eight bucks on a slice that will sit in your stomach like playdough and make you feel like Violet Beauregarde rolling home to binge watch This Is Us and question your life choices.
Cheesecake is a gift from the Lenape gods of Manahatta (disclaimer: this is not true; however, we did get the name Manhattan from the Native American word ‘Manahatta’ which means ‘hilly island.’ And yes, there used to be hills here before the 1811 street grid system was put in for all of us directionally challenged folk) and you should feel good about eating it. Check out the place so good they didn’t even tell 44 about it. Head down to Eileen’s Special Cheesecake situated on Cleveland St., a street most locals have never even heard of. It’s a family owned business in a cozy shop that’s been in operation since the mid 70’s. Give your $4 to the nice folks who love nothing more than to share their daily-made morsels of personal-sized lusciousness with you.
Warning: a part of you will die and go to heaven when you eat these fluffy little clouds, so be sure to get 2 or 3 of them. I recommend the pumpkin cheesecake or the salted caramel (don’t worry, they have plenty of fruit options as well). Be sure to say ‘thank you’ to Eileen and her daughters who are normally behind the counter doling out their love.
17 Cleveland Pl, New York, NY 10012
Best Dumplings: The Lady on Mosco st.
In the age of Yelp, everyone can feel like a Times food journalist, flouting their favorite spots as if their opinion holds the same weight as Aziz Ansari’s. Because of this barrage of Amateur Night at Zagat in the palm of your hand, it’s difficult to whittle down the best places to go. Don’t forgot a lot of the reviews online are fake, and businesses can actually pay to zhuzh their ratings.
So what if you are looking for a place to scarf down some good food fast for almost as cheap as a $1 slice of za? Chinatown. One of the shortest streets in the city (I think) is Mosco St., bookended by Mott St. and Columbus Park, right at the old Five Points where DiCaprio and Day-Lewis defended their respective gangs.. of New York). There’s a small white awning on the street that says Fried Dumpling and large clouded plastic strips hang from the doorway convincing you that you may be a disposable character in a scene from The Godfather.
The owner runs a tight ship. Don’t be afraid, but don’t ask questions. Have your money ready BEFORE you enter. It’s $1.25 for 5 incredible dumplings (and if you don’t have exact change, you aren’t getting money back, you’re simply getting more dumplings. $2 gets you 8 dumplings..or whatever she feels like that day.) Once you have your money ready, enter the store. Give her your money, grab a fork, take your dumplings and thank her with a huge smile. She’ll wave you away like she has no use for you anymore (because she doesn’t) and mumble something under her breath (which I always assume to be an enthusiastic ‘you’re welcome.’) Behind you are some sauces in Sriracha bottles that have found a second life. Dress your dumplings and head outside to enjoy them. Congratulations, you did it! All for the love of food.
Footnote: The ONE question you are allowed to ask is if she has vegetarian dumplings. Sometimes she does, sometimes she doesn’t. It’s New York and she can do what she wants.
106 Mosco St, New York, NY 10013
Jazz:
I know, I know, this city has no shortage of jazz clubs and, if you’re like my girlfriend, you just can’t figure out what the draw is to ten minute jam sessions of old guys trying to out-syncopate each other. I, on the other hand, love the genre and have subjected her to her own personal Bad Place in many a seedy jazz club all over the city. Man, I love that woman. There are only a few places that are consistent enough to return to, aren’t overrun with tourists, and have low to no cover charges. These are my personal faves.
*Don’t forget to bring cash to tip the musicians!
Paris Blues
If you want one of the coolest experiences this city has to offer, you must take the A train (or the C, D, 2, or 3) uptown and head to Paris Blues in Harlem. Every night(!) at 9pm they have free live jazz and cheap drinks. Want food? Grab a paper plate and help yourself to the crock pot cooking up chicken, beans, and rice. This is a place for regulars, so if you’re a newbie you will be welcomed with a saxophone solo literally wailed in your literal face (much to my girlfriend’s dismay). It doesn’t get much better than an evening of live jazz in the neighborhood where it all began.
2021 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd (at 121st st.), New York, NY
The 55 Bar
This place is easily overshadowed by its neighbors, The Stonewall Inn and Kettle of Fish; so much so that you’ll probably miss it the first time you walk by. This is one of those places that will kick you out if you are talking over the music, so don’t go there to party. I like to go to this place to kick off the night, as the early evening shows are less crowded and less likely to have a cover charge; although when they do have a cover it’s only $8-$10 so it’s a good deal regardless.
55 Christopher St, New York, NY 10014
Zinc Bar
In need of a nightcap with some background music? Head to Zinc Bar a couple blocks south of Washington Square Park. If you want to focus on the music, there is a charge to sit in the back room where the band is playing, but chilling at the bar is free and you can still hear the music clearly (most of the time, the curtain is pulled back so you can even see the band without feeling like you need to pause your conversation.)
82 W 3rd St, New York, NY 10012
Coffee:
I’m slowly becoming a coffee snob (read: addict). I love learning about everything having to do with roasting, brewing, and drinking it. I have a list on my phone of my favorite coffee shops in each neighborhood that I reference when I find myself with any amount of downtime on my hands. I’ll save those recs for another post. These are just three (and I can’t believe I’m only giving three) of my favorite places that have a bit of their own personality and privacy.
Grounded Coffee House (and tea!)
Walk into this oasis of tables and chairs nestled among plants and trees, breathe in the aromas of coffee, loose leaf teas, and their incredible breakfast burritos. This is a bright, cozy spot for an intimate conversation, a work sesh, or forgetting about the world outside. Take time to read the menu as they offer a ton of signature drinks, like the Honey Bee Latte: Espresso, raw local honey, and milk.
28 Jane Street, New York, NY 10014
Kobrick Coffee
Here’s another place that has their own signature drinks (and a liquor license!). Kobrick Coffee may not be the most under-the-radar spot in town, as it sits in the heart of The Meatpacking District, a block from Chelsea Market and The Highline, but it does seem to be frequented more by locals than anyone else. Of course you can get your typical $9 avocado hipster toast, but the coffee (alcoholic or not) is what keeps me coming back. The warm lighting, comfy leather chairs, and tiny tables beg you to stay all day, and their various coffee contraptions give the feeling that you’ve stumbled upon some steam-punk, Rube Goldberg coffeehouse reality. For non-alcoholic I recommend the Koco Freddo (2x shaken cold brew, coconut oil, egg white), and when you get off work try the Old Slip (bourbon aeropressed through sumatra purbatua, demerara sugar, hella aromatic and citrus bitters).
They also do a lot for the environment and part of their proceeds go toward that, which only makes me want to give them more of my money. Check out their partnership with the Canopy Tree Project.
24 Ninth Ave., New York, NY 10014
Tom’s Roasting Co.
Yup, THAT Tom’s. The shoe people. We always feel good when we do good, and if that means we also get something for ourselves, even better. Because it’s a business model that works wonders for everyone involved, they’ve been expanding from shoes to eyeglasses and now water--which we get to to help out with in the form of coffee. With every purchase made from Tom’s Roasting Co., they provide safe drinking water to an area of the world that desperately needs it.
The best part about this cafe (aside from the do-gooding) is that this place just looks like a simple shoe store from the outside. Head on in, grab a coffee, and keep walking (check out the shoes on the way). You’ll soon find yourself in their quiet BACKYARD. It’s a welcoming canopied area tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the city while still allowing you to slurp up some fresh air while slurping down a fresh cup of Tom (...ok, that joke doesn’t really work).
264 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10012
Sweets:
The Sweet Life Candy Shop
This is the stuff of fairy tales. While everything around it has changed dramatically, this candy shop’s been nestled comfortably in the Lower East Side since 1982, where it was purchased with a handshake. (Fun fact: in the Diamond District, a handshake is still considered a legally binding agreement.) It looks like a place you’d find in Paris, but head inside and you’ll find a chocolate selection hand curated from 12 countries around the globe offered right alongside the owner’s very own store-made sweets. It doesn’t get much more New York than that.
While you’re down there, check out a classic film at The Metrograph, where they also sell candy from The Sweet Life.
63 Hester St, New York, NY 10002
The Doughnut Project
Doughnuts are back in style. Ok, they’ve been back for a while, but it seems like they are becoming the new cheesecake, with people passionately promoting their favorites even if they haven’t tried the competition. The Doughnut Project has a trophy though, so my opinion is validated. You won’t find doughnuts like these anywhere else.
Their PB&J doughnut is a personal fave (jelly glaze on top, filled with sometimes spicy peanut butter), but their trophy is for the beet & ricotta (beet glaze/ricotta filling). They always push the envelope and are constantly changing up their specials to cleverly reflect current pop culture and seasonal ingredients. Occasionally they even team up with local restaurants to create more savory fare (last year they teamed up with Clinton Hall to create a bacon grilled cheese with a habanero glazed doughnut as the bread, which they served on a hook, dripping its gooey goodness into a bowl of tomato soup. ‘Twas amazing.)
Tip: They only make a certain number a day, so the earlier you get to this hole-y land, the better.
10 Morton St., New York, NY 10014
History:
City Reliquary Museum
For those of you feel embarrassed asking (like me), a reliquary is just what it sounds like: a place for relics, specifically holy relics. In the heart of Brooklyn lies a museum full of New York relics that, in their words, “connects visitors to both the past and present of New York.” This is not your typical museum. It started as a simple window display outside of the owner’s apartment with a recorded run-down of what you were looking at. Now they’ve got a whole place. And it. Is. Awesome. I don’t want to ruin anything for you, but this is like The Museum of the City of New York for locals, and admission is just $7.
370 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
The Last Remaining Gas Lamp Post
Ok, there are actually two left in NYC, but the other one is way up on 211th st, so we’ll just stick to the one in Greenwich Village. Gas street lamps were used before electricity, and almost all of them have been switched out for electric; however, head to the location on the link above, and you’ll find a short gated street. I speak from experience when I say: DO. NOT. TRESPASS. Look down the street and you’ll see a streetlamp at the far end. The light itself is electric now (because 2018), but the post has been standing there since the 1860’s.
…..Ok, well, I think it’s cool.
Hess Triangle
It’s always inspirational to hear stories of people standing up to The Man. At Christopher Street and 7th Avenue South, you’ll see the iconic Village Cigars store that I’m sure you’ve walked by a thousand times. You may or may not have ever noticed a small triangle mosaic on the sidewalk just outside their front door. Even if you have noticed it, you may have thought it was just an old plaque announcing the store. The truth is much more intriguing.
The short story is that there used to be a ton of buildings where 7th ave South runs today, and as the city expanded the roads and subway systems, they had to tear down a bunch of buildings standing in the way. David Hess owned a huge apartment complex which the city tore down around 1911, so we could easily hail a cab after getting our Big Gay Ice Cream fix. The Hess fam realized that the city had overlooked a 700 square inch(!) piece of their land. In 1922 when the city realized their flub and asked the family to donate it back to them, they said “Aw, hell no!” and tiled the property which reads, “Property of the Hess estate, which has never been dedicated for public purposes.” Pretty badass.
Of course money talks and in 1938 they ended up selling the triangle to Village Cigars for $1000. A THOUSAND. DOLLARS. That’s nearly $17,600 today. And we complain about the rent for our studio apartments.
There you have it! My short list for the places you can avoid the tourists and give yourself permission to live like a local in this crazy place we call home.