EAST VILLAGE, New York City – Our love for Alphabet City, a little neighborhood in NYC’s East Village, runs deep — we both live here and run two businesses together. We named our businesses after Avenue C’s colloquial moniker: Loisaida. Our wine bar, Lois, serves wine on tap to locals; our specialty food brand, Aida, can be purchased at shops in the East Village and nationwide. If you don’t see us at our own bar, you can usually find us at one of these neighborhood spots.
EAT
ABC Beer
96 Ave. C, b/t 6th & 7th Sts.; +1-646-422-7103
ABC
is right next door to Lois, and has become our go-to spot when beer is
on the brain. It’s relaxed, no fuss, and a lot of fun.
SOS Chefs
104 Ave. B, b/t 6th & 7th Sts.; +1-212-505-5813
A
sliver of heaven on the block for chefs and home cooks. Floor to
ceiling, the space is crammed with every spice, nectar, oil, nectar,
bean, grain, hope, and dream you could ever want to see in one space. We
often forage their selection of seasonal fresh fruit and mushrooms for
menu inspiration.
Maiden Lane
162 Ave. B, b/t 10th & 11th Sts.; +1-646-755-8911
An
airy neighborhood bar with friendly bartenders and outdoor seating
located right on Tompkins Square Park. The corner location offers great
people-watching at every hour. We like a post-work Aperol Spritz paired
with the smoked fish dip.
C & B Cafe
178 E 7th St., at Ave. B; +1-212-674-2985
Located
on the opposite side of the park, C&B (meaning coffee and bagel) is
our go-to for perfectly scrambled eggs, strong coffee, and neighborhood
gossip. The owner, Ali, can be found whipping up the standard NYC
bacon-egg-and-cheese, although his egg and mushroom bowl is also
amazing.
9th Street Espresso
700 E. 9th St., at Ave. C; +1-212-358-9225
Every single day, all day. The best coffee in the hood, period.
Honest Chops
319 E. 9th St., b/t First & Second Aves.; +1-212-388-0762
We
found this halal butcher down a narrow staircase below street level. In
our opinion, it offers the best cuts of meat at incredibly reasonable
prices. We frequent the shop to pick up chicken, burgers, and homemade
sausage when we’re throwing a backyard barbecue.
Rue B
188 Ave. B, b/t 11th & 12th Sts.; +1-212-358-1700
An
old-school classic bar that features free jazz every night as well as a
great happy hour. If we’re not behind the bar at Lois, we can often be
found soaking up the evening in this neighborhood classic.
Sunny & Annie’s
94 Ave. B, at 6th St.; +1-212-677-3131
When
we don’t have time to eat dinner at the bar or go out, we’ll order a
Loveshine sandwich or a Philly cheesesteak. If we had a little too much
fun the night before, this fixes us right up the next morning.
Satsko
202 E. 7th St., b/t Aves. B & C; +1-212-614-0933
This
tiny izakaya feels like the nicest, most welcoming members-only club in
town. We love the next-level small plates and excellent sake selection
served by super-informed bartenders.
Lois
98 Ave. C, b/t 6th & 7th Sts.; +1-212-475-1400
Our
wine bar! Located on Avenue C, Lois is an all wine-on-tap bar in which
we feature a rotating food menu of snacks and larger dishes made fresh
in our pint-sized kitchen. The food that we serve in our bar also
inspired our new line of specialty food products, Aida. Our staff is
incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, the patrons are easygoing, and
locals mix with visitors to create a lively neighborhood atmosphere.
Tompkins Square Park
E 10th St., b/t Aves. A & B; no phone
The
best spot in the neighborhood for people-watching, taking five, sipping
coffee, or having a picnic (especially with some Sunny & Annies or a
bagel from Tompkin’s Square Bagels). There’s also a Sunday farmers
market with produce from local farmers.
Superiority Burger
430 E 9th St.; +1-212-256-1192
You
can never go wrong here. We recommend the namesake burger — which
happens to be the best veggie burger we’ve ever had — plus whatever is
on the specials board. Word to the wise, do NOT skip the gelato.
SHOP
Cloak & Dagger
334 E. 9th St., b/t First Ave & Ave. A; +1-673-0500
A small boutique where we can always find something … and where we usually leave pining over several other things that we didn’t snag. The shop features a curated mix of small and local brands.
Verameat
315 E. 9th St., b/t First & Second Aves.; +1-212-388-9045
The
best shop for compliment-inducing, unique jewelry at varying price
points. Some of our favorite pieces have been discovered in this
storefront. They often have great sales, too.
Flower Power
406 E. 9th St., b/t First Ave. & Ave. A; +1-212-982-6664
This
is an “only in New York” herbs-and-extracts shop for home and medicinal
uses that also hosts monthly classes. We’ve stopped in for everything
from a sage stick (to clear out memories of a bad roommate) to lessons
in aromatherapy.