One of New York's most dynamic—and diverse—restaurant scenes is sprouting in a neighborhood once better known for lox and knishes (you can still get those, too). Here are a few of our favorites.
146 Essex St (btwn Stanton & Rivington St), New York, NY
Bar à tapas · Lower East Side · 579 conseils et avis
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.
153 Rivington St (Clinton & Suffolk), New York, NY
Restaurant de tacos · Lower East Side · 56 conseils et avis
Travel + Leisure: The cult favorite food truck’s first brick-and-mortar location in Manhattan serves up wallet-friendly tacos, burritos, and stone-ground jalapeno-cheddar grits.
17 Orchard St (btwn Hester & Canal St), New York, NY
Restaurant britannique · Chinatown · 223 conseils et avis
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.
84 Stanton St (btwn Allen & Orchard St), New York, NY
Restaurant italien · Lower East Side · 621 conseils et avis
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.
Restaurant de cuisine américaine moderne · Lower East Side · 97 conseils et avis
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.
137 Rivington St (btwn Norfolk & Suffolk St.), New York, NY
Restaurant thaïlandais · Lower East Side · 77 conseils et avis
Travel + Leisure: Forget gloopy delivery pad thai. Portland’s Andy Ricker has perfected the noodle dish—which comes five ways here—in a tiny, skinny-tabled space.
179 E Houston St (btwn Allen & Orchard St), New York, NY
Magasin de produits gastronomiques · Lower East Side · 423 conseils et avis
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.
Bar à vins · Lower East Side · 44 conseils et avis
Travel + Leisure: Pastas star at this cozy Piedmontese spot—we love the lamb ragu. The two-course prix fixe dinner menu, available Tuesday through Saturday, is a good deal.
126 Rivington St (btwn Essex & Norfolk), New York, NY
Magasin de cupcake · Lower East Side · 248 conseils et avis
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.
Restaurant de fruits de mer · Lower East Side · 22 conseils et avis
Travel + Leisure: Bivalve lovers should grab a seat at the marble-topped bar for oyster shooters; the dining room has more seafood favorites like Dungeness crab cake and lobster and chips.
79 Clinton St (btwn Rivington & Delancey St), New York, NY
Restaurant chinois · Lower East Side · 96 conseils et avis
Travel + Leisure: Start with stir-fried mushrooms at this brick-walled Chinese restaurant that imbues local produce with Yunnanese flavors. Other highlights: sausage fried rice, shredded chicken with taro.