East Village Restaurants

The East Village was once the heart of New York counterculture. Poets, artists, punk rockers and people who lived against the grain gravitated to St. Mark’s Place, perhaps the most well-known street neighboring Tompkins Square Park. Today, the original character of the place remains, but there’s an abundance of trendy eateries and fast-casual restaurants that take some of the edge out of the place. Still, charming tiny restaurants serving upscale, rustic fare add dimension to the multilayered neighborhood.