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A Grubhub Guide to East Village Eating
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Published Nov 4, 2021
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Now that we're deep into New York City fall and the city's back open in a way that seemed almost unfathomable not so long ago, New Yorkers can keep the party going, even if that means ordering in, with Grubhub! Delivery just got even better with the Grubhub Guarantee - get your food delivered on time and at the lowest price, guaranteed or Grubhub will make it right.
Plus, with the Grubhub Donate the Change program, diners can round up their orders to the nearest dollar and donate the difference to the Restaurant Strong Fund to support local restaurants impacted by the pandemic. It's the most delicious way to support your local favorites or try something new.
Gothamist and Grubhub are teaming up to celebrate amazing restaurants that, whether they’re a few blocks from your place or a bike ride away, are NYC favorites that we think you’ll love too.
The East Village has always been one of New York City's most dynamic, cutting-edge neighborhoods--even as far back as the the late 1700s, when the land was still mostly pear orchard, St Marks Church on the Bowery was considered pretty radical--especially in the post-World War II era, as first the jazz fiends, then the beatniks, then the hippies, and then the punks gave the community much of its character.
For the past couple of decades, though, perhaps the most defining characteristic of the East Village has been its restaurants, as year after year a seemingly endless array of exciting newcomers open comfortably beside some legendary old favorites. In fact, if you were forced right this second to choose a single neighborhood in which you had to eat all of your meals for, say, an entire year, this might be the one.
The area has become such a vital and varied dining destination that any guide to East Village eating will be incomplete, but here's a look at some of our current favorite spots, all of which, if you're more in the mood to chill at home tonight than join the crowds out on the street, will be happy to deliver right to your door - on time and at the lowest price - via Grubhub.
Yellow Rose
Tacos provide the foundation for Dave and Krystiana Rizo's Yellow Rose, the couple's effortlessly fun and funky spot that opened about a year ago on Third Avenue, and make no mistake, these San Antonio-style beauties are amazing. There's the incredibly rich Barbacoa one, filled with slow simmered beef cheeks, and the lively Shredded Chicken Verde one, and the deceptively basic-looking Bean and Cheese one, which is one of our absolute favorite things to eat in the city right now. But don't sleep on the rest of the kitchen's "Genuine Cosmic Texas Cooking" either. Rizo's special entrees (the Chalupas, the Chili, the Pork Chops, whatever they may be) and market-driven sides and salads are also consistently superb, as is anything pastry chef Darcy Spence concocts, but especially her phenomenal Texas Sheet Cake, whether chocolate with pecans or her wonderful "Pink" flavor. Get ready to fall in love.
Other delightful Mexican cuisine in the area includes East Village mainstay Downtown Bakery on First Avenue, which has been slinging first-rate tacos, burritos, tortas, and quesadillas since the 1990s; the loaded nachos at Taqueria Diana on Second Avenue always hit the spot; and if you're in the mood for something a bit fancier, the ever-popular Rosie's on lower Second Avenue can send you things like Ceviche, Calabaza, and Pozole de Pato along with their acclaimed Guacamole and Chips. Oh and one more newcomer of note: Electric Burrito on St. Marks Place, whose San Diego-style ‘ritos come stuffed with french fries.
Yellow Rose is located at 102 Third Avenue -- Order Now
Veselka
East Village icon Veselka, which has been serving its hearty Ukrainian diner food to all comers, often 24 hours a day, since 1954, has navigated the pandemic in style, with rows of usually-filled outdoor tables running on both Second Avenue and 9th Street and, conveniently, especially for brunch after a long night, via delivery with Grubhub. Pierogies and/or Potato Pancakes are a must, the soups (Borscht, Matzoh Ball) will satisfy your soul, and the "Veselka Classics" like Beef Stroganoff, Bigos, and Chicken Paprikash are perfect for a cozy night at home.
Cafe Mogador, which opened on St Marks back in 1983, is another solid neighborhood option for classic comfort food, though here you'll find a menu with a more Moroccan and Middle Eastern bent. Vegetable-centric Westville East on Avenue A makes a first-rate brunch (and all the other meals), and the bagel sandwiches at Tompkins Square Bagels, which range from the expected to the insane, are always a good idea.
Veselka is located at 144 Second Avenue -- Order Now
Ho Foods
As we head into prime soup season again, here's a reminder that Richard Ho's tiny Taiwanese spot on East 7th Street, Ho Foods, makes an incredible bowl of "Red Cooked" Beef Noodle, with a complex broth that moves from dense and meaty (cow hooves, tendon) to almost bright and sweet (cloves, cinnamon), and surprisingly spicy (doubanjiang, Sichuan peppercorns) during each bite. We usually order it with the wide noodles, though the round ones are good as well, and the slabs of remarkably tender beef shank will last you through the whole meal. Ho's sides are awesome too, including the sublime Soft Tofu.
More great Taiwanese cooking can be delivered to your home from Eric Sze and Andy Chuang's excellent 886 on St Marks Place (pick hits: the Notorious T.F.C. fiery chicken sandwich, and the Hakka Stir Fry starring tender strips of pork). If it's Vietnamese pho you crave, two of NYC's best bowls can be found in the neighborhood, at Hanoi Soup Shop on St. Marks, and Madame Vo on East 10th.
Ho Foods is located at 110 East 10th Street -- Order Now
John's of 12th Street
A stone classic, the red-sauce joint John's of 12th Street first opened in 1908 and is still slinging whole pizzas (including a decent Clam Pie), all manner of pastas (sleeper hit: the one with garlic, oil, and anchovies) and parms. The time capsule interior, especially those murals near the ceiling, and bygone-celebrity headshots, add to the charm, but the extensive selection of vegan and/or gluten-free dishes on the menu feels downright contemporary. Break out your white tablecloth, linen napkins, and light up a massive mound of melted wax for the full John's effect in your home!
If you just want some pizza, the East Village has plenty of other, less hoary options as well, including the very good Sauce Pizzeria down the block from John's on 12th Street, and Joe and Pat's on First Avenue, whose pies with cracker-thin crusts are much-loved on Staten Island. But the neighborhood's best pizza could be the Detroit-style monsters at Emmy Squared, where you can also get an excellent burger and platters of loaded-up waffle fries.
John's of 12th Street is located at 302 East 12th Street -- Order Now
Evil Katsu
Three East Village friends lost their restaurant jobs in the early days of the pandemic, scrambled last winter to open a delivery-only popup from the kitchen of a temporarily shuttered bar, and then this summer unveiled a permanent home on East 9th Street for their superb sandos and bentos, Evil Katsu. Both the pork and portobello katsu are great here, but our favorite is the chicken sando, a big slab of bird double fried to a crackling crisp on the outside while remaining remarkably juicy within. The sides will all make you happy, too, especially the creamy potato salad, lively house pickles, and, if it's still on the menu, the tomato udon noodles.
The best straight-up fried chicken in the neighborhood can be found over on Avenue C at the delightfully unassuming Bobwhite Lunch Counter. The biscuits and sides here are terrific, too. Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken on lower Second Avenue delivers a bunch of reliably satisfying sandwiches, and the flame-grilled, drenched-in-sauce bird at Frangos Peri Peri on Avenue B is another good East Village option.
Evil Katsu is located at 81 St Marks Place -- Order Now
Spicy Moon
The East Village has one of the greatest concentrations of first-rate Chinese food restaurants in town, specializing in nearly every imaginable regional cuisine, but the only 100% vegan Sichuan spot that we know of is the great Spicy Moon on East 6th Street, which opened about three years ago and keeps delivering all sorts of fantastic, and often quite fiery, dishes from their psychedelic shop. Order with confidence all over the menu: the plump Steamed Vegetable Dumplings, the potent Dan Dan Noodles and Mapo Tofu, the Kung Pao Mixed Vegetables and Salt and Pepper Eggplant are all winners.
More top-notch dumplings--especially of the "soup" variety--can be found at The Bao on St Marks Place; Szechuan Mountain House, also on St. Marks, has a lengthy menu of well-executed classics; and Mala Project on First Avenue will deliver, right to your home, the Dry Pot of your dreams.
Spicy Moon is located at 328 East 6th Street -- Order Now
As more restaurants have opened up throughout the city, New Yorkers can keep supporting these institutions by exploring new spots or ordering their favorite meals with Grubhub. And with the Grubhub Guarantee, New Yorkers get their food delivered on-time and at the lowest prices - guaranteed or Grubhub will make it right. If your delivery arrives late, you’ll receive $5 off your next order and if you find a lower price with a competitor, Grubhub will match the difference, plus you’ll get $5 off your next order. Consider supporting a neighborhood business and treat yourself to some delicious food delivered right to your door!
This post is a sponsored collaboration between Grubhub and Gothamist staff.
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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