Visiting NYC – St. Mark's Place

Enjoy Good Eats and Shopping in Manhattan's East Village

Oct 11, 2009

Learn about great places to eat and shop on St. Mark's Place, a historic part of the East Village in NYC. St. Mark's is only a 15 minute train ride from Grand Central.

Tired of the shoulder-to-shoulder pedestrian traffic in Midtown? Take the 6 train downtown to Astor Place for a little bit of fun on St. Mark's Place, aka 8th Street between 3rd Avenue and Avenue A. While St. Mark's isn't really a hidden gem, it definitely has a more local vibe and still remains relatively uncluttered by chain restaurants and stores. First, locate St. Marks from the subway station by looking for the big green sign that reads 'St. Mark's Hotel'. This is the starting point!

The first stop on any tour of St. Mark's should be the small cluster of storefronts that sell costume jewelry, sunglasses and wigs. The prices are usually inexpensive, and sometimes the salespeople are willing to bargain for a fair price. These are great places to look for Halloween costume accessories whether you need gaudy gold chains or a hot pink wig. Most of the stores offer piercings as well, but it is probably wise to find a more hygienic option elsewhere.

There is a heavy Japanese influence on St. Mark's, including JAS Mart (35 St. Mark's Place), a Japanese grocery store. JAS Mart has two floors of merchandise with snack foods, frozen foods and some fresh meat and produce. Stop in for a snack – try Japanese favorites like Calpico and Qoo soft drinks, Milky candies and the infamous Pocky cookies.

A visit to St. Mark's isn't complete without wandering into the many punk and goth-inspired clothing shops, such as the famous Trash & Vaudeville shops (4 St. Mark's Place). Until the mid-to-late 1980's, St. Mark's was well known for its music scene, and this shop is a remnant from that time. Search & Destroy (25 St. Mark's Place) is a more recent tenant and offers a mix of new and vintage clothing.

Eat in NYC for Cheap

St. Mark's offers some great options for dining cheap. Newly opened is the Baoguette Cafe (37 St. Mark's Place) which serves up Vietnamese sandwiches. This place is a chain, but has been ranked as one of the city's best spots for Banh Mi sandwiches.

In the mood for sushi? Just across the street from Baoguette is Go Japanese Restaurant (30 St. Mark's Place). Sit at the sushi bar and chat with the friendly chef (he has some great stories!) or grab a table. Highly recommended is the Curry Rice on a cold day. Japanese curry is quite different than traditional Indian curry -- the spice is milder, but it is thick like a stew and has carrots and potatoes simmered into it. It will be served in a gravy boat, so you can decide how much you want to pour on!

In addition to all of the great shopping and dining, St. Mark's is a great area for people watching. After spending some time exploring St. Mark's and the surrounding area, head back to the 6 train at Astor Place. Ignore the Starbucks and go local by grabbing a hot cup of coffee from the big orange MudTruck outside the subway station.

The copyright of the article Visiting NYC – St. Mark's Place in New York Travel is owned by Kristen Joerger. Permission to republish Visiting NYC – St. Mark's Place in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.