Geography matters. If one looks at a map of Manhattan, you will see that from 125th Street down to 23rd Street, it is essentially a rectangle, with First Avenue being the easternmost North-South Avenue. South of 14th Street, the island bulges on the east side. Here you have the Lower East Side and Alphabet City – Avenues A, B, C, & D.
This area is one that is furthest from subway lines in the city. It is nearly a mile from Avenue C and the nearest station at Astor Place or 2nd Avenue. I believe that this frontier land location has been one factor in its later gentrification. The area has a rich ethnic history, occupied by the German, Polish, and most recently the Latin community (Avenue C has been given the name Losaida, meaning Lower East Side in Spanish).

In my recent explorations of the community gardens in the area, I discovered a real gem of a restaurant at 145 Avenue C and 9th Street: Esperanto. In warm weather, their French-style doors are open, and there is al fresco sidewalk dining – beautiful, since a large community garden faces each exposure. The food is pan-Latin, with Brazilian and Cuban drinks. There are two rooms with a warm, dark atmosphere. The main room (in the photo) has burnt-orange walls, tiled floors, and a bar. The other room is painted in turquoise. The food is excellent and very well priced. There are prix fixe dinners and brunches. Some have complained about the wait staff being inattentive, but I found it acceptable. Highly recommended…

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Many New Yorkers avoid the South Street Seaport area (barring an occasional visit for a performance like that of Spiegelworld), seeing the area as too touristy. This is a legitimate complaint, but there are also good reasons to visit this neighborhood. Once one gets away from the beaten path of Fulton Street, you quickly start to appreciate the charms of this area, the oldest area of the city. The buildings are beautifully restored, streets are cobbled, and there are a number of establishments worth patronizing, such as museums, restaurants, bookstores, and galleries.

The Bridge Cafe, at 279 Water Street, is one of those places. The restaurant, at the end of Water Street and the corner of Dover Street, is virtually under the Brooklyn Bridge, housed in a wood-frame building erected in 1794 (click here for photo). This historic gem is believed to be the oldest business in NYC and the oldest drinking establishment. In 1847, Henry Williams opened a porter house in this section of Water Street, known for its saloons and brothels. The cuisine is eclectic New American. I have not eaten there, but reviews appear to be consistently good – I intend to to soon…

Notes: At the time the place was built, before land-fill projects expanded the area of Lower Manhattan, the East River actually came right up to the building.
When Ed Koch was mayor, he met here twice weekly at a private table.

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