Just moved to UES, need recs..

I lived in the area a few years ago so info might be outdated, but here goes.
"Mainstream" retail centered around 2nd ave/86th street. Good places to start walking around and then branch out.

For food, my old fav's:
- Maz Mezcal (Mexican)
- Googie's (Diner)
- Sotto Cinque (Cheap Italian)
- Atlantic Grill (Seafood, takes reservations for lunch)
- Totonno's / Pintaile's (Pizza)

For dinner - Sfoglia - fabulous! Just sent a co-worker there last night & she loved it. 92 @ lex

- viand at 86&2 is a good local diner to have.
- 86 & 3rd you have papaya king, possibly best hotdogs in nyc (and head and shoulders better than the copy, gray's)
- the original Brother Jimmy's for good fratty, sloppy fun, and the food (NC bbq) is actually a good value 77&2nd

oh, and pig heaven!

lim's custom tailor in the East 70s is not quite in your hood, but he's wonderful.

The York Grill -89th and York - awesome Cuisine, Great staff, Great classy but chill Bar area also.
Papaya King - I second that nomination for best hot dog.
Tamirand = You will pass 3 or 4 other Indian restaurants walking to 94th and 3rd but it is so worth it.
Wa Jeal - If you like well prepared Scheuan Food at 83rd and 2nd

Beyoglu - great turkish on 81
Brio 89 - Italian
Cafe d'Alsace or Le Refuge for French
Cascabel - funny tacos place with good food and mexican wrestling.

and... Elaine's!

real question is why would u leave the village for UES.....

1. For shoe repair, Pavlos Shoe Repair on East 88th/Lexington

2. For baked goods, try Two Little Red Hens on 2nd Avenue/East 86th Street

3. For pet supplies, Calling All Pets on York/East 83rd

4. For tailors, as front_porch mentioned Lims on East 71st/2nd Avenue is good and also George's European Tailors on East 81st/Lexington

pig heaven closed, poor nancy lee?

> pig heaven closed, poor nancy lee?

really, oh damn. I passed by a few weeks ago, I didn't notice.

> real question is why would u leave the village for UES.....

Because central village is awful. W village great, e village if its your thing (of course, you way overpay for your thing) but the central village just sucks on so many levels IMHO.

Thanks for all the recommendations! It seems I have a lot a options..

tojc519, I moved to UES because my rent was getting too high and also after 5 years of living there the noise was getting to me. I just moved in yesterday, and so far so good with the neighborhood.

The only issue is I just realized that my apartment is just above the garbage room :( So I am quite bummed out about that.

SWE...."Central Village is awful.". Why awful???? How do you define Cental Village?

I'm talking 8th street to Houston, 6th ave to Bleecker.

I do like lower 5th though, but I'd much rather be a little north of there.

SWE... I assume you mean 6th Ave to Broadway not Bleecker. Agreed too much NYU and bar scene touristy. Agreed as long as you don't mean 9th to 13th between 6th Ave & Broadway which most consider Central Village, Gold Coast or Lower 5th Ave.

yes, sorry. I was thinking of the Broadway and Bleeker corner restaurant for some reason.

Agreed, north of the park is great, but anytime I've ever heard someone say "the village" or "central village", they've almost always been talking about 8th or south, folks above - maybe because they are separating themselves - seem more likely to list the specific street.... "I live on 13th".

Gajyumaru on 1st and 86th is a great Japanese restaurant.
I moved to the west side and miss this place a lot.

So we walked around to find a place to have a glass of desert wine last night, and we walked around for 45 minutes and we ended up at Sfoglia and had a drink there. Is there any bars that is not a pub or a sports bar that you like?

Thanks!
nuray

for wine, uva on 2nd and 76 or 77 is ok, and there is quite a cool little wine bar on 81 just west of 2nd ave
for other recommendations i am surprise now one has mentioned poke on 85th and 1st for sushi, cascabel on 80th and 2nd for tacos and lukes lobster on 81st and 2nd (in old etats unis space).
for turkish, peri ella by the 92nd st y is much better than beyoglu imho

not sure googies is here anymore?

some places Id recommend:

Uva - 2nd Ave, 77th or so, good sexy place
Don Pedros - 2nd Ave, 96th; yep a bit north but good food
Maz Mezcal - best frozen margaritas
Jack Russell - best bar food, in my opinion
Dorians - close 2nd in bar food
Lexington Ave Candy Shop - 84th, for burger, old fashioned diner
Sultan - turkish
Beyoglu - another turkish
Tiny Thai - not bad
Wasabi Lobby - we like this sushi place

For produce: Agata and Valentina - great meats and cheeses as well (79th and 1st)

Other hidden gems: Two little red hens - best red velvet cake ever and amazing everything else

Gajyumaru (sushi) - 87th and 1st, really good, some of the best sushi we've had around NYC including the big names

Bar Notte on 2nd ave was also great if it ever reopens

googies became vynl (another diner) became a cheap mexican place.

try pio pio for some nice peruvian and good ceviche

Second Wasabi Lobby for sushi and Tamarind for Indian. Have tried many of the others and these two are my favorite (esp for ordering in). Also second on Cafe D'Alsace. Also one of my favorite small restaurants in the city, Izocan, is at 100 and Lex. I know, kind of a hike but totally worth it.

I forgot to mention earlier that if you need a reputable locksmith to change locks or cylinders, Abbey Locksmith on Second Ave (E. 81st) is very reliable and has been in the neighborhood for a long time. The restaurant discussion is interesting to me as a long time UES resident. Very good recommendations and one that I haven't heard of, but will definitely try - Gajyumaru.

can't go wrong here.

http://www.erminiaristorante.com/

yea erminia is great, but very $$$$...also nicolas on E 84th but very stuffy and pricey too

D'Alsace on 88th and 2nd is great
Chef Ho's best Chinese 89th and 2nd
Ottomanelli's on Lex and 92 delivers great burgers, wraps, etc.
Sabor de Mexico
Shake Shake is opening on 86th in a few weeks
You'll never go hungry around here!

Most good places (not all) are are in the East 70s

Orwasher's Bakery on east 78th just east of 2nd Ave - 100 year old artisan bakery one of the best in the city
Citarella - 3rd and 75th for groceries
Sushi of Gari - on east 78th east near York
Haru - 3rd at 76th
Donguri - japanese (non sushi) east 83rd
Maz Mescal - Mexican on east 86th
Chef Ho - as someone already mentioned

sarafina 79th, 3 Guys ( 75th and MAd), Whitney Museum restaurant( to be Danny Meyer venue), Sushi of Gari, Candle Cafe, Candle 79( candles are both veggie), Atlantic Grill, Eat, Via Quadronno

Due (Italian) 3rd Ave (79th & 80th)
Luke's (upscaled pub) 3rd Ave (79th & 80th), also home of the Mike Wallace Meatloaf
Flex Mussels 82nd & 3rd
Mimi's (reg pizza) Lex & 83rd

you know the thing about Flex mussels, I hear good things about the place, but I think all the garbage from Our Place restuarant right next door and the proximity of where that trash is stored to Flex Mussels kind of makes you want to keep walking and not sit down for dinner..dont know, could be just me.