I am glad you are goig this route. There is a great selection of ethnic cuisines that are ignored by at least most of the visitors who post here.

In all honesty, I'm a fussy eater and not into extremely ethnic foods. But I'm trying to change. No promises, but I will take all suggestions into consideration. After all, it's New York City. I'm in the mood for something new. !-)

The only problem you might have in walking around the lower east side re safety is to your bank account. In days gone by you could have had a knish at Yonah Shimmel, a pastrami sandwich at Katz's, or a pickle at Gus', or a nice meal at the Garden Cafeteria with some true local characters at modest prices. But now - change has set in - the yuppies and trendies have discovered the area, moved in and so have the trendy boutiques, bars, cafes with the prices that go with them.

I dunno, Joe (jroth), yuppies and trendies = Warren (Adu)? <vbg>

Jroth is correct. Its become one of the trendy areas which has raised some prices, but also made the neighborhood safer than it used to be.

Joe is right in part. Besides some of the places already mentioned, there are new places with excellent quality food for reasonable prices-Falai, Il Laboratorio de Gelato, Ino, and Sunshine Balery.

Above Houston there are many places that I do not list as outstanding but where you can still get a decent cheap meal.

There is one other point that Joe is missing. In September there was a mnurder in the 9th precinct, it was the first of the year. Twenty five years ago the Mayor had to send tanks into Tompkins Square Park to clear out the crack dealers and squatters, this area was extremely dangeropus. In fact those who are old enough will remember when there was a murder in the East Village in the late 1960's when the mainstream press declared that the homicide also killed the hippie movement.

The park is now filled with neighborhood families and many young women come here directly from college. And while there are new Gaudiesque buildings being constructed there is also a new SVA dorm on Ludlow.

The neighborhood still has its gritty appearance and feel for authencity and there are all types of ethnic groups in the area especially Latinos and Eastern Europeans.

Many of the boutiques are owned and operated by such subversives as graduates from FIT. We have a friend who is a clothese designer who consigns to these stores and even when the economy was good it was a tough business.

Joe and Bert-You both know me and hippie, yippie, or tragically hip really doesn't seem apt. I think I defy categorization and that carries both good and bad connotations, all of which apply.

The Lower East Side is fine as far as safety most hours. It can be wise to walk with purpose very late at night in the area, especially on side streets, but otherwise you should be fine.

Will heartily second Katz's, and am of the opinion that their pastrami sandwich (juicy, on rye) is one of the best sandwiches one can get anywhere, NYC or no. Will also second Kossar's Bialys and Il Laboratorio del Gelato, and also suggest Russ and Daughters. This last does to-go smoked fish on bagels with most toppings one might want. Yonah Schimmel's was a place where I found the knishes mediocre and the digs grungy -- not so keen to recommend them.

Thanks for your thoughts bachslunch. I don't mind a bit grungy - sometimes places like that have the best food. Lots of places are like that where I live that I frequent. And I've never had a kinish! They look so good on the website.

I will give Katz's some thought. I don't like pastrami, and I did eat a NY deli (Stage I think) and just didn't like the sandwich, the pickel, the cheescake......maybe we didn't pick a good deli.

Audchamp, I remember the riots in Tompkins Square and I remember not being able to walk down East 3rd at all. The neighborhood was very dangerouse especially Alphabet City. Somehow it has managed to retain its grit and charm and lose the high crime it once had.
As far as Katz, the pastrami sandwhiches are the best part so if that's not your thing, BuffaloGirl, then skip it and go eat something that you are looking forward to! I think you'll do fine. I've live in NY my whole life and there's still so much that I miss and so much I discover. Have a great time.

Thanks writealiving. How exciting to have lived your entire life in NYC. I've lived mine in Buffalo. amd .

Stage Deli is in my experience okay but there are better places. And Katz's is arguably the best of the bunch (some may argue in favor of Second Avenue Deli, especially if you go kosher).

If you want to give Yonah Schimmel's a try, feel free -- but am thinking you'll likely get a better knish at other places in NYC. There are grungy restaurants out there that dish up excellent food (most notably in my experience BBQ joints), but am thinking that's likely the exception rather than the rule.

bachslunch....thank you for your wonderful input.

I wouldn't know a knish from a knish and just want to try one. And Schimmel's just sounded like a wonderful, vintage, TRUE NYC experience.

I (or my stomach) might regret it. We're open to anything, so maybe we'll eat there and maybe we won't. I'll try to remember to post back here about my experiences.

Thanks, again!

BG

Another life time NY'er.

One thing about living in Manhattan, you do not visit the boroughs as much as you want. (Even though we spend some time in Brooklyn for a variety of reasons.)

There is another thread about visting the boroughs and for me it is not about the sights but the people and where they came from.

No offense Buffalogirl, but when people talk about a true NY experience, I am not sure what a true NY experience may be. But if involves NY'ers than it is closer to be genuine.

Of course, the people! And the old ethnic restaurants in older neighborhoods and such. That's an experience to me.

I would love to visit Brooklyn on my next visit. No time on this trip.

Actually BuffaloGirl, I don't live in NYC, I live on Long Island so I go in and visit quite often. I wish I could live in the city, but settle for visiting. There is so much to do and see and I hope that you don't pressure yourself to get it all in because as someone who has been going into the city my whole life, there's still so much more! I'm sure you'll have a great time! As far as Buffalo, I am heading that way this summer. I've never been to Niagara Falls and want to take the kids!

And apologies, because I read my older post and realize that when I wrote I've lived in NY my whole life that I didn't clarify outside of the city! I'm close enough to visit often which I do!