East Village

The syringes, Beatniks, and dangerous Alphabet City archetype are gone for the most part, but you can still find a dose of counterculture lurking in the bodegas and weeding in the community gardens. Challenge loafers to a game of chess or brown bag it with them in Tompkins Square Park.

EXPLORE ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD:

Death & Co.

433 E 6th St 212-388-0882

Look hard for the entrance and this prohibition-style establishment will reward you with specialty cocktails by resident mixologists, rare brown liquors, and punch bowls of Pimms. Requisite jazz standards play while you fill up on oysters and chocolate lava cake.

Photo: Courtesy of Death & Company

PDT

113 St Marks Pl 212-614-0386

Mixologist groupies and late-night drinkers access the not-so-secret speakeasy via a telephone booth from within grease-coated Crif Dogs. Satisfy drunken cravings with buttered popcorn rum and a deep-fried dog of your choice.

Photo: Noah Kalina / Courtesy of PDT

Momofuku Noodle Bar

171 1st Ave 212-777-7773

David Chang’s exquisite (original) pork and noodle palace is always in demand, but power suits and unemployed writers must wait it out together. Vegetarians openly discouraged.

Photo: Noah Kalina / Courtesy of Momofuku

St. Mark's Bookshop

31 3rd Ave 212-260-7853

Peruse huge art books, zines, and small-press pubs well into the night.

Photo: Courtesy of St. Mark’s Bookshop

Nublu

62 Ave C 212-375-1500

By day, a record label. By night, a laid-back nightclub where anything goes (and usually does). Live music performances and DJ sets happen in the middle of the dance floor. A very energetic, worldly crowd comes to sweat, sing, and sway to the hard drinks.

Photo: Yusuf Sayman / Courtesy of Nublu