Find the full schedule of free events here.
The event launched in 2014 "in the hope that a collective celebration of our neighborhood would strengthen our connection to each other and our shared sense of community," organizers said.
Thursday, May 1, 2025
Happy Lower East Side History Month!
Celebrating the new ownership at the Phoenix
Photos by @jwilson77
The Phoenix (b1999) celebrated its new ownership last Thursday night on 13th Street with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and an appearance by RuPaul's "Drag Race" star Alaska Thunderfuck.
Garrett Ford, who took over the gay dive bar at the start of 2024, first started working there in 2008. He previously worked alongside owner Brenda Breathnach, who purchased Phoenix in 2009 and now runs 3 Dollar Bill in Brooklyn.
The celebration followed renovations and updates to the programming.
Below is Ford with Breathnach...
... and the official ribbon-cutting...
Here's a collection of other pics from the evening...
Phoenix, located at 447 E. 13th St., just west of Avenue A, is open daily from 3 p.m. to 4 a.m. There's a daily happy hour from 3-7 p.m. Follow them on Instagram @phoenixbarnyc for updates.
Closings on 14th Street: Amara Coffee, Dua Kafe
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
Dua Kafe has closed at 520 E. 14th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.
While Google states the Albanian restaurant is temporarily closed, the space has been cleared out. A tipster informed us that the landlord sought a larger rent increase than the owners could afford and that they hoped to relocate to a different location.
There is a sign on the door that says, "For all deliveries, please talk to Johnny, the socks guy next door."
Meanwhile, closer to Avenue B, Amara Coffee closed several weeks ago...
From an Instagram post from April 7:
So I went next door and spoke to Johnny, the socks guy, who confirmed the permanent closure.
Dua Kafe opened here in 2018, offering a touch of homespun warmth amidst the impersonal chill of the EVGB retail-residential complex that flanks both sides of the address.
Thank you to each and everyone who came and supported us on our journey. We met incredible people who supported us and cheered for us. Sadly, we encountered difficulties and decided to close our doors.
The coffee shop, which debuted last May, also offered pastries and sandwiches and showcased the work of local artists.
The space was previously Perk Espresso & Coffee Bar.
The Alchemist’s Kitchen is opening an outpost on the Bowery
Per the signage, this outpost will feature botanical coffees, teas and "seasonal state-changing elixirs that combine scientific crafting with indigenous wisdom."
This corner stall was previously home to Current Coffee, which moved on at the end of March; they are now in a larger space in Midtown.
Seasoned Vegan Real Quick has closed on 2nd Avenue
Photo by William Klayer
After nearly 20 months in business, Seasoned Vegan Real Quick closed after service on Tuesday at 128 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.
Per an Instagram post announcing the closure:
Chef B poured her heart into every plate, every smile, every moment — and today, she shares her deepest gratitude with you all. Thank you for standing with us, for believing in us, for every dollar you donated, and for showing SO much love 💜💚 This is not the end. It’s the beginning of something even greater. We love you. Stay tuned for all updates…
The restaurant was a new vegan concept from mother-and-son restaurateurs Brenda "Chef B" Beener and Aaron Beener, who closed their Harlem restaurant, Seasoned Vegan, in the spring of 2023 after nine years in service. According to a restaurant representative, they decided to relaunch as a quick-service takeout and delivery option, offering a few of their most popular dishes as sandwiches.
Seasoned Vegan Real Quick had its share of fans. Unfortunately, this has been a tough spot to make work in recent years. Tony's Pizza, Nolita Pizza and Kati Roll Company have been the post-Stage tenants. The Stage, the 35-year-old lunch counter, closed in March 2016 following an ongoing legal/eviction battle with landlord Icon Realty.
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Wednesday's parting shot
6 posts from April
• In Tompkins Square Park, a creative pushback against tech's reach (April 27)
• A look inside the former Fireboat House in East River Park as it faces an uncertain future (April 23)
• Ongoing leadership turmoil at Sixth Street Community Center sparks tensions (April 18)
• We know where Cookie Puss is at (April 16)
• Tompkins Square Park Field House officially reopens after renovations (and you won't recognize the restrooms) (April 15)
• The East Village is now home to Manhattan's first 2D restaurant (April 4)
'Casino Rat'
As National Poetry Month concludes ...from the Poetry Window at East Village Books (99 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue) ... featuring the work of Johnny H., an East Village poet...
"Casino Rat"
If I could use my combOn your blood-matted hair I wouldIf I had been there to say the WordsBefore you managed to limboInto the non-humane trapBeing defenseless and without sinWhy, I would have done everythingEven opened my jar of luckAnd rubbed some on youHoweverI have already spent my excess capitalPlaying blackjack through the nightRunning probabilities to the very endHave thus concluded that all of usAre either coming or goingYetDespite such knowledge of the fleshI still bet even money on your dreamsOf slithering out from under your starsFinding way home to your children
East Village mainstay Cafe Mogador celebrates its 42nd anniversary
Photos by Stacie Joy
Above left: Jacob Ahiyon, Rivka Orlin and Danny Orlin
April 2025 marked the 42nd anniversary of the East Village institution Cafe Mogador, located at 101 St. Mark's Place.
I stopped by the all-day cafe between Avenue A and First Avenue as they were setting up for service the other day...
"Our customers are our family," said Rivka (above with Abdul Matin, the chef of 40 years).
That sense of family was a recurring theme throughout the day.
"This is a family-run, family-oriented business," said Danny. "We’re grateful for our guests and the strong community of people who continue to support us."
Pop’s Pizza prepping for soft opening on Avenue B
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
A new pizza joint is getting ready to fire up its ovens on Avenue B.
Pop's Pizza, led by chef and owner Salvatore Falcone, is aiming for a soft opening next week — possibly as early as Monday — at 223 Avenue B, between 13th and 14th Streets, in the former Saint Pizza space.
Falcone (pictured above with his dog, Cookie) said he hopes to become an integral part of the community.
"We'd like to serve the neighborhood and get involved," he told us.
The idea for Pop's Pizza was born when a friend who lives nearby mentioned the lack of a good pizzeria in the area. So Falcone decided to open one.
While the space was still mid-renovation during our visit ("It's a mess," Falcone admitted), we did get a shot of the Pop's team in the kitchen testing pies.
Expect classic pies, slices, garlic knots and a selection of soft drinks to start. Down the line, Falcone also plans to introduce Scaccia, a stuffed Sicilian bread roll.
No website or social media yet, but stay tuned.
Adda Indian Canteen is set to debut on 1st Avenue
Photo and reporting by Stacie Joy
Signage for Adda Indian Canteen went up on Monday evening as the Unapologetic Foods team is set for a soft opening here tomorrow at 5 p.m. at 107 First Ave. between Sixth Street and Seventh Street. (BTW, the storefront signage is expected to be completed today.)
The soft opening will begin with walk-ins only for the first week. Reservations will open starting May 9, according to co-founder Roni Mazumdar.
The arrival also marks the closure of the original Adda outpost that opened in Long Island City to great fanfare in 2018. Grub Street declared that Adda "could be the most exciting new Indian restaurant in New York." ("Unparalleled" and "thrilling" were other headline adjectives.)
At the much larger EV Adda space, Unapologetic Foods will continue to showcase the rich tapestry of India's regional cuisines.
Unapologetic Foods, which includes chef-partner Chintan Pandya, also operates the fried-chicken outpost, Rowdy Rooster, at 149 First Ave. at Ninth Street and the Filipino restaurant Naks, 201 First Ave. between 12th Street and 13th Street. They recently moved on from a kebab concept at 82 Second Ave.
No. 107 was previously Huertas, which closed here in August 2023 after 10 years of operation.
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Tuesday's parting shot
Tompkins (June 21, 1774 – June 11, 1825) was the fourth governor of New York from 1807 to 1817 and the sixth vice president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. He is buried here in the west churchyard.
Our local park, opened in 1834, is named after Tompkins — as is, somewhat tangentially, a bagel shop.
Last splash? Getting the Tompkins Square Park mini pool prepped for 1 more summer
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
After an extended closure, the Tompkins Square Park mini pool (yes, Tompkins has a mini pool) is finally expected to reopen for the 2025 summer season, New York City Parks officials said.
The pool initially closed during the pandemic and has remained out of service due to a lack of bathroom access while the park's field house was under renovation the past two summers.
Now that the all-new field house is in operation, the pool is being prepared for use. Some scraping and leveling work has been done to address tilting issues, and a test run will be conducted to ensure it is safe for swimmers, according to Tricia Shimamura, Manhattan Borough Commissioner for NYC Parks & Recreation, during the April 14 field house ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The pool for children and their guardians is anticipated to remain open through Labor Day.
Looking ahead, Tompkins Square Park is also slated for a significant upgrade. Last August, Gov. Hochul announced nearly $150 million in capital grants through the New York Statewide Investment in More Swimming (NY SWIMS) initiative.
As part of that, Tompkins Square Park was awarded $6.1 million for a new in-ground pool, which will double the capacity of the current above-ground trailer park model.
A start date for construction on the new pool has not been announced yet.
Reopneings: Fancy Juice on 1st Avenue
Photo by Stacie Joy
Fancy Juice is now in a grand-opening mode in its new storefront at 160 First Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street.
As we noted a few weeks ago, the shop specializing in açaí bowls, smoothies, and juices was relocating from 69 First Ave., between Fourth Street and Fifth Street, after 10 years in that space.
Fancy Juice is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Openings: Irving Green on 9th Street
Image via @IrvingGreenNYC
Irving Green debuted on Saturday at 321 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.
Per the Irving Green Instagram account, this is an "East Village destination for curated homeware and gifts with a touch of Irish charm." And it's a great fit along with the like-minded small shops on the block.
Opening hours are Tuesday through Friday from noon to 6:30 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 12 to 6 p.m."
The shop takes over for the March Hare, which closed at the end of January. Read about that here.
A look inside Sunflower Cafe, which remains closed for a 'restructure'
Sunflower is owned and operated by the same individuals as the previous tenant, Eros, the Greek restaurant that quietly closed in August 2022. Eros took over for their diner concept, The Kitchen Sink, in September 2021.
Several readers have wondered how the place can remain closed for such long periods between concepts.
Monday, April 28, 2025
Eric Drooker brings ‘Naked City’ to life with cartoon concert on May Day
Eric Drooker, a native of Manhattan's East Side, will give a slide lecture about the neighborhood's changing landscape. He will struggle to answer the question: "Can an artist survive in the 21st Century?"Drooker, renowned for his dozens of covers for The New Yorker, has released his latest book, "NAKED CITY: A Graphic Novel." Join us for a special May Day Cartoon Concert on Thursday, May 1, at 8 p.m. at the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space, 155 Avenue C between Ninth Street and 10th Street. This event is free and open to the public!
Today in discarded canoes
This beautiful fiberglass canoe in good working condition appeared overnight on 14th Street in front of the soon-to-open Whole Foods, between First Avenue and Avenue A. The workers say it is not a store prop and is considered trash.It will make a great conversation piece mounted to the wall of a 250-square-foot studio apartment. Get it before it's gone oar live with regret.
About the Lower East Side Film Festival: 15 years of keeping it reel
Photos and interview by Stacie Joy
Billed as "five days of cinema, culture and chaos in the Lower East Side," this year marks the 15th anniversary of the Lower East Side Film Festival.
I met with the festival directors, East Village residents, partners in life and work, Tony Castle and Roxy Hunt, plus their baby, Leo, and one-eyed dog, Zucchini, in Tompkins Square Park to discuss the upcoming screenings and events.
How did the Lower East Side Film Fest come to be?
Roxy, myself, and filmmakers Damon Cardasis and Shannon Walker started LESFF in 2011 with a cheap projector, a bottle of whiskey, and a wild idea to screen indie films in a pop-up space on Norfolk Street. It was scrappy, messy, and completely DIY — but the room was packed, and the energy was undeniable.
We knew we had something. From day one, it was about creating a space for bold, offbeat, underrepresented voices in film.
How has it changed and evolved over the past 15 years?
It's grown up in its own weird way. We've gone from folding chairs and extension cords to sold-out screenings at Village East and DCTV's Firehouse Cinema, but the soul of it hasn't changed. We’re still fiercely independent, still prioritizing filmmaker-first experiences, and still committed to showing work that makes people feel something — whether that’s laughter, discomfort, inspiration, or all three at once.
Has living in the neighborhood informed and affected your film selections, festival locations — and choice of judges?
Absolutely. The East Village and Lower East Side have always had this raw, creative energy — it's punk rock and poetic at the same time. That vibe bleeds into the festival. We don't want films that play it safe. We want the weird ones, the honest ones, the ones that would feel out of place at a more buttoned-up festival.
As for our judges, we love choosing people who feel connected to NYC's creative scene — folks who understand the hustle and chaos that often come with making something original.
Guilty. We stumbled upon an EVG post that featured Kash from Village East Cinema putting up the week’s film titles on the iconic marquee on the front facade of the building, right at the same time we were developing the new brand identity with Champions Design.
Together, we had crafted a custom typeface based on the letters used on the marquee. It hit us right then — we should call the font: KASH.
Any favorite moments and memories of years past?
Too many to count — but one that stands out is when we screened "Catfish" in our first year, before anyone knew what it was. Nev Schulman came out and did a Q&A in this tiny, packed pop-up space, and there was this buzz in the room like, "Oh, this thing is about to blow up."
We're actually bringing it back this year for a 15th-anniversary screening — which feels like a full-circle moment. We've also had so many iconic performances mixed into the festival that take the films beyond the screen — ninja-turtle-stilt-walkers, a drag Santa, aerialists, burlesque dancers, 70-year-old contortionists, brass bands, fire-breathing rappers, synchronized swimmers, amateur wrestlers, comedians, ghosts…. I could go on. This year is no different, but you'll have to come to see what surprises we have in store.
Also, every single time we host our open beer, wine (and sometimes free weed) reception in Village East Cinema, it feels like something no other festival would get away with. And that’s exactly why we do it.
What can people look forward to this year?
A really wild, beautiful mix. Our opening film, "The True Beauty of Being Bitten by a Tick," is surreal and hilarious. We've got docs that dig deep ("Not One Drop of Blood"), dramas that wreck you ("Mad Bills to Pay," "Battersea"), and shorts that get pretty unhinged ("Mind F*ck Shorts" is a fan favorite).
We've got parties, filmmaker mixers, and a lineup of jurors that includes everyone from Julia Fox to Rachel Dratch to Sophie Thatcher. It’s going to be loud, strange, and full of heart.
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You can purchase tickets here and follow the festival on social media.
Village East by Angelika is on Second Avenue at 12th Street. DCTV's Firehouse Cinema is at 87 Lafayette St. between Beach Street and White Street.
14th & C development watch: The beast of 'The East'
Workers are nearly finished with placing the façade of terracotta panels and staggered floor-to-ceiling windows.
The building that now dominates the eastern skyline also has a new name: The East (formerly 14+C).
According to the building's website, the units are scheduled to be available this fall. You can sign up for more info here.
The branding goes like this:
Relaxed, Refined Living from an Eastside PerspectiveReside where quiet meets cool in Manhattan's East Village. Panoramic river and skyline views converge with well-composed interiors for a refreshed take on city life.
There have also been no updates on the status of the residents of the neighboring 5-story building at 642 E. 14th St., many of whom were in rent-stabilized units. The building was abruptly vacated in November 2023 after foundation work next door reportedly caused it to become unstable.
The full demolition order from 642's landlord remains on hold, as per DOB records, from last summer.
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