The part of Manhattan below 14th Street is considered Lower Manhattan; a cultural melting pot, open-minded and creative. After living in Manhattan for 6 months, I picked the top activity in each Lower Manhattan neighborhood and paired it with a memorable option for food or drinks. 

Tribeca

Hudson River Park

The Hudson River Park flanks the Hudson from 59th Street all the way down to the south tip of Manhattan. I found it to be a great running track, if you don’t mind jumping over an occasional rat. The One World Trade Center approaches with every step as you work your way down.

Fuel up: the annual Hudson River Park Blues BBQ Festival brings the city’s best BBQ restaurants and the country’s greatest Blues artists together in the waterfront park, all for free.

Financial District

9/11 Memorial and Museum

Where used to be the Twin Towers is now a powerful memorial, commemorating the 3000 people that were killed in the 9/11 attacks. The adjacent 9/11 Memorial Museum shows how New York City lived through its darkest day.

Fuel up: Fresh Salt is a cozy neighborhood joint with a great happy hour, which is hard to find in one of the most touristy areas of Manhattan.

Two Bridges

Brooklyn Bridge

This neighborhood on the East River waterfront holds a double gateway to Brooklyn. Both the Manhattan Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge will land you on the other side, but the latter does it in style. Cross the beautiful Brooklyn Bridge and get splendid views of Brooklyn and Manhattan.

Fuel up: At the other end of the Brooklyn Bridge, you’ll find a Shake Shack waiting. What started as a hot dog cart in NYC’s Madison Square, is now a global burger chain with over 400 locations.

Chinatown

Columbus Park

Just like most cities’, NYC’s Chinatown is one long chain of Chinese restaurants and supermarkets. Order a batch of dumplings, sesame pancakes or steamed buns for take out and enjoy them in nearby Columbus Park. Back in Gangs of New York times, this picnic would have meant your last supper. Nowadays, Columbus Park is a peaceful and popular meeting point for the Chinese community.

Fuel up: Soup dumplings are one of my favorite culinary discoveries in New York City. These little pockets of dough are filled with chicken or meat broth, creating an explosion of flavor. Joe’s Shanghai has some of the best in town.

Little Italy & Nolita

Food walking tour

Little Italy and its north neighbor Nolita are scattered with delicious food options. That’s why a (self-guided) food tour is a great way to explore these neighborhoods. Indispensable on the menu are Di Palo‘s fine meats and cheeses, Taïm’s falafel, Lombardi’s pizza and espresso from Caffé Roma.

SoHo

Shop till you drop

SoHo or “South of Houston” offers a one of a kind shopping experience. There are no cramped spaces or generic malls to be found. Instead, the shops are housed in beautiful and spacious buildings, characterized by the signature fire escapes. Designer boutiques alternate with upscale chains like Hollister and Banana Republic. We shopped in SoHo on Black Friday, which turned the ever classy neighborhood into an (organized) madhouse.

Fuel up: I was craving a classic Belgian meal of steak and fries during my six months in Manhattan. With an unpaid internship, this classic didn’t make it to the menu until my parents visited. French brasserie Balthazar serves up the perfect steak frites with béarnaise.

Lower East Side

Barhopping

I dedicated an entire article to Manhattan’s unique bar scene. The Lower East Side is dotted with memorable imbibing options. Fill up your wallet and go on a bar crawl alongside Manhattan’s party crowd. Start with Verlaine‘s lychee martinis during extended happy hour. Continue with a perfectly crafted cocktail at Attaboy, voted as one of the World’s 50 Best Bars. Pass through a pawn shop to enter Beauty & Essex’s luxury lounge. End the night in one of NYC’s two original speakeasy bars; to honor this fact, the Back Room serves all drinks in teacups.

Fuel up: The Chinese alternative to fondue has more flavor and less calories. Hot pot is a festive meal with many variations, depending on the region in China. The Bowery section of the Lower East Side houses several hot pot restaurants, including Hometown Hotpot & BBQ. I was happy to have a Chinese colleague by my side, teaching me hot pot etiquette.

East Village

Boozy brunch

Boozy (bottomless) brunch was born in New York City, and more precisely in East Village. Although I cannot back this fact up, the concentration of bottomless brunch venues in East Village proves the point. The concept is simple: for a fixed price, you get an entree and an hour or two of unlimited Mimosas, Bellini’s or Bloody Mary’s. The challenge lies in finding the place that refills your glass before it’s empty – with a smile.

Fuel up: with boozy brunch, of course. These two East Village venues guarantee bottomless fun on each of the weekend:

• San Marzano‘s brunch menu transports you into a small Italian town, far away from a pricey metropolis. The brunch classics with Italian twist and bottomless mimosas are a steal at this bright corner space.
• When in the US, I always crave crusty bread and good cheese. Pardon My French satisfies both cravings at the same time with their tasty Croque Monsieur. The waiters fill up your glass in style and with a smile.

Greenwich Village

Washington Square Park

Greenwich Village is home to New York University, which explains its young and open-minded crowd. Besides a ton of restaurants and bars, you’ll encounter one of the cities best known public parks. There is always something going on in Washington Square Park: street performers in summer, Christmas charm in winter.

Fuel up: Another brunch spot where the drinks never end is Carroll Place. Mimosas, bloody marys and sangria are accompanied by giant pizzas in this Italian American restaurant.

West Village

IFC Center

West Village is characterized by beautiful tree-lined streets with static brownstones. While technically part of Greenwich Village, splitting it up gives me the chance to mention the IFC Center. This art house movie theater screens the newest independent and international movies. In addition, there are premieres and weekly series that take a leap into movie history.

Fuel up: Cross the street for after-movie drinks in The Garret. This hidden bar is located above a Five Guys joint. Enjoy a burger and craft cocktail with a view of Bleecker Street.

Meatpacking District

Whitney Museum of Art

For a small neighborhood, there is a lot going on in the Meatpacking District. Most of it involves obnoxious imbibing, but there are other options. The Whitney Museum of Art is one not to miss, with an extensive collection focused on Modern American Art. With more than 20,000 pieces, the works on display are never the same. The fifth floor terrace has panoramic views of the High Line and the Hudson River.

Fuel up: The Standard Hotel offers two very different options for nighttime entertainment. One is Le Bain, a rooftop bar with stunning views if you make it past the doorman. The second one is a laid-back beer garden nestled under the High Line. The Standard Biergarten is the perfect spot for a casual summer night out.

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