St. Mark's Place
New York City, NY
Among New York City’s most storied streets, St. Mark’s Place has been a haven of countercultural cool for decades and was frequented by luminaries ranging from Patti Smith and Yoko Ono to Thelonious Monk. Today, the East Village thoroughfare is lined with late-night restaurants, tattoo parlors, and quirky souvenir shops that attract NYU students, tourists, and locals in equal measure.
The basics
Though the street only stretches for a few blocks, you could still spend hours traipsing up and down St. Mark’s Place and joining its see-and-be-seen crowds. While many of its former music and countercultural venues have moved on, the thoroughfare has since been reborn as a foodie destination, and you can sample its culinary bounty at dozens of restaurants serving everything from soup dumplings and yakitori to falafel.
A number of walking tours—from food crawls and Village neighborhood walks to late-night ghost tours—also make stops along the street, and offer up insider facts and stories about its role in New York history. St. Mark’s Place additionally features on tours that offer an overview of the city’s top sights, from driving tours to helicopter flights.
Things to know before you go
With its often-crowded streets and range of basement restaurants, St. Mark’s Place may pose accessibility challenges to wheelchair users and disabled visitors.
Many of the restaurants on St. Mark’s Place are cash only, so it’s wise to take out money before you visit.
When the weather is nice, head to Tompkins Square Park at the street’s eastern edge—it’s a popular green space and hosts live music and neighborhood events.
How to get there
St. Mark’s Place—technically East 8th Street—runs for three blocks between Astor Place and Tompkins Square Park. To get there using public transportation, take the R or W trains to 8 St-NYU, or take the 6 train to Astor Place. Numerous bus routes serve the area, as do taxis and rideshare services.
When to get there
While there’s rarely a bad time to visit St. Mark’s Place, the street really comes into its own after dark, and many of its bars and restaurants welcome visitors into the wee hours. It’s also worth visiting when events are held at Tompkins Square Park, including the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival in late August and the Tree Lighting Ceremony in December.
What to do in the East Village
After exploring St. Mark’s Place, continue your sightseeing in this lively and eclectic downtown neighborhood. Other East Village must-dos include visiting the Ukrainian Museum (and stopping at Veselka for pierogi and borscht), getting a light or dark beer at the centuries-old McSorley’s Old Ale House, and shopping for books at The Strand.
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