East Village

Graphic by Lyanne Natividad

 

B.A.D. Burger
171 Avenue A | bad-burger.com | 212.477.7727
Best place with all-day breakfast. Also serves a wide variety of burgers all day including a Bacon Mac ‘N’ Cheeseburger and Thanksgiving Burger.
Come here for: Red velvet chocolate chip pancakes

 

Café Mogador
St. Marks Pl. and First Ave. | cafemogador.com | 212.677.2226
A Moroccan and Mediterranean restaurant that cooks up one of the best brunch options in the area.
Come here for: Middle Eastern eggs plate

 

Caracas Arepa
93 / E. Seventh St. | caracasarepabar.com | 212.529.2314
This restaurant serves great Venezuelan food. It’s also right by Big Gay Ice Cream Shop, which makes for a delicious dessert.
Come here for: Arepas

 

Frank
88 Second Ave. | frankrestaurant.com | 212.420.0106
A tiny Italian restaurant with an intimate atmosphere. There are only about 15 tables, and it’s cash only.
Come here for: Polpettone (meatloaf)

 

Gruppo
98 Avenue B | gruppothincrust.com | 212.995.2100
Thin crust pizza is common in NYC, but the large pies here are quite a step up from a 99 cent slice — order a house specialty or make your own.
Come here for: Classica house pie

 

Hotel Tortuga
246 E. 14th St. | hoteltortuganyc.com | 212.228.1884
This Mexican restaurant serves choices perfect for meat-lovers and vegans, with options including a traditional beef burrito and nachos with vegan cheese and sour cream.
Come here for: Room 66 burrito

 

Hummus Place
109 St. Marks Pl. | hummusplace.com | 212.529.9198
With several locations around the city, Hummus Place offers an authentic selection of healthy and delicious Mediterranean food, and it’s great for a light and refreshing meal with friends.
Come here for: Hummus Place platter

 

Mark
33 St. Marks Pl. | stmarksburger.com | 212.677.3132
A little hole-in-the-wall place that serves several different types of slider burgers and the best fries at a great price.
Come here for: Bacon slider, Guinness shake

 

Mighty Quinn’s BBQ
103 Second Ave. | mightyquinnsbbq.com | 212.677.3733
Popular BBQ place where $10 will get you a huge serving of meat and two sides. The line will probably be out the door, but it’s definitely worth the wait.
Come here for: Ribs

 

MUD
307 E. Ninth St. | onmud.com | 212.529.8766
Known mainly for its truck on Astor Place, this hip, energetic restaurant has the best coffee in New York, as well as a great deal for brunch — $16 for food, coffee and a mimosa or hand-pressed orange juice.
Come here for: Coffee

 

Ninth Ward
180 Second Ave. | ninthwardnyc.com | 212.979.9273
New Orleans style food — think shrimp and grits and gumbo — makes for one of the best brunches in the city.
Come here for: NOLA style spicy shrimp and grits

 

Pommes Frites
123 Second Ave. | pommesfritesnyc.com | 212.674.1234
The lines down the block may seem intimidating, but the wait is worth it for these Belgian-style fries. With a variety of dipping sauces, Pomme Frites is a unique late-night snack.
Come here for: Mango chutney dipping sauce

 

Rai Rai Ken
218 E. 10th St. | 212.477.7030
Not as crowded as Momofuku Noodle Bar or Ippudo, Rai Rai Ken serves delicious ramen. A wide menu is enticing and affordable, but the most basic ramen never disappoints.
Come here for: Miso-flavored or shoyu ramen

 

Sidewalk Cafe
94 Avenue A | sidewalkny.com | 212.473.7373
Fifteen dollars gets you a coffee or tea, a cocktail and one perfectly huge entree — options range from burgers to Falafel.
Come here for: The East Village burger

 

Taverna Kyclades
228 First Ave. | tavernakyclades.com | 212.432.0011
A Greek restaurant with huge — and cheap — portions. Go for the great food and cute Greek waiters, stay for the free dessert.
Come here for: Lemon potatoes

 

The Crooked Tree
110 St. Marks Pl. | thecrookedtreenyc.com | 212.533.3299
This small, candlelit restaurant has the best savory and sweet crepes that combine perfectly with the house sangria.
Come here for: Homemade dulce de leche crepe

 

Van Leeuwen ice cream shop
48 / E. Seventh St. | vanleeuwenicecream.com | 718.701.1630
Come here to check out the decor of the shop and the funky ice cream flavors. Also look out for the truck — locations can be found on their Twitter.
Come here for: Earl grey lavender ice cream

 

Veselka
144 Second Ave. | veselka.com | 212.228.9682
The place to go for a different kind of ethnic food, as it serves up traditional Ukrainian fare. Open 24 hours, it’s a great late-night option.
Come here for: Pierogies

 

 

Photos via yelp.com