NYC Neighborhood Guide | Upper East Side

Hey Y’all!

So we originally put this neighborhood guide up in 2015 when we first launched our blog. We have now lived on the Upper East Side for 7 years and have become quite the experts on our favorite neighborhood, so we thought it was time to do a major update to this post. The Upper East Side is actually one of the largest neighborhoods in Manhattan, so there is a lot to cover here. From our favorite coffee shop, to the best pizza, and a hotel good enough for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge we have all of the tips and tricks for you! Without further adieu, let’s start your tour! 

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Sure, the UES has a reputation for being the home of New York City’s elite (aka: snobby rich people), and while that’s partially true, it’s one of the most suburban feeling neighborhoods NYC has to offer. When we have friends or family visiting there are two things that everyone always says- there are a lot more trees than they were expecting and it is not as loud and noisy as they were expecting. It’s true, trees line practically every street in New York City. There are approximately 5.2 million trees throughout the five boroughs. With the population at around 8.4 million people I think it’s safe to say there is at least one tree per household, which is surprising to think about. The UES is also a fairly quiet place. Sure, there are the frequent honks from an angry cab driver, or the sirens of an ambulance on its way to one of the many large hospitals in the area, but overall the foot traffic is limited to the people that live here with the exception of the area closest to Central Park and the museums.

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The Upper East Side has become very accessible over the past few years with the opening of the Q train. To access the UES you really only had the option to take the 4, 5, 6 trains which only run on the east side of the island. Since the Q opened we can be in Times Square or even Union Square in less than 15 minutes!

Lots of film and television productions shoot various scenes on the Upper East Side. It is not uncommon to walk by a film set with various wardrobe, make-up, and actors/actresses trailers lining the streets. We’ve been watching a TV show before that’s filmed in New York and seen a character dining at one of our favorite restaurants or enjoying a night out at the comedy club in our neighborhood.

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There are lots of things to do on the UES. Spend an afternoon at the Central Park Zoo, shop your way up Madison Ave, get a blowout at Drybar and head out for an evening at Comic Strip Live, or you can take a tour of Gracie Mansion where the mayor of NYC lives. We spend a lot of time walking around the neighborhood and often stopping for a sweet treat or a much needed coffee break.

If you need a pick me up head to Hutch & Waldo for one of the best almond milk lattes in the city. Van Leeuwen for some of our favorite ice cream, or even by Woops for some macarons! We also love Birch Coffee, Ines Cafe, Jack’s Stir Brew, & Irving Farm Coffee Roasters. There is no short of coffee here on the Upper East Side!

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The UES is notoriously known for Museum Mile which stretches from 82nd to 106th Street on Fifth Ave and his home to nine world class museums. Most popularly- the Metropolitan Museum of Art (or MET for short) and the Guggenheim cannot be missed. A little south of Museum Mile but not to be forgotten is The Frick Collection which houses some of the best known paintings by European artists. 

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There are some amazing parks in New York City but the UES happens to be adjacent to Central Park, arguably one of the best parks in the world. There is so much to do and see in Central Park it’s impossible to see it all in one trip. As great as Central Park is, a hidden gem nestled along the East River is Carl Schurz Park. I like to refer to it as a mini Central Park. Unlike Central Park, which draws a lot of tourists, Carl Schurz Park is typically only filled with native Upper East Siders playing with their kids on the giant playground, taking a run along the river, or hanging out with their dogs at one of the two dog parks (Pixie is a big fan). Grab some picnic supplies from Whole Foods, Fairway, Butterfield Market, or Eli Zabars and enjoy a relaxing afternoon lounging in Sheep’s Meadow or sitting on a bench overlooking the East River.

New York City has no shortage of great restaurants and the Upper East Side is no exception. For breakfast, grab a bagel at H&H, some tea and scones at Alice’s Tea Cup, or a more hearty breakfast at Bocado or Sarabeth’s. For lunch you can’t go wrong with a Burger from Shake Shack or Bareburger, some yummy meatballs at The Meatball Shop, or a fresh lobster roll from Luke’s Lobster. When dinner time rolls around Pizza Beach, Beyoglu, or Jaiya are some of our favorite options. 

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If you’re craving something sweet stop into Serendipity for a frozen hot chocolate, grab a black and white cookie from William Greenberg Desserts, some macarons from Laduree, an ice cream cone from Emack and Bolios, or cupcakes from Sprinkles or Baked by Melissa. There is also a local speakeasy hidden behind an ice cream shop on 2nd avenue! Go in and ask To See The Storage Room! They have some amazing cocktail options that change seasonally! 

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When looking for a place to stay in NYC most people opt for Midtown but don’t overlook some of the great hotels the UES has to offer like The Plaza, The Pierre, or The Carlyle (William and Kate stayed there on their trip to NYC in 2014!) or the more budget friendly The Franklin Hotel.

 

Don’t forget to check out the rest of our neighborhood guides here. 

If you are looking for more food recommendations in NYC you may be interested in the best NYC restaurants for first time visitors, our NYC brunch round-up, our favorite NYC coffee shops, or where to find the best pizza in NYC. 

 

Ash & Shelbs xx

P.S. If you are looking for some New York inspired products make sure you head over to our online marketplace The Sister Market! 

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