New York is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world, given its history as a port and an entry point for immigrants. And with so many ethnic groups, it’s no surprise that there are some major cultural enclaves around the city, especially in the borough of Manhattan. It’s likely you’ll stumble upon these neighbourhoods anyway just by walking around the city, but here’s a little bit more about some of the more prominent neighbourhoods.
Koreatown
Located on W 32nd Street between Madison Ave and Greeley Square, K-Town is where you’ll find Korean BBQ joints, hot bowls of ramyeon, K-beauty parlours and other Korean businesses, both small-scale and international conglomerates. The cultural nexus of the New York Metropolitan Area’s Korean American population, K-Town has grown in size in the last decade, with an influx of Korean immigrants and the worldwide phenomenon that is K-Pop and the Hallyu Wave.
Take things upscale at Gaonnuri, a restaurant in a 39th floor penthouse with a 360 degree view of Midtown, where you’ll find delicious food that’s paired well with soju, a Korean spirit, or other drinks in their extensive wine list, curated to compliment the food. Or indulge yourself in a night of cocktails and belting out your favourite BTS and Blackpink hits at Maru, a cool bi-level restaurant and karaoke lounge in the heart of K-Town. And if you’re interested in picking up the language, pick up a book or a periodical at on the neighbourhood’s bookstores - they stock both Korean-language literature and translations of your favourite popular books.
Chinatown
Home to the highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere, Manhattan’s Chinatown is both one of the largest and oldest in the world. One of nine chinatowns in New York, including the one in Flushing, Queens, Manhattan’s Chinatown is where you’ll find the Museum of Chinese in America, and though Chinatown in Flushing is now larger in size, it still remains an important and dominant cultural force for the Chinese diaspora, with business geared towards overseas Chinese headquartered there.
You can start your Chinatown experience with a visit to a traditional Chinese fortune-teller at the Mahayana Buddhist Temple Association. Located near the Manhattan Bridge, the Temple is guarded by two majestic golden lions, and has a 16-foot tall statue of Buddha sitting atop a lotus flower inside.
Afterwards, get yourself a snack at Aji Ichiban, a confectionary goods store where you’ll find almost all manner of Asian snacks, or The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, where you’ll get ice cream with a Chinese twist, or Mei Li Wah Bakery, whose roast pork bun will hit the spot if you’re feeling for something savoury.
End off your day with a walk down Canal Street, where vendors hawk an impossibly wide range of goods and where you can try your hand at bargaining. From designer knock-offs to kitschy New York souvenirs, this is essentially a one-stop-but-many-shops for all your touristy needs.
Little Italy
It’s impossible to miss the neon “Welcome to Little Italy” sign that hangs above Mulberry Street, which tells you without a doubt where you are. Though Piccola Italia is not quite what it once was, an enclave of Italian immigrants, largely from Naples, Little Italy is still a popular place to have a slice of Italian life in the Big Apple.
Though there are many tourist traps in the neighbourhood, some gems have survived and continue to keep the spirit of the place alive, such as Benito One, a traditional Italian restaurant where the olive oil is on the table, with clay walls covered with black and white photos and run by James Bari, who lives in the apartment his grandmother moved into in 1915. For some excellent clams, Umberto’s has got you covered with its vongole, either baked or with linguini in a white sauce.
Fans of The Sopranos and mafia lore can have a taste and feel of the show’s Cosa Nostra by stepping into the Mulberry Street Bar, where several of the HBO hit’s scenes were filmed. And for a sweet tooth craving, you simply have to have a cannoli (or three), from Caffé Palermo or Caffé Roma, two of the best bakeries in the area.
Harlem
Going Uptown will find you in Harlem, a predominantly African American neighbourhood, and an important part of New York’s long history, especially in the performing arts and fashion in the 1920s. Though the area has changed significantly in the last several years due to gentrification, it remains a stronghold for the Black American community, and one of the most well-known parts of the city.
Start your day in Harlem right with a feast of soul food. A cuisine created by slaves in the South, soul food is a tenet of Black American culture, with classics like fried chicken and collared greens, just like the kind found in Sylvia’s Restaurant, a Harlem landmark that’s been serving customers since 1962, as well as Londel’s Supper Club, an upscale restaurant that also has Creole and Cajun classics on their menu. You could also go to Red Rooster, where celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson dishes up an equally stellar fusion soul food menu, and the restaurant’s speakeasy, Ginny’s Supper Club, keeps you plied with excellent drinks.
For entertainment, Harlem’s crown jewel, the Apollo Theatre. From Billie Holiday to Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown to Sammy Davis Jr., the Apollo has seen its share of rising artists, and continues to do so on Amateur night, where a slew of aspiring artists from all walks of life perform to win over the crowd and hope to make their mark on the music scene. Alternatively, the Cotton Club is a good place to go to get a feel on the height of Harlem, the 1920s, with its 13-piece combo keeps the crowd going with jazz and swing tunes.
East Harlem
Also known as Spanish Harlem and El Barrio, East Harlem has been home to Puerto Ricans coming to the American mainland, as well as other Latin communities from Mexico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic, for the last century. Formerly an Italian enclave, El Barrio is now largely Hispanic, though there are remnants of Italian Harlem still, amidst the Nuyorican (New York and Puerto Rican) influence.
Take a walk at the Graffiti Hall of Fame, where street art is king. Though the medium is still argued over being identified as ‘art’ in some circles, this open-air hall of fame is testament to its credibility, and has been a safe space for graffiti artists, both local and out of town, since it was created in 1980, in a schoolyard shared by four schools. Though much of the work is now somewhat professional, it’s still well-worth a visit to admire the walls.
For food, Taco Mix is an authentic Mexican taqueria serving up some of the best tacos in the city, or Ricardo Steak House for some juicy T-Bone. For that comunidad feeling, you could head over to La Marqueta, a colourful marketplace that showcases the diversity of El Barrio. Located in the heart of the neighbourhood beneath elevated Metro North railway tracks between 111th Street and 116th Street on Park Avenue, La Marqueta is the most visible symbol of El Barrio.
And if you happen to be on the hunt for vintage homeware and antiques, El Barrio is also home to Demolition Depot, a four-story gem of an antique store with items like vintage MTA subway signs and salvaged pieces from the Commodore, the Biltmore and the Vanderbilt, amongst other things.
