5 Hidden Walking Tour Gems in the East Village
Discover NYC Like a Local: East Village Edition
Most visitors stick to Broadway and St. Marks, but I’ve lived in New York City long enough to know there’s a city beneath the surface, a world full of tucked-away speakeasies, century-old bakeries, and city stories written in bricks and fire escapes. Here are five of my favorite East Village secrets: neat, small, intriguing, and deeply NYC.
1. Veselka, The Heart of Ukrainian Flavors
Tucked behind St. Marks Place, this 100-year-old diner still dishes out beet borscht and pierogies while folk songs echo from the kitchen. I’ve taken guests here on my private East Village tours, and everyone lights up at that first spoonful. It’s not just food; it’s history with sour cream on top.
2. Block Drugs, Neon Time Capsule on 2nd Avenue
The glowing red sign is a landmark in itself, but step closer and you’ll find one of the oldest independent pharmacies in Manhattan. Locals have been coming here since the 1880s. It’s one of those places that makes you appreciate the timeless nature of New York City.
3. 6BC Botanical Garden, A Secret Sanctuary
You wouldn’t guess it from the street, but behind a wrought-iron gate on East 6th Street is a lush garden filled with grapevines, murals, turtles, and quiet benches. Volunteers maintain it, neighbors protect it, and it’s one of the few places in the city where time seems to pause.
4. McSorley’s Ale House, A Toast to Old New York
You don’t need to be thirsty to visit — just curious. The walls drape with artifacts and ale mugs dating back to the 1848. I’ve been coming here for years, and you’ll appreciate it even more with some backstory and good company. It’s as close to time travel as you’ll get on 7th Street.
5. The Theater for the New City Mural, East Village Storytelling in Paint
The mural wrapping this community theater tells the story of the neighborhood itself: protest, art, immigration, punk, poetry. It’s the kind of thing most people walk past without a second thought—unless someone’s there to point it out and explain.
Why These Gems Matter on a Private Tour
These aren’t just “nice to know” facts—they’re invitation points. I’ve led history-centric tours, speakeasy crawls, and food explorations, all built around stops like this. What makes them work is the context: the layers, the stories, the flexibility. With Nicky Tours, you get a private tour, personalized to your liking, from a licensed NYC tour guide.
Plan Your Own East Village Experience
If this list surprised you—even if you’ve already visited New York—imagine what it feels like in person.
I create private, flexible tours built around what you want to explore. Want to add a jazz history lesson, a pizza crawl, or stories of the late-night ghosts of Greenwich Village? Let’s build a tour together.
