We've been on Christopher Street for over a decade now. It's safe to say we know the West Village well. And because of that, we get asked a lot- usually by someone visiting from out of town or just down from the Upper East Side- where to go before or after a fitting. So here's a list of just a few of our favorite spots in the hood.
Waverly Diner
The Waverly Diner has been on the corner of Sixth Avenue and Waverly Place since the late seventies, with a neon sign that's outlasted most of what's opened around it. It's a classic old-school diner in every sense- red vinyl booths, a menu a mile long, and a staff that's seen every kind of regular come through, from the after-work crowd to the after-party, and everything in between. Naturally, we recommend the club sandwich. It's an easy lunch, and the shop is just a block away, so there's no reason not to sit for a while.
Kettle of Fish
Kettle of Fish has been around since 1950, though it's only called Christopher Street home since 1999. It started as the place to be seen on MacDougal Street, a regular haunt for icons like Jack Kerouac and Bob Dylan. These days it's better known as a Green Bay Packers bar, but the basement-dive feel hasn't changed and neither have the prices. Grab a pint and hone your skills with the dart board.
Gene's
Gene's has been on West 11th Street since 1919, and it doesn't look like it's changed much since- the wood bar, the linoleum floors, the fading canal murals, all of it still there. The interiors are the work of James Mont, the design world's most notorious character, a decorator with a taste for prohibition-era bars and mob ties to match. Come for the veal parmigiana and stay because, once you're there, you sort of understand why people have been regulars for decades.
Three Lives & Co.
Three Lives & Company has been on the corner of Waverly Place and West 10th since 1978, opened by three women, which is where the name comes from. The same storefront is believed to be the one Edward Hopper painted in his 1927 "Drug Store," back when it was a corner pharmacy the building. They also happen to wrap a book better than anywhere else in the city, which makes it the easiest place to grab a gift on the way to or from a fitting.
Haar & Co.
Squint and you might think you're in a barber shop in Rome. Haar & Co. has that mid-century elegance down. The hot towel, the straight razor, the whole ritual of it feels more Italy than New York. Just down the street from the shop, good for a haircut before a fitting, or a shave after one- if you've got the extra half hour to spare.
McNulty's Tea and Coffee
McNulty's has been on Christopher Street since 1895, and it feels like it- the Victorian signage, the well-worn wood, the glass jars of tea and coffee lined up floor to ceiling, holding more varieties of tea and coffee than you'd think a shop that size could carry. Another great place to pickup a gift or simply experiment with a new blend of tea.
Commerce Inn
A Shaker-inspired tavern from Rita Sodi and Jody Williams, the duo behind West Village favorites Via Carota and Bar Pisellino. The room itself carries the same restraint as the food- bare wood, tavern booths, a few well-chosen pieces of Shaker furniture. Take a seat at the bar and order the Jet Pilot- one of two milk punches that are always on the menu.
