Of all the Manhattan neighborhoods, Union Square breathes the most life. Tourists and New Yorkers come together to share the compact space and the diverse shopping surrounding it. Children scream with laughter on the playgrounds; squirrels are not afraid to sit alongside humans on benches; groups protest for change and lonely people request hugs. Rebellious youth share joints amid hurried walkers and fast talkers as subways rumble beneath. This is the true hub of New York City.
To Eat:
For those looking for an alternative caffeine kick, Argo Tea on University and 12thStreet offers many drink-to-go options and more. The largest of the four cafés in Manhattan, the Union Square location has abundant seating for those wanting a new study haven or a lighthearted first date locale. The options can be slightly overwhelming for first-comers: most of the drinks give you the choice of tea, flavor, and milk, and if you’re new to the tea-drinking experience, take a step back and contemplate before settling on an order. If you’re feeling snackish, Argo also offers “teapots,” “tea bites,” and “teanie paninis,” all of whichare freshly made in the store that morning and are tea-infused, offering less calories and more taste. Quite a few are even gluten-free/vegetarian/vegan-friendly! There are also baked goods and coffee options that make great substitutes for that other café chain around the city. Grab a Student LoyalTea card and get your tenth drink free, among other discounts. Best bet: try a maté laté with bubbles (made from the inside of a baby coconut and is thus vegan-friendly!), which are different from the traditional boba and will surely get you hooked!
Grey Dog can be intimidating with its hipster-feel and façade, but the staff is incredibly friendly and the menu is wide-ranged. The breakfast options will leave you full and content in the morning,. For dinner, you can throw back some Pabst with friends over sandwiches too good to pass up. Be ready to wait for a table, as it gets really packed with good-looking regulars who like to idle with their meals.
Coffee Shop is incredibly misleading in both name and appearance. On a warm day, customers will sit outside and enjoy American and Latin-influenced dishes. During the day, the inside could be reminiscent of a 1970s Miami café Scarface would have frequented. But at night, the place transforms into a trendy setting with a lively bar and DJs spinning after-hours soundtracks.
Though not quite in the immediate Union Square area, Curly’s Vegetarian Lunch on 14thand 2ndAvenue is a quaint diner not to be missed. For a hearty meal that is sans meat and also takes you back to the memories of grade school cafeteria food, peruse the menu for lunchtime. Share a bowl of Curly fries for the whole table, or get two and hoard one for yourself—yes, they’re that good. And for everybody’s sake, order a vegan cake slice; it will undoubtedly send you into an existential crisis and question everything you’ve ever loved about all things cow.
To Do:
Spend time getting lost in the stacks of Strand(12thand Broadway) and its purportedly 18 miles of new and gently used books. Rummage through the carts outside for cheap reads, or check out the tables inside for new recommendations for your never-ending “to-read” list. For those needing to geek out, head across the street to Forbidden Planet, a culture enthusiast’s Mecca. From all things Dr. Who to Twilight cardboard
standups to traditional Marvel and DC comics, the store provides a safe place for nerds, where people will only judge you based on your stance on recent comic book reboots. Go see one of the many indie and obscure films screened at Cinema Village (12th and University). Bowl with your friends at Bowlmor Lanes on 13th and University (and put up with the outlandish prices for shoe rentals).
To See:
The Union Square Greenmarketis an unspoken must to browse through if you live in New York City. On Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, many farmers and bakers bring in their freshest produce to sell to salivating visitors. Pick up an apple the size of your face at any stand, or try the nectar of the gods (not the slogan, but may as well be) at Red Jacket Orchards’ tent. On the other days of the week, talented locals sell their art and handcrafts.
Do your best vogue pose next to the larger-than-life Andy Warhol statue on the northwest corner of the park. The chrome monument will watch over the passersby until October 2, so enjoy the pretentiously brilliant pop icon while you can, or visit the two nearby former locations of his Factory (33 Union Square West and 860 Broadway). Head over to the southeast corner of the park and stare with a gaping mouth at the changing numbers above Best Buy and the strange hole next to it (Is it art? Is it a construction mishap?).
The installation, titled The Passage, is in fact an artsy clock: the first seven numbers represent the current time, the last seven digits depict the time remaining until the next day, and the middle numeral changes quicker than the eye can take. Next to it, the Metronome smokes from its center at noon and midnight, while the black and gold ball reflects the lunar phases of the moon. It’s okay if you didn’t have a clue what all that modern art was and were too lazy to Google it; we’ve all been there.
And of course, Union Square Park is the place where many things go down: the entirety was flooded with joyous bodies when Obama won in 2008; the annual Pillow Fight leaves feathers floating around for days; and Improv Everywhere’s annual No Pants Subway Ride uses the station as a meeting point for many a shivering pantless youth. And almost daily, protests and street performers make their way to the steps of the park on 14thstreet to be heard and seen. If the city never sleeps, then Union Square never even blinks an eye.