The Flatiron District lies nicely between Union Square and Gramercy Park and is home to a multitude of restaurants and shopping. The district is named after the Flatiron Building located at 23rdStreet where Broadway and 5thAvenue meet.
Here you can find Madison Square Park with the beloved Shake Shack where you can quickly and easily grab a delicious bite to eat and simultaneously enjoy a stroll around the adorable mini-park. Walk over to 200 5thAvenue and you’ll find the old Toy Building which now houses Mario Batali’s Eataly.
Head over to 6thAvenue and you’ll find the Limelight Marketplace, a dance club turned boutique shopping mall. Highlights of Limelight Marketplace include: a location of the famed Grimaldi’s Pizza, Cupcake Stop, Wannahavacookie, Long Island’s Baci Gelato, Hunter Rainboots, and LeSportSac.
Also on 6thAvenue is the newly opened Trader Joe’s in the old Mattel Building. The district is sometimes referred to as the Photo District because of the abundance of studios and equipment stores in the area. If you’re looking for decently priced develop&contact or a new lens you may want to check out: L&I Digital Labs, CRC (they give a student discount with you ID: a definite plus for any business!), Calumet, and Fotocare.
The area is also home to two museums: The AIGA National Design Center and The Museum of Sex.
At the districts northern edge you can find the Ace Hotel, the most checked into hotel on Foursquare in 2010. Here you can find Opening Ceremony’s second location.
And let’s not forget another staple: shopping!! Some great spots in the area can be found on Lower Fifth Avenue, also known as Lady’s Mile. You can find your standard Gap, Zara, H&M as well as another location of SoHo fav LF and a Kate Spade store.