By: Ellen Cans
A relatively new microneighborhood has popped up bringing upper-class restaurants to the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
As reported by Crain’s NY, multiple upscale restaurants and bars have opened recently in Dimes Square. The up-and-coming neighborhood is situated by the intersection of Canal sand Ludlow streets, near Chinatown. The enclave, which is gaining popularity was named after the restaurant Dimes, which opened in 2013. The restaurant, at 49 Canal Street, describes itself as “Eclectic, health-conscious Californian-style fare dished in a minimalist, white-&-blond-wood space”. Dinner entrees on the menu include a Salmon Salad for $26, and a bar steak for $28.
As per Crain’s the area used to be known for its dive bars, which were popular with the new-college-graduate crowds. Recently though, several high-end restaurants have opened up in Dimes Square. In May, a sushi bar named Time opened its doors at 105 Canal Street. Co-owned by Alec Reinstein and Nick Poe, the small corner spot has already earned raving reviews on Yelp. The menu includes an extravagant $150 16-course omakase. Also in May, Jon Neidich, of The Nines, opened Wine bar Le Dive. Inspired by two famous Parisian wine bars, the place was designed to give off a Paris feel. Samplings from the menu include a $21 beef tartare, or a $31 steak frites. The small wine bar has been a big hit. On a typical Thursday night in October, the wait time for a table there was two hours. As per Grub Street, the crowd spilled out onto the sidewalk. Luckily the streets are public space there in a plaza because of Canal Street’s participation in the city’s Open Streets program.
Another new addition to the neighborhood is Parcelle Wine Bar, at 135 Division Street. The menu includes a 2019 California red wine, named Absentee, for $50, or a 2013 Cristal brut champagne for $375. Besides the new posh bars and restaurants, residentials in the area have also taken off. The Lower East Side area of Dimes Square has seen an increase in apartment rental prices. As per StreetEasy, the median asking rent in the area was $3,200 in October, which is up 1.6 percent over the previous year. The neighborhood, which is lauded for its cultural appeal, is also home to the Nine Orchard hotel. The elegant 116-key hotel was formerly the century-old Jarmulowsky Bank– a landmark which was restored and reimagined while keeping original moldings and Neo-Renaissance details.
The neighborhood is becoming a new summer hot spot for visitors too. Poe of Time, told Crain’s he noticed new visitors in the neighborhood. “More people are coming to the neighborhood as a destination, instead of only people that are more local,” he said. “That’s really to the benefit of the businesses around here.” Grant Reynolds, co-founder of Parcelle, said the old crowd is still there too. “We see many longtime residents of the neighborhood” come in, he said.
