Two Bridges - New York, NY Area Guide

The neighborhood, which encompasses a nine-block area, was listed on the National Register of Historic places in 2003. Several performing arts theaters, such as Live in Theater, sit along the Lower East Side border, and Henry Street houses a number of art galleries. The neighborhood also hosts the annual 4th of July fireworks display on the East River.

Cafes, food stands, fast food restaurants and delis dot the streets in the northern part of the neighborhood. However, the neighborhood is known for its Chinese food. Locals love the Rice Noodles Cart that sits at the East Broadway MTA entrance. The food cart specializes in authentic Chinese food from the Fuzhou province in Southern China and serves an excellent rice noodles with fish balls dish, which come topped with sesame seeds and chili, hoisin and peanut sauces. As for which Chinese restaurant serves the best dumplings, it's a tossup between Mei Yu Spring, located on Catherine Street, and Jin Mei Dumpling House, located on Henry Street. Located on Jefferson Street, Iguazu Cafe & Grill features dishes with a Latin American flair. The restaurant features a cozy, welcoming atmosphere with a huge TV and free Wi-Fi access. Patrons rave about the chicken and steak tacos, which come topped with the restaurant's spicy house sauce, and the tender chicken thighs, rice and beans that come with the Iguazu chicken platter. Although the neighborhood lacks nighttime entertainment options, residents take advantage of the nightlife in neighboring communities, such as the Lower East Side, Chinatown and the Financial District. Eastwood, the closest bar to Two Bridges, sits just north of the neighborhood on East Broadway. The pub-style place has an extensive beer menu, friendly bartenders and buy-one-get-one specials during Happy Hour. For a laid-back atmosphere, visit Clandestino, located on Canal Street in Chinatown. The small venue serves reasonably priced drinks and has local artwork on display. Hidden at the end of a dead-end cobblestone street in Chinatown, Apotheke serves the best cocktails in the area, and often has live music or a DJ to keep guests entertained.

The proximity of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge and FDR Drive makes it easier to find your way out of Manhattan than in most neighborhoods. Both bridges take you to Brooklyn, but the Brooklyn Bridge connects to I-278 - part of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. For I-95 access, follow FDR Drive to northern Manhattan. Like most of Manhattan, driving in Two Bridges proves challenging. Near the bridges it's hard to find parking and traffic gets congested. The neighborhood houses two other public parking areas - Edison ParkFast on Market Slip and Central Parking System on Chery Street - but expect to pay around $25 per day to park. Most Two Bridges residents use a combination of walking, cycling and public transportation to get to their destination. Designated bike lanes run along East Broadway and FDR Drive, but cyclists and motorists have shared the neighborhood roads for years, so it's generally a safe option. Several bus routes and subway lines run throughout the area to take residents to other areas of Manhattan. It isn't as easy to hail a cab in Two Bridges as it is in the Financial District and Midtown, but it's possible if you stick to major roads, such as East Broadway and Canal Street. If you're in a pinch, call a cab or use your Uber app to contact the nearest driver.

Located underneath the Manhattan Bridge, Coleman Skate Park features an array of ramps, grind rails and open space for skaters to enjoy. Several benches line the outer perimeter of the skate park, near the fence, so that passersby can stop to watch and cheer on the skaters.

The cost of living in Two Bridges remains lower than the average cost of living in more upscale areas of Manhattan. However, it’s still slightly higher than the cost of living in New York City in general. Expect to pay around $1,800 per month for a one-bedroom apartment, and gas costs run approximately 12 percent higher than the national average. Fortunately, the higher costs don’t extend to other necessities – food is often cheaper in Two Bridges than it is in other Manhattan neighborhoods, and it costs $2.50 to ride a bus or the subway uptown. Because you have to travel outside of the neighborhood to find a bar or a nightclub, the cost of a beer varies – expect to pay anywhere between $5 and $7.

You won't find many upscale shops in Two Bridges, but the neighborhood houses several smaller shops and boutiques, which are concentrated in the northern portion of the district.

Downtown Music Gallery, known as the best existing record store in NYC, sits on Monroe Street between Catherine Street and Catherine Slip. The store specializes in rock, jazz, folk and new age vinyl records, but also sells a variety of CDs - the rarer the better.

The Dressing Room Boutique and Bar offers more than just up-and-coming innovative independent designers, vintage and gently used second-time-around clothing. The unique atmosphere lures local residents, artists and NYC visitors into its casual, inviting interior where you’ll find a full bar, live DJ music, free Internet and a large screen television for movie viewing.

Several groceries and delis cater to the Two Bridges area, including 265 Cherry Food Market and Catherine Deli and Grocery, but there aren't any farmer's markets in the neighborhood. Papito Grocery on Jefferson Street offers a large selection of Hispanic groceries and has an extensive fresh meat selection, and 123M NY Corp on Madison Street features bulk grocery items, such as bottled water, frozen seafood and rice at wholesale prices.