A contemporary hallmark of any big city these days is a large indoor (or at least covered) hybrid marketplace food hall that resides in the footprint of an historic market and now functions as a crossroads for tourists and locals to pop in and out of spontaneously, grabbing a bite, seeking shelter from the elements (warmth in the winter, air conditioning in the humid summer), and of course if we’re being honest, borrowing the restroom. Essex Market is one of several of these types of third spaces in Manhattan, but it stands out as one of the better ones, anchoring the crowded and vibrant Lower East Side neighborhood on a bustling intersection of Essex and Delancey right off the Williamsburg Bridge. 

Essex Market stands as testament to the history and immigrant heritage of lower Manhattan. With roots tracing back to the 1880s when it was little more than peddlers and push carts gathered on Essex Street, the indoor market has been a fixture of the neighborhood since the 1940s. Over the decades it’s evolved with the community and economy, falling into disarray in the 90s before being revitalized in at a new address across the street in 2019. Over the past few years, the current iteration of the market has found its footing and once again become a central part of the rhythm of the neighborhood, a public hub for shopping, eating and community events and home to local businesses and quick serve outposts of beloved culinary institutions.