Essex Market
Essex Street Market has existed in various iterations since the 1940s, when it was established in an effort to control crowding of vendors on city streets. It's become a prime place for food shopping on the Lower East Side, with most of the shops operated by owners and producers who have made the goods you’re buying; cheese, charcuterie, chocolate, jams, and bread are among the grab-and-go items. This most recent airy and modern iteration opened in summer 2019, replacing the old Fiorello LaGuardia–opened venue up the street (its sign is shown here) with a new 150,000-square-foot light-filled destination for food, fashion, and art.