Michelin’s annual Bib Gourmand list highlights restaurants with Michelin-star caliber attributes at a more affordable price. No fewer than five of 2021’s recognized restaurants are within walking distance of the East Village apartments at EVBG. Let’s call in at all of them.

Luzzo’s La Pizza Napoletana | 213 1st Avenue

Juicy Neapolitan-style pizzas—made with tomato sauce fresh as you like—is what Luzzo’s is all about. The Bib Gourmand list recommends the brutta ma buona, topped with sausage and ricotta—but the menu is bulging with everything from quatro formaggi to a gourmet pie made with truffle pâté. There’s something for everyone, and—good news for anyone living in an EVGB rental—Luzzo’s will deliver to your door.

Momofuku Noodle Bar | 171 1st Avenue

Few places in NYC bring Asian street food to life with as much panache as Momofuku. The brainchild of restaurateur and all-around culinary king David Chang, this eatery puts the East in East Village, thanks to its spicy lamb buns, smoked pork ramen, and Korean fried chicken with seasonal greens. You can’t just eat here once—especially if you happen to live in an apartment just around the corner.

MáLà Project | 122 1st Avenue

If you like your Chinese food piquant, MáLà Project will be right up your alley. Authentic dishes served in a “90s China inspired ambiance” is the name of the game at this unpretentious eatery founded by four friends back in 2015. Michelin sings the praises of the “dry pot” in particular—a heady mix of meat, poultry, seafood, vegetables, and rice, served with a secret sauce and eye-watering spiced oil.

Somtum Der | 85 Avenue A

Go big and go brave is Michelin’s advice for dining at Somtum Der—that is, order plenty of small plates and ask for them as spicy as you can handle. The style of Northeastern Thai food dished up here is anathema to the “watered down” Western plates that are all too common elsewhere. Settle in for a selection of coconut milk-marinated pork skewers, zingy papaya salad, and spicy chicken wing soup—and prepare to recalibrate your perceptions of what Thai food is.

Ruffian | 342 East 6th Street

It’s not just Michelin that appreciates this East Village wine bar—Esquire called it “one of the best bars in America.” Indeed, the extensive wine menu at Ruffian, divvied into classifications like “voluptuous,” “medicinal,” and “feral,” is something to be explored and savored in depth. The drink’s only half the story, though; Ruffian ingeniously pairs its wines with a pocket-sized menu starring Kentucky caviar, chestnut and pumpkin manti, and pickled pear cake.

Dreaming about frequenting these East Village destinations as part of your new lifestyle in one of EVGB’s luxury homes? Contact our team today.