East Harlem 101

Technically East Harlem – also know as El Barrio or Spanish Harlem – starts at 96th St. and goes up to 125th St. from Central Park to the East River. But most people think it starts a bit further up – around 100th St. It's a culturally diverse neighborhood – settled either temporarily or permanently by immigrants since the late 1800s. The first to settle in the area were the Germans, then the Irish and Italians – whose mark is still felt by certain restaurants and shops mostly east of 1st Ave. Much of East Harlem's culture is currently defined by the recent immigrants from Puerto Rico and Mexico getting the nicknames Spanish Harlem and El Barrio (or "the neighborhood" in Spanish). Recently, as East Harlem's story continues to be written, the area has become more gentrified as new buildings go up and the area becomes the new destination for those priced out of lower areas of Manhattan.


Read Up on Your Hood, Some Great East Harlem Books:
In Search of Respect: Selling Crack in El Barrio
by: Philippe Bourgois
A sociology view of East Harlem in the late 80's during the height of the crack-epidemic there. A sad and powerful look into the area. You'll see how far East Harlem has come.

The Tenants of East Harlem
by: Russell Leigh Sharman
The lives of seven East Harlem residents tell the story of the area's immigration and history. Included in this work is the life of the author, a recent East Harlem resident.

Flying Over 96th Street: Memoir of an East Harlem White Boy
by: Thomas L. Webber
A coming-of-age memoir from a man who's minister father moves the family to East Harlem in the 1950s.
-Gloria

Ricardo Steak House

The VIP Section of East Harlem



The party spills out onto 2nd Ave in front of East Harlem's Ricardo Steakhouse almost every night. If you see strings of lights hanging outside and hear pumping music coming from inside you know you've found the right pace. Walking into this restaurant is like being welcomed into the VIP section of a new East Harlem. You're greeted by excited hostesses and read the list of enticing specials by enthusiastic waiters. If you want a break from the music the outdoor patio in the back offers some quiet and privacy, and it's covered and heated in the cooler months.

The restaurant is large but manages to be homey with bright paintings along the walls and an open kitchen. There isn't a bad cut of steak here, but the oysters and the mixed grill are also worth a try. If you are eating with an East Harlem skeptic – someone who doesn't believe you can get a fantastic meal in the area – take them here. And don't forget this place when you're out with a large party, they sing a powerful "Happy Birthday."

The restaurant is currently expanding. There will be a second floor and a lounge area coming soon.

Location: 2145 2nd Avenue, between 110th and 111th Streets.

Phone: (212) 289-5895

Recommended Dishes/Drinks: Ricardo Mixed Grill, Ricardo Filet Mignon, New York Strip, Margaritas
Average Dish Price: $26

Ricado Steak House

-Gloria

East Harlem Winter Photos

Winter Around East Harlem

I Heart East Harlem

Sam and I moved to East Harlem on Halloween in 2008. We fell in love with the area right away, even before we moved in. We would "visit" our building – just staring up at the window of our new place months before our lease began. The area is very different than where I was living, the Upper East Side. East Harlem is a vibrant, diverse area. It's the sort of area that I always imagined living in when I thought about living in New York City.

I grew up near Manhattan, in Long Island, and my parents took me to visit the city a great deal growing up. Little Italy was my favorite. I thought about living there – I imagined it would be a place above a pastry shop. I loved those old buildings, the little shops, the street vendors selling everything from shirts to tiny turtles. It felt like a real city to me, which meant culture, traffic, noise, and grit. I loved to imagine what it was like for the people who lived there. I imagined people saying hello to each other in their buildings and on the way to work. I imagined getting coffee and pastries at a local shop and buying produce in small groceries. The Little Italy of my childhood (or my imagination) has changed, of course. It's a bit more of a tourist trap then I'd like to admit. Where my childhood vision of the city and reality converge is East Harlem. It's a community, a neighborhood. Unlike any other place I know in New York.

I love my neighbors, I love the restaurants, I love the languages flying around the streets on my walks, I love being a minority - the area is so culturally diverse it seems like everyone is. In the reality version of my city life I live above a Mexican restaurant. I have neighbors from all over: France, England, Haiti, and we're renting from a fantastic guy from Singapore. When I order Chinese food or a bottle of wine around here it's through bullet-proof glass. It's a bit gritty, but it's real.

I wanted to start this blog because I saw an area that I loved not being served by the traditional sites I would go to for information about New York City. I wanted to push myself to explore everything there was to see, taste and do in my new neighborhood, and I wanted to help other people get information on this great area.

-Gloria