Places to eat around 8th street & lafayette

[audrey Kasindorf]

I have some family staying on 8th & lafayette for 2 weeks and would like to know some good local food spots. Best Chinese/Indian/Pizza recs would be great as well as anything else that can't be missed in the area. Thanks!

[LloydG]

I like Wa Wa Canteen for good, not too expensive Korean. It's very casual (you order at a counter and then take a seat), so it's best if you're looking for something quick and tasty, but not for a long, lingering meal. It's on Mercer St. south of 8th St.

[susan robin]

The Knickerbocker is a neighborhood classic, the place is freakishly outdated but the food is REALLY good, I swear. Also Gyu-Raku, the Japanese BBQ place on Cooper Square is fun.

[fishermb]

Five Point, on Great Jones between Lafayette & Bowery is a 2 minute walk and I've always had great meals there. Cool atmosphere, good service.

[kathryn]

Similar threads for that intersection (better known as Astor Place and Lafayette).
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/418143
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/447442
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/478567

For Chinese, don't miss dim sum at Chinatown Brasserie (pricey, though) and Sichuan good at Grand Sichuan (although their soup dumplings are pretty good, too). I also like the dumplings at TKettle.

PS Don't forget to tell your family to spin the cube (The Alamo).

[vvvindaloo]

Plenty of good options that are easy to get to on foot. Here are some of my favorites:
Pizza- Luzzo's (1st ave. betw. 12th & 13th)
Asian: Momofuku Noodle Bar (1st ave & 11th)
Indian: Brick Lane Curry House (off 2nd ave on 6th)
Seafood: Lure Fishbar (Mercer & Prince)
Italian: Babbo or Lupa (Waverly Pl. east of 6th ave. and Thompson St. @ Houston, respectively)
American: Five Points (Great Jones St. betw. Bowery & Lafayette)

Traps to avoid in that area:
Max Brenner (Chocolate by the Bald Man); Just about every restaurant on University Pl. between 8th St. and Union Sq. (except for bagel Bob's, which are the best in that neighborhood); ditto the eating establishments on B'way and 3rd ave. on those same blocks; most of the restaurants on 6th St. ("Little India"), other than the one I indicated above.

[rossinyc]

Diagree on the University comment -- Jacks at 11th and Univ. is quite good and moderately priced

[roze]

Also disagree on Spice. It's not perfect but it's Cheap thai food that always its the spot.

[steeltowngrl]

Also interesting is DoSirak, homestyle Korean, on 13th st b/w University and 5th.

[vvvindaloo]

These individual establishments (DoSirak, Spice, and Jack's) may not be bad, but in the interest of recommending the best examples (IMO) of various types of foods in the local area, I would just as soon have out-of-towners avoid an area rife with mediocre food choices in order to steer them to better options. They are visitors, and the OP wants to suggest places that are the "best". It's one thing to eat there because they are in your neighborhood. But I know that, if they were my visiting relatives, I would not recommend they go out of their way to get a meal at any of those three places. For example, for Thai, I would pick Galanga. For Korean, I would pick Do Hwa (or even Momofuku, as I did, above), and for American/pub food I would go to Five Points or BLT Burger or even Coffee Shop. I apologize if I offended anyone.