Koreatown is a colourful neighbourhood filled with barbeque restaurants, noodle houses, Asian dessert shops and karaoke bars. The cultural enclave is a bastion for New York City's Korean community and is home to the best ethnic restaurants in New York City. Don't miss specialties, such as ox bone soup, tofu stew, spicy rice cakes, fermented kimchi and, of course, Korean barbecue.
Soak up the hipster scene at trendy cafes, such as Grace Street, which serves pearl milk tea, Korean-style doughnuts and rainbow-coloured shaved snow ice. Stop by the famous Koryo Bookstore to pick up the latest Korean bestsellers, as well as classics, translations and periodicals.
At beauty boutiques, you can browse unique face masks featuring ingredients, such as Korean rice wine and pufferfish collagen. National Asian American Theatre Company is one of the city's most unique cultural institutions and hosts classic plays with exclusively Asian-American casts.
Getting there
Koreatown is in Midtown Manhattan and is anchored by West 32nd Street. Public transport access is via the 33rd Street PATH Station and the 33 Street Subway Station on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line. John F. Kennedy International Airport is a 30-minute drive or taxi ride away, while LaGuardia Airport is a 20-minute drive east.