Greewich Village is one of Manhattan's oldest and most charming neighborhoods. In the early Colonial days the village was farmland with country lanes that originated from Indian trails. During the Revolutionary War period Greewich Village saw significant growth as epidemics and overcrowding plagued lower Manhattan. General George Washington established his headquarters here, and many other colonial luminaries the likes of John Adams and Aaron Burr called the Village home. During the 1800's when a grid was established for Manhattan streets, the West Village was left as is because the streets were already well established. During the late 1800's the first elevated railroad was built near the Hudson River. This lead to widespread abandonment of residential housing- factories and tenements sprang up. During the early 1900's these larger and more affordable spaces attracted many of the people that still give the Village it's character today- artists, writers, free spirits of all stripes.

Today, Greenwich Village, particularly the West Village, is one of New York most sought after and expensive areas to live. Generally speaking, the apartments are smaller and less renovated than you find in the rest of Manhattan. Plenty of people are willing to sacrifice space in exchange for the charm and beauty, as well as the incredible restaurants, bars, and social scene. The Central Village, home to Washington Square Park and New York University also has it's share of nightlife. However, the crowd is younger (plenty of college students), and there are a ton of tourists roaming the streets. The East Village has become home to much of the Bohemian atmosphere that was priced out of the West Village. There you will find more affordable apartments, a tradition of rich ethnic and cultural diversity, and abundance of unique shops and restaurants.

Magnolia Bakery (Corner of West 11th & Bleecker). An extremely popular area bakery with some of the best cupcakes around.
Corner Bistro Small, rustic, and crowded, but one of New York's finest burgers! Don't let the line intimidate you, it moves quick and it's worth the wait.
Riviera Café (Corner of West 10th and 7th Ave). The downstairs sports bar features countless TV's , a great Happy hour from 5-7 with $2.50 import bottles, and one of New York Best Bartenders (Jim).
Joe's Pizza (Carmine St, bet. Bleecker and 6th Ave). Best Slice in New York, period!
Veselka (2Nd Ave bet. 9th and 10th) 24 Hour Ukranian Diner specializing in all of your diner favorites as well as awesome perogis, kasha, and various other scrumptious Ukranian specialties.