It might sound scary but the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood is in fact one of the most delightful in NYC. Occupying everything west of Eighth Avenue between 39th and 59th streets, Hell’s Kitchen is host to several Broadway theatres, some of the city’s most unique museums, and many of the most delicious restaurants in Manhattan!
IT’S ALL IN THE NAME
Among the most interesting facts about New York is how Hell’s Kitchen got its name! In the late 1800s, the neighborhood was known as being a rough-and-tumble bastion of working-class Irish-Americans. Legend has it that a reporter for the New York Times wrote an article calling the neighborhood “Hell’s Kitchen” and describing it as being(opens in a new tab) “probably the lowest and filthiest in the city.” Following this, the name “Hell’s Kitchen” caught on.
You will notice that today the neighborhood is anything but rough-and-tumble. In fact, a 467 square-foot studio apartment in Hell’s Kitchen can easily cost more than $2,000 per month!
RESTAURANTS
One of the best parts of Hell’s Kitchen is the huge variety of delicious and affordable food. If you walk along Ninth Avenue, you will find every type of cuisine you can imagine, from kosher Italian pasta, to macrobiotic vegan tacos. Many of these restaurants compete with one another to offer the best lunch and Happy Hour specials. 46th Street, between Eighth and Ninth Avenue, is known as Restaurant Row. This is the ideal location to grab a pre-theatre meal from a famous restaurant such as Joe Allen(opens in a new tab).
The best restaurants in Hell’s Kitchen are often, to most, unassuming. Check out Don Giovanni’s(opens in a new tab) for delicious traditional Italian pizza. Mom’s(opens in a new tab) is the place to go if you enjoy Instagrammable food, such as giant milkshakes with an entire slice of pie on top of them! We also love the bevy of Thai and fusion restaurants like Obao(opens in a new tab).
SAVE ROOM FOR DESSERT
For dessert, you’ll want to check out Schmackary’s cookies(opens in a new tab). Super close to Times Square(opens in a new tab), Schmackary’s is known as the unofficial cookie of Broadway. Founded by former actor Zachary Schmall, Schmackary’s offers a huge variety of cookie flavors. We recommend getting a few extra to-go so you can eat them at home!