Besides Chinatown and Little Italy, NYC also boasts Little Tokyo, a compact area in East Village that houses several Japanese tea rooms, restaurants, and bars. Unlike its Italian and Chinese counterparts, Little Tokyo is less well-known and more authentic.
My favorite place, Sake Bar Decibel, is hidden down a nondescript flight of stairs. You can find over a hundred varieties of sake to choose from such as sparkling, hot etc. from different areas of Japan, as well as regional food specialties like okonomiyaki (which is a popular savory pancake from Osaka.)
Hipsters, students, and working professionals abound in this dark and quaint underground bar. Come early, but expect to wait a little, especially if you come over the weekend. In this neighborhood you can also find Angel’s Share, which is a popular Japanese speakeasy one block over, and Cha-An, a Japanese tea house with many varieties of tea and Japanese desserts.
