Upper West Side

The Upper West Side is a quintessential New York City neighborhood nestled between the sprawling green spaces of Central Park and Riverside Park. Between those two large parks, the Upper West Side features pretty tree-lined streets lined with classic brownstones. Residents all have their own favorite hidden gems among the neighborhood’s abundance of independent shops and restaurants. The Upper West Side is also home to world-class cultural attractions including the Lincoln Center and the American Museum of Natural History.

 

The Upper West Side’s real estate mix is dominated by pre-war co-ops. Newer additions to the neighborhood have been built in a style keeping with their neighbors. The Central Park West Historic District is home to the neighborhood’s most iconic residential buildings. Here you’ll find the distinctive dual towers of Emery Roth’s luxurious 27-story San Remo, the 1930s Art Deco-style Majestic, and the ornate 1880s Dakota.

 

The Upper West Side’s leafy streets and beautiful historic brownstones have long been the first choice of filming location for films and television shows such as Seinfeld that want to capture the residential side of Manhattan. This gives the Upper West Side an instantly familiar feel to most visitors. The iconic residential buildings fronting Central Park have been home to a glittering list of celebrities. The Dakota was famously the New York home of John Lennon and Yoko Ono along with many other well-known figures from stage and screen. The Upper West Side offers the relaxed feel of an established neighborhood alongside the kind of dining options and cultural attractions you would struggle to find anywhere outside of NYC.

 

The Upper West Side is home to some of NYC’s most beloved and long-lasting eateries. The cash-only Jewish deli Barney Greengrass has been a landmark here since 1908 and its smoked fish platters remain some of the city’s finest. Gray’s Papaya is another Upper West Side stalwart which has delighted generations of New Yorkers with its cheap but high-quality hot dogs and fruit juices. Absolute Bagels is another low-key Upper West Side favorite with an enduring reputation for delicious grab-and-go eats. 

 

The Upper West Side also offers plenty of high-end dining choices. Classic French bistro Café Luxembourg exudes Parisian sophistication. Elea is another upscale highlight serving a sophisticated menu of seafood-focused Greek cuisine. The adjacent Korean fried chicken spot Boka and Japanese omakase eatery Sushi Nonaka on Amsterdam Avenue are secluded spots where those in the know can get delicious authentic East Asian eats at affordable prices. 

 

There’s also scrumptious Southern comfort eats served with signature pickles at Jacob’s Pickles, Hawaiian poke bowls and BBQ at Makana, South-East Asian street food at Thai Market, and classic French cuisine at Daniel Boulud’s Café Boulud.

 

The Upper West Side is bracketed by two of Manhattan’s most attractive green spaces. Central Park is the world’s most famous urban park. Covering an area of 843 acres, Central Park offers a diverse landscape of beautiful areas such as the lakeside Ramble, rolling Sheep Meadow, and dense North Woods. At the Upper West Side’s eastern edge, Riverside Park runs for four miles along the Hudson River. While most of Manhattan’s premier museums are located across Central Park on the Upper East Side’s Museum Mile, the Upper West Side is home to the American Museum of Natural History. Other cultural attractions include the Lincoln Center’s complex of world-class theaters and performance venues.

 

The Upper West Side is served by the New York City Department of Education.