Welcome to Soho
A trendy neighborhood with unparalleled shopping and dining
SoHo refers to the historic neighborhood located 'South of Houston Street' in lower Manhattan. Known for its cobblestone streets, cast-iron buildings and industrial lofts, SoHo has transformed from an artist’s mecca to a high-end real estate opportunity. In fact, SoHo has even become a shopping mecca: you'll find unique boutiques and chain stores, art galleries, home décor stores, salons, and spas. SoHo has that intangible “cool factor”; tourists flock here during the day and the nightlife buzzes at night.
SoHo also has a vibrant dining and bar scene – you'll find Italian, Mexican, Russian, Seafood, Vietnamese, American, Mediterranean, French, Thai, and Japanese restaurants, burger joints, and a dozen cafes just waiting along the side streets.
However, similar to the Village and TriBeCa, it costs to be this cool. SoHo has consistently been one of the most expensive neighborhoods in New York for years and for good reason: celebrities flock to the cocktail lounges and splurge on penthouse lofts here. This will always be one of the coolest zip codes in New York and real estate opportunities here are prime for the taking.
What to Love
- Stylish and posh; a true shopper’s mecca
- Modern lofts and trendy architecture
- Energetic, bustling, and buzzing with nightlife
- Younger crowd
Local Lifestyle
SoHo residents are trendy, stylish, fashion-minded, and affluent while retaining an artistic way of life. Life is more laid-back here than it is on the Upper East Side and people here take full advantage of the wide array of culture and social opportunities that downtown Manhattan brings.
Dining, Entertainment & Shopping
It’s not shocking that SoHo (and New York City in general) is teeming with fantastic places to eat, drink and shop. A local’s favorite spot is Blue Ribbon Brasserie for fresh oysters, great burgers and craft cocktails. Cipriani is the infamous Italian joint for upscale dinners and buzzy nights out and the more casual version of Harry Cipriani on the Upper East Side. For French-American fare, try La Mercerie or Balthazar which has become a SoHo brunch institution. Lure Fishbar is a well-known seafood restaurant that features fresh fish from around the world, a complete raw bar with a rotating oyster selection, and a world-class sushi program. The Mercer Hotel has a great restaurant and bar for celeb-sightings and you must have at least one martini at Grand Bar & Salon on Broadway during your time in the neighborhood.
Of course, art galleries and shopping streets make up a great deal of the “SoHo” vibe; from Mercer to Greene to Broome to Prince St; you can find some of the most high-end boutiques on these small cobblestone streets. If you prefer to shop at thrift stores, you’ll enjoy Artists and Fleas. This marketplace welcomes new merchants and artists every two weeks and is a refreshing alternative to shopping at the other big-name shops in the area.
Things to Do
SoHo is perfectly situated in New York where it’s close enough to everything happening in the city while remaining quieter than its uptown neighbors. The Bowery Ballroom is SoHo’s local music venue, previously hosting artists such as John Mayer, Kanye West, LCD Soundsystem and many others.
If you have children, they will probably enjoy the Children’s Museum of the Arts. One of the best things to do in SoHo NYC for little ones, this museum has drop-in classes for kids under 5. Youngsters can get creative with art, stories and music. Parents are required to stay, and you’ll have just as much fun as your children.
Walking around SoHo can put you in a creative mood. Just looking at the architecture is inspiring. The area is known for the distinguished cast iron facades that flank the streets and most of the 250 cast iron buildings in NYC are located in SoHo.
And of course: the shopping. Take a stroll down any of the infamous SoHo boutique streets and you’ll catch a glimpse of New York’s bustling fashion scene. This is SUCH a lively part of the city and truly unique to the area.
