Top 10 hangouts in Greenwich Village

Greenwich Village may not be as bohemian as it was in its beatnik heyday, but it's still home to some of the city's best old-time jazz clubs, pubs, bars, restaurants and delis. Here's a taste from Herb Lester's new guide to the neighbourhoodEl FaroYou can't visit Greenwich Village without first reading (or re-reading) a Dawn Powell novel for atmosphere at the very least. One of the last remaining of her favoured hangouts is El Faro. Sit at the small bar, order drinks and tapas, and glory in the shabby cosiness of this 1927 eatery. Its far north-west Village location seemed secluded before the nearby Meatpacking District became glitzy party central; still this corner usually remains an oasis of quiet. ? 823 Greenwich Street, +1 212 929 8210, elfaronyc.com. Open Tue-Wed 5pm-11.30pm, Thu 11.30am-11.30pm, Fri-Sat 11.30am-12.30am, Sun 12 noon-11.30pmVillage VanguardIf you are a jazz fan, chances are you already know why the Village Vanguard is special; for eight decades the Vanguard has remained relevant by consistently hosting the hippest exponents of the music. The list of performers who have played here is simply an encyclopaedia of the top names in jazz. If you don't own any albums subtitled Live at the Village Vanguard, you don't really have a record collection. ? 178 Seventh Avenue, +1 212 255 4037, villagevanguard.com. Doors open at 8pm, sets start at 9pm and 11pmArthur's TavernArthur's dates from 1937, if you want some history, and they say Charlie Parker used to play here regularly ? there's no reason to think he didn't. They feature live blues and jazz seven nights a week. Monday night's attraction, The Grove Street Stompers, have been serving New Yorkers' Dixieland needs at Arthur's since 1959. No cover, no food and cash only. ? 57 Grove Street, +1 212 675 6879, arthurstavernnyc.com. Open daily 7pm-4amSmall'sSmall's borrows a name from the legendary Harlem nightclub of the 1920s but it is strictly in the tradition of a Greenwich Village jazz cellar. A tiny place, it is packed with fans each night eager to dig the sounds put out by talent of every vintage, established stars and up-and-comers alike. Go, man go. ? 183 West 10th Street, +1 212 255 5091, smallsjazzclub.com. Open daily 7.30pm-4amJulius'A neighbourhood tavern, unpretentious and friendly, that happens to have spent the last four decades of its long life as a gay bar. It has been a saloon since the 1860s, and in its speakeasy period a witness described the scene as "a madhouse without keepers", with customers five deep before the rail. Later, Julius' was known as the "downtown PJ Clarke's", as both were celebrity hangouts and noted for their burger grills. These days it is much more relaxed, and the hamburgers are still fantastic. ? 159 West Tenth Street, +1 212 243 1928, juliusbarnyc.com. Open Mon-Fri 11am-2am, Sat 11am-4am, Sun 12 noon-4amTavern on JaneAs the plain name implies, this is simply a no-nonsense retreat for food and drinks, American-style, modern enough for enlightened cooking and fancy beers, old-fashioned enough to value good service. It's warm and homey (if you like to call taverns home). An excellent bar means that prime time is packed with regulars. ? 31 Eighth Avenue, +1 212 675 2526, tavernonjane.com. Food served Mon-Fri 12 noon-1am, Sat-Sun 11am-1am, bar closes 4amFaicco Pork StoreThis area of Bleecker was lined with small Italian markets and vegetable pushcarts well into the late 20th century. Faicco's Pork Store, a family business for over 100 years, has been at number 260 since 1951. Today, in addition to pork products, salamis, homemade sausages and stuffed braciole at the butcher counter, and Italian specialities in the grocery aisle, Faicco's sells prepared foods to carry out. Order a sandwich, grab a bottle of Manhattan Special Espresso soda from the fridge, and picnic with the pigeons in nearby Father Demo Square. ? 260 Bleecker Street, +1 212 243 1974. Open Tue-Sat 8.30am-6pm, Sun 9am-3pmPasticceria RoccoThis family-owned bakery specialises in traditional pastries, pies, cakes and cookies. There is seating and also espresso to help you enjoy your treats, molto presto! Or take home a box of cannoli, filled to order with creamy ricotta. Rocco's Italian ices, made daily, are some of the finest, and you can't call yourself a Villager until you've topped a meal with a cremolata ice to fortify an evening stroll. ? 243 Bleecker Street, +1 212 242 6031, pasticceriarocco.com. Open Sun-Thu 7.30am-12 midnight, Fri-Sat 7.30am-1amVolareVolare looks like the romantic hideaway in an old movie. It is perhaps the most welcoming restaurant in town, serving wonderful Italian chow and a warm greeting. The wild chorus-girl-on-the-town art on the walls dates from the 1930s and, though it looks like Reginald Marsh, is from the hand of theatrical scenic designer Cleon Throckmorton. This space started its restaurant days as Polly's Greenwich Village Inn in 1915, later Mother Bertolotti's, and finally became Volare in the 1970s. From 1918-1923 the parlour floor housed the Whitney Studio Club. ? 147 West Fourth Street, +1 212 777 2849, volarenyc.com. Open Mon-Fri 12 noon-11pm, Sat 5pm-11pmArturo's Coal Oven PizzaEstablished in 1957, Arturo's looks so perfectly Naked City that you expect to find Robert Stack or John Cassavetes slurping a forkful of spaghetti carbonara. The pizzas, hot out of the coal-fired oven, are tops and the decor is classic Village-eclectic, with well-worn wooden booths, a bathtub in the restroom, and kooky paintings on the walls. For those allergic to canned music, a jazz duo is usually hunkered down around the piano during dinner hours. ? 106 West Houston Street, +1 212 677 3820. Open Mon-Sat 4pm-1amTaken from Herb Lester Associates Truly Greenwich Village, �3New YorkBars and clubsUnited StatesTop 10sFood and drinkFood & drinkCity breaksShort breaksguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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