Hidden Alleyway

All over the thirteen mile long city there are hidden gems to explore from restaurants to museums and even bookstores. If you look hard enough, you're bound to find some of the most amazing places you will ever get to see. I understand that if you're not from New York, the first place you would want to go as a tourist would be Times Square. After a few days of touring around that tiny spot in Midtown, it'll get boring and quite repetitive; at that point in time, you should definitely take a subway and travel up or downtown to find the truly unique and special places this city has to offer.

Downtown Manhattan is one of my favorite parts of the city in it's entirety; it is such a unique part of the five boroughs and I find new places to go every time I walk anywhere downtown. One of my favorite places in the downtown area happens to be in a small alleyway in the lower east side right off of Rivington Avenue.

Down an alleyway littered with graffiti are some hanging lights throughout the end of the alley and a door that appears as if you're walking into a roomie apartment with a large window that takes light from a darker spot in Manhattan. The only way you can really tell this place is a restaurant before you enter is the A rating posted on a small window pane for all to see. This place is called Freemans and it's the only building down Freeman Alley.

Image by freemansrestaurant

The modern American restaurant is a unique space in a well travelled area of downtown, but is still hidden; so much so that if you had no clue this restaurant was there you wouldn't even waste your time glancing down the alleyway. Some won't even give this alley cluttered with murals by artists and writing scattered all over the wall a second glance. Some tourists will venture down the alley just to view it's hidden treasures without knowing a restaurant is waiting at the end; I've even had someone ask me in that alleyway what the door led to after watching a friend and I exit, out of pure curiosity.

Freemans offers an assortment of options from brunch until dinner time. There are options for everybody at this restaurant from steaks, to seafood, to vegetarian foods. If I had to recommend a dish form Freemans, it would have to be the Seared Filet Mignon; it's cooked to perfection every single time I get it. If you're not a fan of meats, I'd also recommend the Five Cheese Macaroni; this dish is packed with so much taste that it practically explodes your in mouth.

I constantly bring people to this phenomenal establishment to show them one of my favorite secrets of Manhattan. Downtown is practically a second home for me, ergo I consistently find new places to visit and dine in! If you don't know about Freemans, there'd never be a reason to go down this beautiful alleyway.

Think! wheatpaste in Freeman Alley

If you ever decide to venture into Manhattan's Lower East side and have not a clue on where to go for a great meal, Freemans should be a place that you consider!