Exploring Latino Culture in East Harlem
Published 09/21/2021
East Harlem’s vibe has always reflected its inhabitants. Before World War II, it was known as Italian Harlem and housed around 100,000 Italian immigrants (three times that of Manhattan’s Little Italy at the time) who lived mostly in tenements. Italian culture still thrives here through institutions such as the Giglio Society of East Harlem, Patsy’s Pizzeria and Rao’s Restaurant, which has called its corner of Pleasant Avenue and 114th Street home since 1896 and is known as the hardest place in town to score a table.
In the 1960s and ’70s, Latinos, mainly Puerto Ricans, moved in, and people started referring to the area as Spanish Harlem or El Barrio (“The Neighborhood”). East Harlem has one of the most diverse Latino communities in NYC, with sizeable Puerto Rican, Dominican, Mexican and Cuban populations, and like neighboring Harlem, it has a strong Black presence. The neighborhood has held firmly to its tight-knit community feel, from the birth of the local Young Lords chapter in the late 1960s to an ongoing tradition of block parties, carnivals and plentiful public programming for its largely working-class residents. Visitors can take part too—read on for how to explore the Latino footprint in East Harlem.
1
Santiago’s Beer Garden
1
2337 First Ave.
Serving up authentic Dominican comfort food and musical vibes to match, this Dominican-owned eatery buzzes as customers wait for their tables; the indoor-outdoor seating area is filled with eye-catching colors, murals and hanging vines. Try the empanada trio (beef, chicken and cheese), chicharron de pollo (fried chicken chunks) and broccoli and cheese bites served with kashumayo (a ketchup-and-mayo blend). For your main course, opt for the rabbo (oxtails) with coconut rice moro or the skirt steak churrasco with white rice and beans. Don’t forget to order a side of fried plantains: either tostones (green) or maduros (sweet). Santiago’s offers a $20 bottomless mimosa or bellini special seven days a week from 11am to 4pm (read that again and then grab your purse).
2
Graffiti Hall of Fame
2
Park Avenue and East 106th Street
Located in the Jackie Robinson Playground , the Graffiti Hall of Fame honors the art form that bubbled up in New York City in the late 1960s and ’70s with a rotating exhibit by a who’s who of street artists. More than 20 pieces typically adorn the walls, complementing the work in the rest of the neighborhood, like the The Spirit of East Harlem mural on the corner of Lexington Avenue and East 104th Street.
3
La Fonda
3
169 E. 106th St.
Head to La Fonda on East 106th Street, where they’ve been cooking up delicious Puerto Rican food for over 25 years. Start your meal with the montaditos appetizer: crispy fried plantains topped with either garlic shrimp or fresh octopus salad. Follow it with a plate of La Fonda’s classic bistec encebollado, a pan-fried steak topped with caramelized sauteed onions and served with a side of rice and beans.
4
Harlem Art Park
4
East 120th Street and Sylvan Place
Nestled behind the Harlem Courthouse, this park was meant to be the site of a public bath but it never came to fruition. Now a space that often host fairs and community events, it’s somewhere to commune with nature and connect with local arts and culture. Its most famous resident is Growth, a graceful 14-foot-tall red sculpture by Jorge Rodriguez that has stood at the center of the park since 1985.
5
Crack Is Wack Playground
5
East 127 Street
The Crack Is Wack was erected by Keith Haring in 1986 during a time when drugs and poverty plagued the local community. Painted on the wall of the park’s handball court, the artwork continues to be maintained by the Keith Haring Foundation and was restored in 2019.
6
El Kallejon
6
209 E. 117th St.
Aside from its great food, El Kallejon is a local favorite for its authentic Mexican decor, amazing service and cute back area that you can check out if you ask nicely. Their sophisticated cocktail and food menu will transport you. Try the Dulce Kamila, a tequila-based cocktail infused with orange liqueur, hibiscus flower, rose petal and lime, and accompany it with a Oaxaca-style fundido. Follow with tacos del barrio (Mexico City style) filled with crispy fish, cabbage and refried beans or their taco of the day. Finish with a wood-oven flatbread (cocas del Kallejon) and homemade sodas—flavors include tropical passion habanero, passion ginger and tamarindo.
7
Cascalote Latin Bistro
7
2126 Second Ave.
Chef Julian Hoyos and his family opened this restaurant, named after a small farm village in their native Puebla, Mexico. Hoyos’ wife is his sous chef and his three daughters run the restaurant floor. Serving abuelita french toast with fresh berries, tres leches pancakes, chilaquiles de Puebla and Cascalote Benedicto (crab cakes topped with adobo hollandaise), it has a well-rounded menu for morning meals. Make sure to try their Brazilian cheese bread, chorizo brussels sprouts and candied bacon.
8
El Museo del Barrio
8
1230 Fifth Ave.
Located on the northern end of Fifth Avenue’s Museum Mile, El Museo celebrates the landscape of Latin American and Caribbean culture. Its current showcase, Estamos Bien, is the museum’s triennial and its largest-ever survey of contemporary Latinx art. More than 40 artists from the US and Puerto Rico are represented, including Lucia Hierro, Patrick Martinez and Dominique Duroseau. Entry is timed, so reserve your tickets online prior to heading over.
9
Conservatory Garden
9
Central Park
Across the street from El Museo you’ll find this tranquil and serene garden with incredible greenery and florals, trimmed hedges and an arched walkway with ivy blossoming overhead. Enjoy the temporary retreat from the bustle of Fifth Avenue and take in the majestic scene.
10
La Marqueta
10
1590 Park Ave.
During the neighborhood’s transition from Italian to Spanish Harlem, this market became a cultural anchor for Latinos and Caribbeans from Harlem and the South Bronx looking to purchase goods from back home. Inside you’ll find kiosks such as Sprinkle Splash Sweet Shoppe and Mama Grace’s Afro Caribbean Food. Walk toward Park Avenue and 116th Street to find the Urban Garden Center, a neighborhood plant nursery and gardening resource open year-round.
11
Ollin
11
339 E. 108th St.
For authentic birria tacos, head over to Ollin. The star of the dish is consomé, a stew made of beef or goat braised with chiles and spices and topped with cilantro. For birria tacos, the tortillas are dipped into consomé, placed on a griddle and topped with shredded cheese before being filled with tender beef of pork. Folded and grilled again, they are topped with more cheese, cilantro and served with lime and a cup of consomé for dipping. Ollin also serves up birria versions of fries, enchiladas, ramen and chilaquiles.
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