'90s New York: Downtown Spots That Haven't Lost Their Edge
While the recent series Love Story may have inspired a new wave of diners to chase the downtown minimalism of fashion icon Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr.—flocking to spots like Bubby’s and Panna II—some of us have loved these places long before the show pushed an already simmering ’90s nostalgia into full revival.
And yes, we still love Bubby’s and the like. But there are plenty of other downtown spots that feel just as cool today as they did back then. So if you’re after something a little more timeless—a dose of the New York CBK loved, experienced the way we love it now—we’ve got you covered: a round-up of our favorite downtown institutions that never lost their edge.
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Indochine
Indochine opened in 1984 with a dinner honoring artist Julian Schnabel. With an opening like that, it’s no surprise the French-Vietnamese restaurant quickly became a ’90s mecca for artists and the fashion set alike. (And yes—this is the second McNally spot on the list. Founder Brian McNally was also behind The Odeon, which he opened with his brother Keith.)
So what made Indochine such a staple? The same things that make it feel just as relevant today: excellent food and an intimate, transportive atmosphere—palms framing the space, banana leaves lining the walls. What’s kept it lasting isn’t just who’s passed through, but how little it’s needed to change. It still feels like a place where you can disappear into a corner table and stay for hours—unnoticed, unless you want to be.
430 Lafayette St; (212) 505-5111
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The Odeon
You can’t get more New York than The Odeon. With its red banquettes and long Art Deco bar, it feels exactly like the kind of downtown hotspot you’d imagine—and, in many ways, always has been. Legend has it the Cosmopolitan was invented here—no surprise. Of course this would be the place where Carrie Bradshaw’s quintessential ’90s cocktail was born.
Since the 1980s, The Odeon has functioned as a kind of downtown anchor—part French-American brasserie, part social stage—where the lines between dinner, drinks, and everything that follows were never entirely clear. By the ’90s, it had already cemented itself as a magnet for artists, writers, and actors. Today, the appeal hasn’t faded. Yes, there’s often a line—but if you’re after that quintessential New York feeling, it’s well worth the wait.
145 W Broadway; (212) 233-0507
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What Goes Around Comes Around
Fashion in the ’90s was defined by a return to minimalism—a rejection of the opulence of the ’80s in favor of something more restrained. It’s no surprise, then, that vintage played such a central role. There’s nothing more aligned with that mindset than reworking what already exists—something fashion icon Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy understood well, frequenting shops like What Goes Around Comes Around.
Founded in SoHo in 1993, What Goes Around Comes Around helped define how the decade approached vintage—less as costume, more as curation. Established by friends Gerard Maione and Seth Weisser, the shop quickly became known for sourcing pieces that felt specific rather than referential, attracting a clientele that understood the distinction. That sensibility has only grown more relevant over time, especially as interest in the decade continues to resurface. Today, stars like Kendall Jenner frequent the flagship—along with the rest of us.
351 W Broadway; (212) 343-1225
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Bubby’s
While some flock to Bubby’s for its presence in some of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s most famous paparazzi photos (yes, she and John F. Kennedy Jr. lived just down the block), we go for the pancakes.
Opened in 1990 as a small pie company, Bubby’s quickly became a renowned brunch spot, known for its unfussy take on classic American cooking (and yes—still great pancakes). In a neighborhood like Tribeca, where residents have often held onto their lofts for decades, it remains a beloved fixture—something that speaks to a certain simplicity in a city where trends come and go.
And while it may be easy now to associate it with the CBK resurgence and weekend brunch lines, the foundation hasn’t changed: a place built on comfort, familiarity, and the kind of reliable ease New Yorkers don’t always ask for, but always return to.
120 Hudson St; (212) 219-0666
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Raoul’s
Hard to get more ’90s than Raoul’s—the very spot where Quentin Tarantino took the Pulp Fiction cast to celebrate the film’s debut at the New York Film Festival in 1994. Opened in the 1970s, Raoul’s has always existed slightly outside of whatever version of New York is current—an unofficial clubhouse for the film, art, and fashion worlds. Never overly public, but rarely empty.
Like The Odeon, it has that intimate, Parisian atmosphere New Yorkers return to again and again. A French bistro at its core, some come for the food (the steak au poivre is iconic), but just as many for what it represents: a Soho institution that connects you as much to the New York of the past as the one unfolding now.
180 Prince St; (212) 966-3518
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Fanelli Cafe
Another Soho institution, Fanelli’s predates the ’90s by more than a century—but it’s one of the few places that still carries the feeling of what the neighborhood once was. With its tin ceilings and dark wood, the café’s interior is refreshing in its refusal to bend to the dining scene’s constant cycle of renovations and upgrades. Fanelli’s is unfussy, as classic as it gets.
In the ’90s, when Soho was still anchored by galleries and working artists, it functioned as a kind of communal space—part bar, part meeting point, part extension of the street. That sense of accessibility has never fully disappeared. It’s as much a local scene as it is a destination—a place that welcomes everyone, and in turn, one that everyone returns to. In a city constantly expanding its options, that kind of simplicity feels increasingly rare.
94 Prince St; (212) 226-9412
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Film Forum
Not every New York institution is a restaurant. Film Forum has, for decades, been a downtown anchor of a different kind. Founded in 1970 as an alternative screening space—with little more than folding chairs and a single projector—it has grown into one of the city’s most trusted homes for independent, foreign, and repertory film.
But what’s kept Film Forum essential isn’t scale—it’s consistency. In a city where theaters have come and gone, it remains one of the few places that gives repertory programming as much weight as premieres. Like many of downtown’s most enduring institutions, it exists slightly outside of trend cycles. The programming is precise, the audience self-selecting, the experience unchanged in all the right ways. With longtime devotees like Agnès Varda and Ethan Hawke, Film Forum has long been part of the fabric of New York’s independent cinema scene.
209 W Houston St; (212) 727-8110
WORDS Hillary Sproul
FEATURED IMAGE @raoulsrestaurantnyc