Hester Street Fair

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On any given Saturday from May to October, 60 or so clothing, accessories, and food vendors squeeze into a 10,000 square-foot block for this popular food-and-shopping fest. Although the small space makes furniture rare, the accessories selection is outstanding—Estate Jewels is a must-see for vintage couture statement pieces, some of which dip down into the $20 price range—and most, if not all of the non-edible items are vintage, handmade, and/or ethically-sourced. Yet the main draw is the food; after all, the lobster rolls from Luke’s Lobster put the fair on the map and startup restaurateurs have often used the market as a launch pad for their homemade sweets and savories. Arancini Bros., for example, perfected their Italian risotto rice balls in 2010 while Bruce Cost debuted bao in 2011 (and keep an eye out for 2011 newcomer Spatzi’s granola, which takes crunchy breakfast oats to a whole other level). The smartly-placed tables in the back of the lot are rarely enough to hold up the midday lunch rush, but Seward Park offers plenty of picnic-friendly lawns, too. — Jessica Chou

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