West 95th St, Oak Lawn

Nestled between the college-town bohemia of Morningside Heights and the more staid, family-friendly atmosphere of the Upper West Side, the West 90's can often seem a bit dull. The area around 95th and 96th street is more functional than charming, with plenty of cross-town and uptown/downtown transport links (especially on Broadway), and a number of convenient discount stores. What the district lacks, however, is charm. Unlike further down south, where heavy 19th century architecture and brownstones prevail, this area is filled with modern, often depressing-looking buildings rendered more depressing by neon storefronts. (Go further west, however, and you'll find some lovely buildings around Riverside Drive and West End Avenue). Food here tends ot be cheap and cheerful - visit the excellent Gennaro Restaurant on Amsterdam Avenue for lovely, slightly-higher end Italian food, or head over to one of the fine Indian restaurants in the neighborhood, including Tandoori or the Ayurveda Cafe.