After a relaxing vacation at the Jersey Shore, I returned to Westbeth where the construction noise never stops, (except on holidays and weekends). Back in my home, I heard the drilling from the masonry repairs outside and new sounds from the endless renovation of the apartment next door. Thankfully, it’s not as loud as the demolition process, which shook my floors and walls and drove me out of town. Now I hear thumping on the floor and tapping on my walls (shades of Edgar Allen Poe).
I decided the best way to keep my sanity, (until I can escape back to the beach), was to spend time outside in nature. Fortunately, I live across the street from Hudson River Park with its 550 acres of beautiful landscaping and many waterside attractions.
One of my favorite destinations is Pier 57, a river viewing spot and culinary haven just north of the Little Island at Pier 55. While the tourists swarm over the walkways to the Little Island, I glide past them to Pier 57, a hidden gem.
From the outside, Pier 57 looks like a big shed. Originally a shipping terminal and bus depot, it was listed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 2004. Educational exhibits inside the building explain its architecture and its role in New York City history. After the bus depot closed in 2003, the dilapidated pier was vacant until the Hudson River Park Trust started an initiative in the early 2010s to rehabilitate it, with Google as the anchor tenant. The park opened to the public in April 2022.
Inside the pier on the ground floor is a fabulous food hall, Market 57, which opened in 2023 and is curated by the James Beard Foundation. Market 57 features a variety of culinary specialties from a dozen local merchants with an emphasis on businesses owned by women and people of color. The concept here is independent food culture that embodies the James Beard philosophy of “good food for good.”
The kiosks offer an ethnic feast: Indian, Italian, Middle Eastern, Korean, Chinese American, Japanese, Northeastern Thai, Southeast Asian seafood, Caribbean BBQ, and New York hot dogs. Plus a coffee shop and a brewery, Harlem Hops.
I’ve eaten at Ammi, the Indian place; their potato dosa in a crispy crepe is excellent.
I’ve enjoyed the fresh hummus and homemade flat bread from Sahadi’s, the Middle Eastern restaurant with roots in Brooklyn. On my last visit I had a delicious French onion/Gruyere grilled cheese at Good to Go, a pop up kiosk staffed by James Beard chefs. Next I want to try the shrimp tacos at Lolo’s and the lobster roll at Essex Pearl.
Visitors can eat at tables or counters inside or go upstairs to the two acre rooftop park with panoramic views of New York Harbor. It boggles my mind that tourists walking the overcrowded High Line tout a lunch stop at Chelsea Market, a dank basement with less creative food choices, when Market 57 is right nearby.
Tourists are attracted to special events, like when Market 57 hosted screenings of World Cup matches in June and vendors offered game day specials. When I was there in July, I saw many visitors with soccer team shirts. But a chef I chatted with told me international tourism was down since Trump got reelected. More space for us locals.
The rooftop park is a great spot for a picnic or to watch the sunset. What makes the view from Pier 57 so spectacular is the height. Looking down and around from 50 feet above the Hudson River (about four stories) is a completely different experience than being on Pier 45 on Christopher Street, which runs flat along the waterline.
The top of Pier 57—there are two levels—offers sweeping views of a busy waterway with boats coming and going: sailboats, tugboats, battleships, passenger ferries. I like the close-up side view of Little Island (what a weird looking place) and the long-distance view of lower Manhattan: the World Trade Center, the Statue of Liberty.
Most people take an elevator to the rooftop but you can also walk and once there you can take another elevator—or walk—to the sunny top level, which has sail shades. The one negative (for summer) is that there is no shade on the lawns. Dogs are welcome in the park but must be on a leash.
Besides the popular food court, Pier 57 is home to El Bar, a tequila and mescal bar, and City Winery, a popular music club and restaurant. The City Winery Group also operates two new spots that opened last year: Of Corsica! features Mediterranean cuisine and Miru, a rooftop sushi bar, that got rave reviews.
But it’s not just dining and river views on Pier 57. An interactive gallery and class room offer educational presentations about local wildlife and waterways. Platform contains a state-of-the-art kitchen for cooking classes and demos. The Living Room is a public gathering space on the ground floor. It’s filled with comfy couches and chairs and games for kids, and a long counter for laptops. A friend described it as a place where people go in the cold weather to escape their families or roommates. But the Living Room is also a refuge for chilling out during a heat wave.
Pier 57 is definitely a year round destination, but the best time to visit is now when you can spend time outside and marvel at the incredible views.
Pier 57 is located in Hudson River Park at 25 11th Ave. (West Side Highway at the end of West 15th St.) The park is open daily from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. The food court is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
