Upper East Side Shopping
The Upper East Side is Manhattan’s most exclusive, privileged neighborhood, and as you might expect, the goods are almost exclusively high-end.
You will find international designer couture, fine antiques (many open only to dealers or by appointment), books, art galleries, as well as a few fun boutique drug stores and a few excellent resale shops. Barney’s — everyone’s favorite edgy, pricey uptown department store — is on Madison @ 60th Street. Since Museum Mile is also on the Upper East Side I like to combine a museum visit with a stroll and lunch on Madison.
Below is a sampling of some well-known and/or favorite shops on the Upper East Side. My personal favorites are marked with a **.
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The primary Upper East Side shopping stretch is on Madison Ave, between E. 57th Street to to E. 79th Street. Plan on a couple hours to stroll.
The shops include (in alphabetical order):
Anne Fontaine** (a Paris-based boutique specializing in The Perfect White Shirt, a favorite, with other branches in Rockefeller Center and SoHo); Baccarat, Barneys, Bogner (Austrian active wear and leisurewear); Calvin Klein; Chloe; Donna Karan New York; DKNY; Dolce & Gabbana; Eileen Fisher; Eres (luxury lingerie and swimwear); Frette; Giorgio Armani; Givenchy; Hermes; Intermix; Issey Miyake; Jimmy Choo (the flagship store); Joan & David; John-Paul Gaultier; Judith Leiber; Lalique; Longchamp; McKenszie-Childs (unusual house wares, glassware, etc.); Michael Kors; Prada; Polo – Ralph Lauren; Stuart Weitzman, Yves Saint Laurent-Rive Gauche; Valentino; Versace; **Wolford Boutique (lovely upscale hosiery).
This stretch of Madison Ave. also features three interesting boutique “drugstores”:
Boyd’s** (Madison Ave at 60th), Clyde’s** (Madsion at 73rd) and Zitomer** (Madison at 76th). These stores carry many unusual and hard-to-find bath, beauty, hair, and makeup products, including international lines you may not be familiar with. It is fun to browse for little gifts to take back home. Zitomer also sells costume jewelry, accessories, and boutique pet products!
Finally, there are several fabulous designer resale/consignment shops just a few blocks further north on Madison.
I finally checked them out on my last trip, and had way too much fun! (Prada shirt, a Bottega Veneta bag, a Chloe bag, and a deco-looking brooch.) Keep in mind, these are not funky “thrift” stores; the merchandise is top-quality, often designer names, and the prices may be higher than you imagine.
Visit:
Bis Designer Resale** (1134 Madison, btw. 84th/85th, 2nd Floor) and next door, Encore** (1132 Madison, 2nd Floor).
A few blocks down is Michael’s The Consignment Shop for Women** (1041 Madison btw 79th/80th, 2ndFloor).
At most of these shops you’ll need to buzz to get let in. Go ahead and buzz; they are friendly, you’ll have fun!
And here’s some more Upper East Side shopping, off of Madison Ave:
Betsy Bunki Nini (Lexington btw 71st/72nd) a with pricey, interesting, boutique fashions (the “Betsey” is Betsey Johnson); Betsey Johnson (60th btw Second/Third); Bloomingdales (59th and Lexington); Bolton’s (Second Ave @ 75th, Lexington btw 61/62nd, Madison @86th) a popular discount clothing store with branches all over Manhattan; Dylan’s Candy Bar (Third Ave. @ 60th), a huge candy store/soda fountain run by Ralph Lauren’s daughter Dylan (fun treats for the kids you left at home?); **FAO Schwartz (Fifth Ave btw 58th/59th); Kate’s Paperie** (Third Ave @ E. 72nd St.; one of several branches of this elegant paper store, definitely worth a stop, great for gifts), Lingerie on Lex 831 Lexington (74th/75th), Marimekko (Third Ave. @ 72nd St.), Nicole Farhi (60th btw Fifth/Madison), the three-floor flagship store for this British designer (there’s a modern restaurant downstairs); Scoop (Third Ave. @ 73rd St, hip, trendy fashions and accessories, other locations in the West Village and Soho); Simon Pearce (500 Park Ave @ 59th; beautiful handcrafted glassware; check out the seconds); Tender Buttons** (143 E. 62nd St btw Lex/3rd Ave), charming shop with amazing selection of buttons, many imported; Terence Conran Shop (trendy international home furnishings and “lifestyle” chain, a bit out of the way under the 59th St. bridge at E 59th and First Ave.)
Antiques: Some of the nation’s finest antiques shopping can be found on Madison Ave north of 57th Street, and in the numerous shops on East 60th between Second and Third Aves.
Lunch stops on the Upper East Side:
E.A.T., Fred’s at Barney’s, Garden Court Café at the Asia Society, Le Pain Quotidien, Payard Patisserie and Bistro**, Sarabeth’s**, Via Quadronno**. For addresses, details and other dining ideas see NYC Dining: Upper East Side Restaurants.
