SoHo Neighborhood Guide: Restaurants, Shopping & Interesting Facts

SoHo is a vibrant New York City neighborhood with loads of shopping and a great collection of bars and restaurants. Plus, it’s the world’s greatest collection of surviving cast-iron buildings.

You don’t need to spend an entire day in SoHo, but it’s worth planning an afternoon in this iconic neighborhood. In this neighborhood guide, we’ll dive into what you must see during your visit to SoHo.

Here’s what we will cover:

• Where is SoHo?
• What does SoHo stand for?
• Brief SoHo history & interesting facts
• SoHo restaurants, bars, and desserts
• What to do in SoHo

Let’s look at each one below. 👇

Remember, every spot we mention in this article is on our SoHo Neighborhood Guide Google Maps list. Get free access by signing up for our newsletter.

Note: This article was written by a real human who lives in NYC, not artificial intelligence. 🥸

SoHo Neighborhood Guide Podcast Episode

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Where is SoHo?

SoHo is bordered by Houston Street to the north and Canal Street to the south. The west and east boundaries are disputed, but most agree the west boundary is 6th Avenue and the east boundary is Crosby Street, though some say Lafayette.

We’re gonna include the extended Lafayette boundary for our recommendations of places to go.

What Does SoHo Stand For?

SoHo stands for South of Houston Street!

What Subway Lines Go to SoHo?

The ACE stops on Spring Street (west boundary), and the NQRW stops on Prince Street (closer to the east boundary).

Multiple bus options also serve the area, but the subway is often more effective because of heavy traffic.

Brief SoHo History & Interesting Facts

While SoHo is now largely a commercial area known for shopping, it has a deep history in industry and art. It even had the world’s first passenger elevator in the Haughwout Building on Broadway.

Looking back in the mid- to late 1800s, cast-iron buildings became a major part of this neighborhood. It is even often referred to nowadays as the Cast Iron Historic District. New York City has 250 cast-iron buildings, most of which are in SoHo.

Its heavy industrial history left many buildings with large, open loft spaces. Artists loved these loft spaces for the natural light and ample space. Initially, artists lived in these lofts illegally since they weren’t zoned for residential use.

In the 1970s, loft living was legalized and heavily marketed, and even prioritized and zoned for artists. By the 1990s, commercial development drastically changed the neighborhood’s makeup, and most galleries and artists were priced out of SoHo.

Before those massive changes, Robert Moses proposed a massive Lower Manhattan Expressway for cars that would have all but obliterated the heart of SoHo. Luckily for us and everyone, that never happened.

Nowadays, SoHo is considered a high-end, luxury, and consumerism-focused neighborhood. When most people think of SoHo, they think of shopping.

SoHo NYC Restaurants, Bars & Dessert

SoHo has some solid bars, restaurants, and dessert spots. Here are some of our favorite places in SoHo:

• Dominique Ansel (best dessert spot, arguably in the city)
• Boqueria (Spanish tapas)
• Sugarfish (Omakase sushi)
• Sullivan Taqueria (street-style tacos with great happy hour)
• SoHo Room ($6 happy hour on weekdays)
• Jack’s Wife Freda (great brunch spot)
• Hamburger America (must-try for hamburger and nostalgia lovers)

While we personally haven’t been to these, many people recommend these places to eat and drink in SoHo:

• Laduree
• The Corner Store
• Balthazar
• Raoul’s
• Kenn’s Broome Street Bar (burger served in pita bread)

Remember, every spot we mention in this article is on our SoHo Neighborhood Guide Google Maps list. Get free access by signing up for our newsletter.

Things to Do in SoHo NYC

Most people go to SoHo to shop, and there are dozens, if not hundreds, of shops. Here are some places people enjoy visiting:

• Nike
• MoMA Design Store (this is our fave!)
• Lululemon
• Uniqlo
• Crocs
• Zara
• Muji
• Apple
• Chanel
• Artizia
• Sephora
• Miniso

Beyond shopping, there are other fun things to do in SoHo:

• The Drawing Center
• Eataly SoHo
• Banksy Museum

SoHo Neighborhood Guide Recap & Next Steps

SoHo has some beautiful architecture, phenomenal shopping, and also great places to eat and drink.

If you’re coming to New York City for the first time, plan a couple of hours in SoHo. But we don’t think you need more than an afternoon unless you plan on doing some serious shopping.

Remember, every spot we mention in this article is on our SoHo Neighborhood Guide Google Maps list. Get free access by signing up for our newsletter.

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