NYU Alumni Itineraries: Downtown Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan

NYU Alumni in Brooklyn

Black Seed Bagels Boerum Hill
First up, fuel up. Matt Kliegman (Stern ’05) is cofounder of Black Seed Bagels, an artisan bagel shop led by James Beard–nominated executive chef and head baker Dianna Daoheung. After opening its first location in 2014, Black Seed Bagels continues to push the boundaries of New York bagel making.

Unity Sculpture
Unity, by artist Hank Willis Thomas (Tisch ’98), is a monumental public artwork. It sits permanently on the western Tillary Street median at the intersection with Adams Street. According to Thomas, “This sculpture is an homage to and celebration of the unique and multifaceted character of the borough of Brooklyn.”

DUMBO from She’s Gotta Have It
While passing through Brooklyn’s DUMBO neighborhood, take a moment to enjoy some of the city’s most iconic, scenic views. Understandably, this neighborhood is the star of countless movies and shows. For example, the 1986 debut feature of Spike Lee (Tisch ’82, Hon. ’98), She’s Gotta Have It, is a DUMBO staple.

The Brooklyn Bridge
John A. Roebling designed the Brooklyn Bridge, but NYU alumni played critical roles in bringing it to life. Emily Warren Roebling, who earned a certificate from NYU Law in 1899, helped oversee construction, which began in 1869 and concluded in 1883. At the time, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. Additionally, James J. Wood (Tandon 1879) was responsible for the machinery that produced the bridge’s distinctive cables. What’s more, Arthur V. Abbott (Tandon 1875) invented the coupling system for the bridge’s cables and a testing machine for the building materials.

NYU Alumni in Lower Manhattan

Chinatown History Tour with Mott Street Girls
Did you know that Chinatown once had an opera house? Have you wondered why MSG gets a bad rap? Join Mott Street Girls, cofounded by Chloe Chan (CAS ’17), for an insightful walking tour of Chinatown. Together, you’ll uncover the stories of a historically marginalized community, from the unsavory origins of chop suey to the violent past of the Bloody Angle.

Café Integral
Founded in 2012 by Cesar Vega (Tisch ’10), Café Integral  brings exceptional Nicaraguan coffee to the forefront of American coffee culture while helping shape the future of the industry.

Katz’s Delicatessen
Founded in 1888, a small deli by the name of Iceland Brothers was established on Ludlow Street in New York’s Lower East Side. Upon the arrival of Willy Katz in 1903, the store was officially renamed Iceland & Katz. Willy’s cousin joined him in 1910, buying out the Iceland brothers to officially form Katz’s Delicatessen. Later, the deli moved across the street to its present location. Today, Jake Dell (Stern ’15) owns the iconic New York landmark.

NYU Alumni Around Washington Square Park and Beyond

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire Memorial
The deadliest industrial disaster in New York City history occurred on March 25, 1911, at the northwest corner of Washington Place and Greene Street. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire claimed the lives of 146 workers. Eventually, the building was designated a National Historic Landmark. Today, a stainless-steel ribbon etched with the victims’ names runs up its corner. It is one of the only national memorials dedicated to workers. Joel Sosinsky (Wagner ’81), an executive board member of the Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition, played a key role in bringing the memorial to life.

Washington Square Arch
No NYU-themed trip to Lower Manhattan would be complete without a visit to Washington Square Park. For an added NYU twist, see the spot where Harry, played by Billy Crystal (Tisch ’70, Hon. ’16), unloads his bags upon arriving in New York City in the classic film When Harry Met Sally—the same spot where he later realizes he may have feelings for Sally (played by NYU journalism alum Meg Ryan).

Blank Street Coffee
Time for a coffee break? In August 2020, Vinay Menda (Stern ’15) and his partner launched the first Blank Street Coffee location, a cart nestled in the garden of Brooklyn’s Wythe Diner. The operation was simple and the footprint was small. This eliminated unnecessary costs, allowing the team to focus on customer experience and barista support. Today, Blank Street has locations across New York, London, Boston, and Washington, DC.

The High Line
In the spring of 2001, writer Adam Gopnik (IFA ’84) climbed 30 feet onto a derelict freight railway, tucked mostly out of sight between 10th and 11th Avenues. Writing for The New Yorker in “A Walk on the High Line,” Gopnik noted the space “combines the appeal of those fantasies in which New York has returned to the wild with an almost Zen quality of measured, peaceful distance.” His piece turned out to be just the broadsheet advocates needed to make their case for creating the park.

Broadway Show
NYU is regularly recognized as the University with the most alumni on Broadway. In fact, NYU alumni received 70 Tony nominations in 2026 alone. As such, you can catch just about any current show and experience NYU alumni talent firsthand. However, if you can’t make it to a show, you can still get a taste of Broadway. The Museum of Broadway, cofounded by Diane Nicoletti (Stern ’08), is the first permanent museum dedicated to the place where the magic of the stage meets the heartbeat of New York City.

Additional NYU Alumni Itineraries

Interested in more NYU itineraries? NYU Alumni has you covered. First, check out their Uptown and Queens itinerary. Then, explore an interactive map of NYU Alumni businesses in Europe. Finally, travel San Diego, Los Angeles, and the Bay Area with NYU Alumni’s California itinerary. And if you have a sweet tooth, there’s an NYU Alumni itinerary for that too!