Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village, New York is one of the premier parks in New York City. This beautiful, open park with the famous carved arch and beautiful fountain is operated by the city’s Parks and Recreation department, but it is practically a part of New York University’s campus. The park sits in the midst of mainly NYU owned buildings, including several residence halls that were either built by the University or converted from other uses during the early years of the University.

The park continually has a carnival atmosphere. It’s known for its interesting street performers, artists, musicians, and magicians, and you never know what you’ll find there from one day to the next. Washington Square Park is also full of the famous New York food vendors, and you can get just about anything your heart desires just by walking through the park.

Although the park is mainly surrounded by NYU buildings, there are also many Washington Square Park restaurants worth checking out. The Village is known, after all, for its foodie tendencies, and no visit to the area would be complete without something of a restaurant tour.

You can enjoy breakfast at Murray’s Bagels, which serves up the delicious, chewy bagels NYC is known for. This is the perfect place to grab a cup of coffee and a bagel to go so that you can sit on a park bench and enjoy your morning copy of The Village Voice, one of the most well-known local publications in Greenwich Village.

Another excellent option is the Telephone Bar and Grill. The British themed restaurant is decorated with trademark red London-style telephone booths. It features, of course, a large selection of beers as well as the ubiquitous fish n’ chips of the Brits.