Pianos

The story

A piano store once stood here, and Pianos kept the name and sign as a kind of affectionate fossil — a reminder that such a shop could once survive on the Lower East Side. The two-story bar, restaurant, and live music venue at 158 Ludlow Street follows the same logic as Arlene's Grocery: honor what was there. Now it hosts nightly concerts across two stages, one a funky upstairs lounge, one a back room, drawing local and touring alternative rock acts alongside DJs. The New York Times called the food surprisingly respectable — the red wine burger crusted in black pepper is proof.