West 98 St, Upper West Side

The Upper West Side north of 96th Street but south of the Columbia campus is a somewhat peculiar, highly distinctive area. The feel of the Upper West Side (middle-class/laid-back, family friendly, filled with charming family-owned bistros and trattorias, plus plenty of organic grocers) begins to meld with the campus feel of Columbia: cheap dive bars, studenty "arty" cafes, and an overall much younger feel. This small street begins to reflect this change in feel. Brasseries like Alouette represent a classic "Upper West Side" feel (as does the requisite neighborhood Whole Foods), and Regional Restaurant offers an elegant mimosa brunch, but already evidence of the Columbia bubble has begun to creep in: Cafe Viva Gourmet Pizza-Pasta is an inexpensive student-style takeout joint, while nearby Lenny's Bagels and Malecon offer hearty, good food at college-student prices. The proximity of charming Riverside Park, with its adjacent 19th century buildings on Riverside Drive, is another plus.

West 98th Street is largely a residential area and thus has very little going on. All the fun can be found on the Avenues that intersect it. The street crosses with Broadway and West End Avenue as well as Riverside Drive. The street does provide nice residential space very close to the amenities located on the major Avenues though. It's also close enough to transportation to make moving around fairly easy. It's not a tourist trap by any means and allows residents and visitors a nice stroll to the park, but that is about it. I'd consider living here, but I don't think I'd find myself visiting for the sheer fun of it.