Ray's Candy Store

        Ray's Candy Store is a hidden gem located right across from Tompkins Square Park in Alphabet city. The size of a hallway with no sign outside, this place is easy to overlook, but for decades, many New Yorkers have frequented this small, preserved piece of Lower Manhattan. 
       Owned and run by an 80-year-old Turkish man named Ray, who happens to be one of the most charming, kindhearted, and generous people I've ever met, this hole in the wall serves up mouthwatering beignets ($3 for half a dozen, but he gives everyone about three extra), $2 hot dogs with two free toppings, and Belgian fries ($4.50). Although candy isn't on the menu, these fried goodies make you forget Ray's is supposed to be a candy shop. Each item on the menu is cooked to order by Ray himself and handed to you with a smile. The fries are hand-cut and covered with ketchup, cheese, chili, or honey dijon; the beignets are crispy on the outside, doughy on the inside, and smothered in powdered sugar; the hot dogs are made of a somewhat spicy sausage with a nice bite. 

      To top off the fried fun, you must order what is widely known as the best egg cream in Manhattan ($2 for a medium). Ray's offers 13 different flavors of egg creams, but the most popular is vanilla and when you take that first sip, you'll feel like you're back in the '50s. Ray's is reminiscent of old New York when food was cheap and simple. If you're not a fan of egg cream, get gelato, frozen yogurt, or a milkshake, all of which they make in-house and all of which can satisfy even the most demanding sweet tooth.
     Ray's is open 24 hours, 7 days a week, and no matter what time you go, it will make your day, guaranteed. You'll enjoy fresh, fast, and delicious food and you'll probably even make a friend. If you're lucky, Ray might take you back to the kitchen to show you how to make beignets and may even pick up the tab. However, pay and tip well because Ray deserves it. Remember, cash only!