Even as a lifelong New Yorker (more or less), I love that there’s always something new to do in Manhattan. Not just because there are new shops and museums and restaurants popping up all the time; but because there are so many old ones that you simply never noticed before.

It’s probably why when visitors to Manhattan ask me, “what should I do when I’m here?” It’s hard to offer a quick answer besides Central Park and walking the Brooklyn Bridge.

That’s why I’m excite about a super clever new website that helps turn you onto the Manhattan you may not know, in glorious detail.

Manhattan Sideways
is a simple, navigable guide to Manhattan, Street by Street. Literally.
Right now you can start at 1st Street and work your way up to 7th
Street, with the rest (hopefully!) coming soon. But in just that little
swath of downtown alone, it’s amazing what you’ll discover.

Click on 2nd Street, which becomes Bond Street, for example, and you’ll learn about the unusual stores and boutiques (taxidermy–who
knew?), a landmark cemetery, a fire station, art galleries, tons of
restaurants, and in true New York style, an amazing garden next to a
Mobil station, next to a church, right next to a not-for-profit offering
assistance to East Village artists.

The search function is buggy, but you can easily sort by street or by category, like shopping or restaurants; or click on “attribute” if you want free WiFi or an ATM or sidewalk seating.

I do wish there were some sort of family category, but you can figure it out yourself with categories like Historic Site,  Parks + Gardens or Sports + Fitness, in which I happened to discover my next-visit spot with my girls: Bikes By George.

There
are a few photos to compliment the more popular spots, plus
convenient Google Maps and social sharing capabilities. Reviews aren’t presented in Zagat-quality
depth–the restaurant descriptions are often thin with exceptions like
the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop on 7th Or Supper on E 2nd (below). However some of the retailers may include details like a video, as in this review of minimalist shop Still House.

But hello? Where’s Peel’s on E 2nd and Bowery? Big hole!

Really what this is is an idea starter; a site that lets you find the things that only the locals know, and report back home with more understanding of this vibrant city than the confines of Time Square.

Native or visitor, the site’s got a lot of promise and I hope they get a little cash infusion to keep going with the project. I’m excited to see just how far up the map they make it. In fact, I could use a little 15th Street inspiration these days. –Liz

Discover lower Manhattan, block by block, on Manhattan Sideways. And follow them on twitter @NYSideways