A true conundrum: locals are equally likely to praise the deliciousness of the food here as to denounce the slow service, "rough around the edges" waitstaff, and high-ish prices. Kensington Pizza does earn points for its expansive menu, though: the sign outside touts "the largest variety of pizzeria foods around", which is too modest; this place's oeuvre spreads far beyond mere "pizzeria foods", with a full range of sandwiches and burgers, pasta and other Italian specialties, Southern-style fried chicken, some Greek diner fare, even Puerto Rican food like pastelillos and pernil. If you do want pizza, come hungry: the "Kitchen Sink Pizza" — with pepperoni, sausage, bacon, ham, onions, mushrooms, green and black olives, and sweet and hot peppers — is the odds-on favorite.
Mon-Thu 10AM-10:30PM, Fri Sat 10AM-11PM·$10-30
DoEast Side
It's a story that, in many ways, parallels that of the Allendale Theatre in Allentown: built in the 1920s as a silent movie palace in a then-thriving neighborhood, by the '70s it had been reduced to showing B movies and porn before closing outright, and was subsequently rescued from the threat of demolition and resurrected as a performance venue. Unlike the Allendale, though, the rebirth of the Varsity Theatre was as a venue for live music instead of theatrical performances — and rather than a multipronged effort on the part of a diverse group of preservationists and community stakeholders, the restoration of the Varsity was the six-year labor of love of a single individual: Ibrahim Cissé, a computer technologist originally from Côte d'Ivoire who now serves as head of the Bailey Business Association. The Varsity had its grand reopening in January 2016, and now plays host to everything from hip-hop acts to gospel choirs to the Nickel City Opera.
Yes, "CASH FOR GOLD" is proclaimed loudly and proudly on the signs that adorn the front of this humble storefront, but Bailey Jewelry is more than just another sleazy old-gold broker. On the contrary, the selection of 10-karat, 14-karat and silver jewelry here is impressive indeed. As is the rule on the East Side, the merchandise here runs heavily toward big, chunky hoop earrings, pendants, diamond watches, and other hip-hop-inspired styles; as is not the rule on the East Side, you should come prepared to splurge a little bit: prices are fair for what you get, but what you get is of surprisingly high quality.
Daily 10AM-6PM
At Fashion City, you'll certainly find plenty of the streetwise urban styles you see in other clothes shops on Bailey, but that's not the end of the story: there's also a decent selection of items in a more traditional, even preppy, aesthetic. The interior sports a brash and vibrant decorative scheme, highlighted by a loud black-and-white checkered tile floor, and it's where you'll find a wide range of name-brand clothes for men and women on racks, shelves, even hanging from the rafters: sweats, hoodies, jeans, t-shirts, baseball caps, flannels, bubble jackets, shoes and boots (there's a huge wall given over to Timberlands). Fashion City is also an authorized dealer of Dickies work apparel.
Daily 9AM-10PM