Best Yoga in the East Village and Lower East Side: 8 Studios Compared
St. Marks Yoga for affordable all-levels classes, Urban Studio for slow restorative work, ID Hot Yoga for a heated class with clear cues: eight studios compared by what members say about them.
By FindYoga, Editorial team4 min read
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For yoga in the East Village and Lower East Side, St. Marks Yoga is the easiest first stop for affordable all-levels classes, Urban Studio is the pick for slow, restorative work in a small group, and ID Hot Yoga is the choice for a heated class with clear cues. Eight studios below cover yoga, meditation and reformer Pilates, with what members say about each room and where they hit snags.
Gentle and restorative classes
Restorative is the most common style label in the area: three of its ten studios carry it. The two with the strongest reviews are very different rooms.
Urban Studio (167 Rivington St, 4.9) is built around gentle stretching and hip-opening classes. Reviewers describe small groups, hands-on adjustments that help with form, and a minimalist, calm space that feels slower than the louder studios around the city. The one complaint is a booked class where the instructor did not show up.
Manhattan, New York
Urban Studio
Manhattan yoga studio known for gentle, restorative classes, small groups, hands-on adjustments and a calm, minimalist space.
- Restorative
Bhakti Center Yoga (25 1st Ave, 4.9) mixes classes that are physically demanding with deeply restorative ones, and adds Kirtan and other community events. Reviewers praise attentive teachers and a clean, welcoming room with low attendance, and say there are classes for beginners and experienced students alike. No criticism shows up in its reviews.
Manhattan, New York
Bhakti Center Yoga
This yoga studio in New York is known for its strong community and diverse classes.
- Yin
- Bhakti Flow
- Restorative
Affordable and community-led studios
St. Marks Yoga (12 St Marks Pl, 4.8) is the one reviewers mention for price: classes from $10, a range of levels and plants and calming decor in the room. Members describe friendly, knowledgeable instructors. The caveats are practical. The space is small and popular classes get crowded, and a few reviewers describe inconsistent teaching or bad experiences with particular instructors.
Manhattan, New York
St. Marks Yoga
A top-notch yoga studio in New York City known for its affordable classes and welcoming community.
- Vinyasa
- Restorative
- Meditation
Three Jewels NYC (5 E 3rd St, 4.8) combines yoga with meditation, rooted in Tibetan Buddhism, and has a café serving drinks and vegan snacks. Visitors describe a warm atmosphere and teachings that are accessible to newcomers. Some reviewers found classes disorganised and late, felt uncomfortable in exchanges with teachers, or thought the religious content too heavy. Choose it if the Buddhist context is what you want, not just a stretch class.
Manhattan, New York
Three Jewels NYC
An inviting yoga and meditation studio located in New York City, known for its community vibe and excellent café.
- Tibetan Buddhism
- Meditation
- Hatha
Heated and rigorous practice
ID Hot Yoga Lower East Side (172 Allen St, 4.9) offers well-structured heated classes in a bright room with large windows. Reviewers say instructors give specific cues for each pose and plenty of modifications, and several have returned for years. One first-time hot yoga student found the instruction fast and hard to follow next to experienced students, so it suits people who already know their way around a class.
Manhattan, New York
ID Hot Yoga Lower East Side
Hot yoga studio in Manhattan's Lower East Side with well-structured heated classes, pose-by-pose cues and a bright room with large windows.
- Hot Yoga
The Studio (302 Bowery, 4.7) sits on the Bowery. Reviewers describe knowledgeable teachers who make personal adjustments, a jovial, homely atmosphere and a practice that is mentally and physically rigorous. Its reviews contain no complaints.
Manhattan, New York
The Studio
This yoga studio in New York, NY, is known for its supportive community and knowledgeable teachers.
- Challenging
- Rigorous
Reformer Pilates on the Lower East Side
Two reformer studios sit close together, and both are welcoming to first-timers.
Pilates Square (153 Essex St, 5.0) opened recently. Reviewers describe challenging, well-paced reformer classes, hands-on form corrections and private sessions, in a light space that is not crowded. First-timers say they felt well looked after.
Manhattan, New York
Pilates Square
Newly opened reformer Pilates studio in Manhattan with hands-on form corrections, challenging well-paced classes and private sessions.
- Pilates
Pilates Coven (114 Suffolk St, 4.6) runs a 101 intro class and open-level classes from early morning to late at night. Reviewers describe a studio welcoming to plus-size, older and first-time clients, with instructors who adjust the work for injuries and balance. One reviewer finds the 45-minute classes short, and another objected to an early class that started late.
Manhattan, New York
Pilates Coven
Reformer Pilates studio in Manhattan, welcoming to plus-size and older clients, with a 101 intro class and classes from early morning to late night.
- Pilates
At a glance
| Studio | Address | Rating | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Studio | 167 Rivington St | 4.9 | Gentle, hip-opening classes in small groups | One instructor no-show |
| Bhakti Center Yoga | 25 1st Ave | 4.9 | Varied classes and community events | – |
| ID Hot Yoga Lower East Side | 172 Allen St | 4.9 | Heated classes with clear cues | Fast pace for first-timers |
| St. Marks Yoga | 12 St Marks Pl | 4.8 | Affordable all-levels classes | Crowded rooms, uneven teaching |
| Three Jewels NYC | 5 E 3rd St | 4.8 | Yoga with meditation and a café | Late classes, religious content |
| The Studio | 302 Bowery | 4.7 | Rigorous practice with adjustments | – |
| Pilates Square | 153 Essex St | 5.0 | Hands-on reformer classes | – |
| Pilates Coven | 114 Suffolk St | 4.6 | Beginner-friendly, inclusive reformer | Short classes |
Which studio is right for you?
If you want a first class that is cheap and easy to join, go to St. Marks Yoga. If you want something quiet and slow, go to Urban Studio, or to Bhakti Center Yoga if you also like the idea of Kirtan and philosophy in the class. If you want to sweat, go to ID Hot Yoga, and if you want a demanding class without the heat, try The Studio. If Pilates is closer to what you are after, Pilates Square suits hands-on correction and Pilates Coven suits anyone who wants a proper introduction first.
For more of the city, see yoga studios in New York, the guide to yoga in Chelsea and Flatiron just uptown, or choosing a class by neighbourhood and budget.
This guide was compiled from studio listings and visitor reviews, with AI assistance.
Top-rated studios in New York
Live from the FindYoga directory, ranked by rating and number of reviews. Paying never changes this order.
1Manhattan, New York
Urban Studio
Manhattan yoga studio known for gentle, restorative classes, small groups, hands-on adjustments and a calm, minimalist space.
- Restorative
2Manhattan, New York
Bhakti Center Yoga
This yoga studio in New York is known for its strong community and diverse classes.
- Yin
- Bhakti Flow
- Restorative
3Manhattan, New York
St. Marks Yoga
A top-notch yoga studio in New York City known for its affordable classes and welcoming community.
- Vinyasa
- Restorative
- Meditation
4Manhattan, New York
Three Jewels NYC
An inviting yoga and meditation studio located in New York City, known for its community vibe and excellent café.
- Tibetan Buddhism
- Meditation
- Hatha
5Manhattan, New York
ID Hot Yoga Lower East Side
Hot yoga studio in Manhattan's Lower East Side with well-structured heated classes, pose-by-pose cues and a bright room with large windows.
- Hot Yoga
6Manhattan, New York
The Studio
This yoga studio in New York, NY, is known for its supportive community and knowledgeable teachers.
- Challenging
- Rigorous
7Manhattan, New York
Pilates Square
Newly opened reformer Pilates studio in Manhattan with hands-on form corrections, challenging well-paced classes and private sessions.
- Pilates
8Manhattan, New York
Pilates Coven
Reformer Pilates studio in Manhattan, welcoming to plus-size and older clients, with a 101 intro class and classes from early morning to late night.
- Pilates
In the directory: best yoga studios in New York
Questions
Where can I find affordable yoga in the East Village?
St. Marks Yoga on St Marks Place is the studio reviewers single out for price, with classes from $10 and a range of levels.
Is there hot yoga on the Lower East Side?
ID Hot Yoga Lower East Side on Allen St offers heated classes in a bright room, with pose-by-pose cues and modifications. One first-timer found the pace fast.
Where can I try gentle or restorative yoga near the East Village?
Urban Studio on Rivington St runs gentle, hip-opening classes in small groups, and Bhakti Center Yoga on 1st Ave offers restorative classes alongside more demanding ones.
Can I combine yoga and meditation in the East Village?
Three Jewels NYC on E 3rd St teaches yoga and meditation rooted in Tibetan Buddhism, and has a café. Some visitors found the religious content heavy.
Are there beginner-friendly Pilates studios on the Lower East Side?
Pilates Coven has a 101 intro class and Pilates Square is described by first-timers as welcoming, with hands-on form corrections on the reformer.
- East Village
- Lower East Side
- Restorative yoga
- Hot yoga
- Reformer Pilates
