Ray's Candy Store, an East Village institution, has served late-night munchies since 1974. Owner Ray Alvarez, 86, is well known for his deep-fried Oreos, egg creams, milkshakes, and chili cheese dogs. The store has kept street wanderers and New York University students well fed into the night as they hang around Tompkins Square Park. Cult-like customers have been raving about the shop for decades, saying it’s an “unchanged gem in a transforming neighborhood,” “an institution that has brought joy for generations,” and that “it was as good as I remember at 6 years old.” The family-run business continues to serve the same food since it opened and has had recent visits from Kim Kardashian West, Kendall Jenner, La La Anthony, and Food God, who documented his time there, saying, "Everybody's talking about this place! EVERYBODY!"
