It\u2019s the place to shop and be seen.<\/p>\n
On a sunny Wednesday afternoon, in between sips of overpriced lattes and bites of creamy frozen yogurt and zesty truffle bagels<\/a>, four Upper East Side high school students gather around an outdoor table to giggle and gossip about who they might run into on their lunch break at Ouri\u2019s Market. This posh, buzzy kosher grocery store has become uptown\u2019s newest teen hangout.<\/p>\n Just a few short blocks from their school, NYC\u2019s young elite treat Ouri\u2019s as an unofficial social hub, as it\u2019s become the unofficial Upper East Side joint where everyone from private school teens to neighborhood families to influencers and even reality stars mingle between the sushi counter and smoothie lines.<\/p>\n And looking good is a non-negotiable.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been with people that are looking [for a spouse], and they are like, they have to look good when they go to Ouri\u2019s,\u201d Leila Gut, 18-year-old Ramaz student, said, before adding they have the \u201cBEST cold brew.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf someone\u2019s walking around outside, they\u2019re gonna bump into someone in front of Ouri\u2019s because we all just sit outside and get our lunches, breakfast\u2026. literally, at any point of the day, you\u2019ll see someone [you know] there,\u201d Gut pointed out.<\/p>\n On any given day, the sidewalk outside Ouri\u2019s is often filled with crowds of strollers and students. Olga Ginzburg for the N.Y. Post<\/p>\n The beloved family-operated supermarket chain was founded by kosher supermarket kingpin, Ouri Galili, in 1976. Following two successful New Jersey locations, in Deal and Oakhurst, the once-upon-a-time produce stand later expanded to Brooklyn before opening its sprawling Third Avenue location, which sits between 67th and 68th Streets, in 2024.<\/p>\n While the supermarket always had a steady flow of eager customers, since arriving on the Upper East Side, Ouri\u2019s has reached an entirely new level of virality, joining a wave of \u201cgourmet grocery stores\u201d like Butterfield Market, Happier Grocery, and Meadow Lane that have exploded across TikTok and Instagram in recent years.<\/p>\n The kosher market is known for its exceptional produce, premade foods and fun treats like frozen yogurt. Olga Ginzburg for the N.Y. Post<\/p>\n But unlike its trendy competitors, Ouri\u2019s has managed to merge wellness culture, TikTok aesthetics, and Jewish community all into one space. <\/p>\n For NYC teens, Ouri\u2019s has rapidly become akin to a Big Apple version of Erewhon<\/a>, the upscale Los Angeles grocer with a cult-like following known for its luxury wellness products and jaw-dropping prices.<\/p>\n \u201cThe whole world is there. Even non-Jewish people call it the Erewhon of the city,\u201d said Gut, who adds that other private school students nearby who once shopped elsewhere are now obsessed with Ouri\u2019s.<\/p>\n Local Upper East Side teens enjoy laughs and snacks on their school lunch break. Olga Ginzburg for the N.Y. Post<\/p>\n Aside from the viral smoothies and teen frenzy, Ouri\u2019s is a full-scale supermarket. The 8,000-square-foot space features marble countertops, sprawling produce displays, an expansive kosher butcher and fish counter, refrigerators stocked with dairy products, and shelves lined with elevated pantry staples ranging from specialty truffle oils to imported nuts and gourmet snacks.<\/p>\n \u201cYou literally can name anything, and they have the best of it,\u201d said Tawil.<\/p>\n With viral TikToks<\/a> boasting about its \u201csuperior coffee<\/a>\u201d and stunning, \u201cboujee<\/a>\u201d aesthetics. Ouri\u2019s has built a devoted following far beyond the Jewish community.<\/p>\n Thousands of social media videos boast about Ouri\u2019s delicious coffee, including this cookie butter latte. Olga Ginzburg for the N.Y. Post<\/p>\n Even reality star and Skinnygirl mogul, Bethenny Frankel, caught wind of Ouri\u2019s telling her millions of followers how \u201cout of control\u201d their offerings are in a TikTok video<\/a> captioned, \u201cRUN. This kosher market is expensive but soooo WORTH it!!!\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cThey also keep up with all the trends,\u201d said 18-year-old Caroline Efron. \u201cThey just opened their own frozen yogurt bar from Greece, because that\u2019s what everyone on TikTok raves about.\u201d<\/p>\n The teens told The Post that students from Ramaz School recently collaborated with Ouri\u2019s on a custom \u201cRamaz Remix\u201d drink inspired by the school\u2019s colors.<\/p>\n Young shoppers waiting in line to order a cold drink and a sweet treat. Olga Ginzburg for the N.Y. Post<\/p>\n But despite comparisons to luxury wellness markets, teens insist the appeal goes beyond aesthetics, raving that the quality is consistently fresh. That quality, however, comes at a price. Specialty smoothies <\/a>can run $10 to $15, while prepared foods often cost significantly more than typical neighborhood grab-and-go spots, with salads hovering around $20.<\/p>\n Still, prices haven\u2019t slowed the crowds down.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s worth it,\u201d fellow Ramaz student, Romi Kopel, said, noting the store offers kosher options that are difficult to find elsewhere in the neighborhood. \u201cIf you want protein in the middle of the day, it makes it 10 times easier for us.\u201d<\/p>\n The crowds at Ouri\u2019s have also turned the market into a Jewish matchmaker\u2019s haven.<\/p>\n The chain started in 1976 and grew into something much bigger than just your ordinary supermarket. Olga Ginzburg for the N.Y. Post<\/p>\n Gayil Jungreis, an Upper East Side matchmaker, told The Post she keeps business cards on hand whenever she visits Ouri\u2019s because she knows she\u2019ll run into potential clients.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery time I go, I bring my business cards because I know I\u2019m going to see someone,\u201d she told The Post.<\/p>\n According to Jungreis, the appeal lies partly in the market\u2019s uniquely low-pressure social atmosphere.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a place to be seen without putting yourself out there in any way that feels vulnerable,\u201d she said. \u201cYou know you\u2019re going to see interesting people.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t