Alphabet City, formerly considered a dangerous slum, is now a trendy part of the East Village in lower Manhattan. Its name comes from Avenues A, B, C, and D, the only avenues in Manhattan to have single-letter names. It is bordered by Houston Street to the south and 14th Street to the north. Some famous landmarks include Tompkins Square Park and the Stuyvesant Town housing project. It is home to a number of artists, musicians and students, although a less bohemian population has been moving in since the late 1990s as the neighborhood has started to become gentrified.

An East Village Wisdom (arguably no longer true):

• Avenue A, you're All right.
• Avenue B, you're Brave.
• Avenue C, you're Crazy.
• Avenue D, you're Dead.

The television police drama NYPD Blue takes place in Alphabet City.