A unique Italian specialty market opened in the West Village—and it doesn't serve any meat

A beautiful new market selling all sorts of locally-sourced goods has just opened in the West Village at 457 6th Avenue by West 11th Street. 

Travelers, Poets and Friends—a concept by the same folks behind Italian restaurants Alice and Osteria57 and nextdoor gelateria Pamina—is also home to a bakery, an espresso bar, a pasta factory and a wine bar.

Perhaps most interesting is the fact that the space, which carries top-notch Italian foods among other delicacies, is completely meat-free, just as is the case at One More Hospitality Group's eateries around town.

"[The owners] set out to create a sustainable market and ended up being meat-free as a result," explains a representative via email. "In the vast number of decisions that they needed to make in order to be as sustainable as possible, being meatless was ultimately a byproduct of their overall goal."

The focal point of the new market is the main bar, which serves breakfast items in the morning (coffee and pastries) and turns into a wine destination at night where folks can enjoy a curated list of drinks paired with cheese and "seacuterie." 

At the pasta factory, on the other hand, you can buy fresh noodles to take home or just watch the experts make some for the group's local restaurants. 

As for the specialty goods and fresh products on offer, you'll notice they are all made in-house using local ingredients—a refreshing idea that certainly helps the business stand out from the plenty of other culinary markets that have made New York their home in recent years.