6. Dichter Pharmacy
An Inwood neighborhood favorite, Dichter Pharmacy includes a black and white tiled floor, a counter with swivel stools, and an old-fashioned soda fountain. Vintage signage lists ice cream flavors and menu items. The current owner Manny Ramirez had his first job at the pharmacy in the 1980s, sweeping floors and stocking shelves, before eventually purchasing the store from his mentor.
Now, the restaurant serves as a community gathering space, hosting parent groups, poetry readings, classical music concerts, and local sports teams. Community forms the backbone of Dichter’s operation. In 2012, the entire pharmacy burned to the ground but reopened a block south just two weeks later with support from the local community, who helped to rebuild the store and pay for a new awning. In addition to running the soda shop and hosting social gatherings, Ramirez operates the space as a working pharmacy for the local community.