You've heard about it. You've seen it in movies. Finally, you're here in NYC and ready to discover Little Italy!
I'm a native New Yorker and in my childhood, my family often attended the annual street festival, the Feast of San Gennaro -- oh the glorious smell of freshly grilled sausage and peppers.
When I became a local tour guide, I dug into Little Italy's history and its immigrant roots. For me, the neighborhood’s history and food go hand in hand.
In this article, I tell you where you can dive into both.
You can get a good feel for Little Italy in under an hour if you are strolling along and stopping to grab a slice of pizza or a dessert.
If you plan for a sit-down meal, give yourself at least another 90 minutes, longer if you dine at the Mulberry Street restaurants on a Friday or Saturday night.
Here are the best places to stop by to get a true sense of this part of New York City - both the old, the new...and the delicious!
Below, my fellow tour guide Katie, here at Tours By Foot New York, takes you through Little Italy and the nearby neighborhood of Nolita.
Let us show you Little Italy
In this article, I just scratch the surface of Little Italy's history, culture and food.
We have several walking tours that include Little Italy.
Little Italy and Chinatown Food Tour introduces you to the history and foods of these two neighborhoods.
Our other tours that visit Little Italy are:
- 2-Hour SoHo, Little Italy, Chinatown Tour
- 3-hour Downtown Manhattan Tour
- 6-Hour All-in-One Downtown Tour
See our full tour schedule.
MUST-SEES AND EATS IN LITTLE ITALY
1. Walk through time along Little Italy's Main Street
Mulberry Street is the main street in Little Italy.
Before America was America, Mulberry Street was already carved out! It appears on some maps dating to 1755.
In the mid-1800s, hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Italy flocked to the area and Mulberry Street was the center of it all.
Below is one of the most famous photos of Mulberry Street from the early 1900s.
Mulberry Street is lined with authentic restaurants that, in warm weather, put tables on the street so diners can eat al fresco.
This is one of the most pleasant ways to experience Little Italy. Below, I've listed a few restaurants to try.
TIP: The small but interesting Italian-American Museum is at 155 Mulberry Street.
2. Have a pizza from the first pizzeria in America
If there is only one thing you have time to do while in Little Italy, eating at Lombardi’s is it!
Gennaro Lombardi started this business in 1897 as a grocery store, then in 1905 received a license to open the first pizzeria in the United States.
It's still family-run and is regarded as one of the top pizzerias in the country.
Their superheated coal-fired oven, one of the last in the city, provides a crispy crust with a delightfully soft center.
This is one of my favorite pizza spots in the city. Here are some others where you can grab a great slice of pizza in NYC.
Only pies are sold, so you can't get a slice here, but even if there are only two of you, trust me, you can eat an entire small pie, no problem.
3. See historic churches
Two churches prosper in Little Italy and are very much a reminder of what Italian immigrants brought with them to the new world: a deep-rooted sense of religion.
St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral, completed in 1815, is the second Catholic church built in Manhattan, and the third in the state of New York.
The small church pales somewhat compared to the latter St. Patrick's Cathedral completed in 1879, but I find it a lovely church.
Next is the Church of the Most Precious Blood completed in 1901.
For many years, I never noticed the church as I walked along Mulberry Street because it's set back from the street.
Its simple two-story brick building was nothing special and I assumed there wasn't much to see inside.
One day, I was showing some friends around the neighborhood and they wanted to go inside. Wow, was I surprised!
This church is filled with old statues, relics and icons. The vaulted ceiling and walls are covered with beautiful Neapolitan-Baroque murals.
It turned out that the entrance I used was the back entrance. Had I walked past the grand main entrance on Baxter Street, I would have taken a peek years earlier!
4. Eat to your 'stomach's delight' at the Feast of San Gennaro
If you are here in mid-September you can enjoy the century-old Feast of San Gennaro, an annual treat for locals!
Since 1924, Mulberry Street has been the site of the San Gennaro Festival which takes place every September.
Many New Yorkers come to the feast, well, to feast!
But to those who are observant, the festival honors San Gennaro, the Patron Saint of Naples.
A special mass is held at the Church of the Precious Blood and after a large statue of San Gennaro is paraded through the streets of Little Italy.
Read more about the San Gennaro Festival and read what Italian kinds of foods you can try.
5. Hollywood in Little Italy
Who can forget the scene in The Godfather (1972) in which Michael Corleone attends a baptism, while simultaneously having his enemies murdered around the country?
It was filmed in St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral which I wrote about above.
In The Godfather Part III (1990), the cathedral provides the setting for a ceremony in which he is honored.
Filmmaker Martin Scorsese grew up in Little Italy and many of his films feature the streets of his home neighborhood.
In a scene in the classic movie Mean Streets (1973), Harvey Keitel prays in the cathedral.
Other scenes feature the San Gennaro Festival.
The interior of the Mulberry Street Bar at 176 1/2 Mulberry Street was featured in The Godfather 3, (as well as Donnie Brasco, and multiple seasons of The Sopranos.)
The bar opened in 1908. Stop in for a glass of Chianti.
6. Pastries to die for at Ferrara Bakery
For a taste of the sweet part of Little Italy, head to Ferrara Bakery & Café, which opened in 1892 and is still family-run.
You can get classic Italian pastries here like Cannoli, Sfogliatella, Biscotti, Baba Rhum, Italian cheesecake, Lobster Tails and Tiramisu.
They have both sit-down service and takeaway.
I always get a cannoli to go. There’s no point in taking a seat since it will be gobbled up in five minutes!
7. Explore Little Italy's Neighbors
Little Italy is surrounded by several of New York City's most vibrant neighborhoods and you can easily visit one or two of them in addition to Little Italy.
Head south into Chinatown, walking along Mott Street where you will find souvenir shops and restaurants, and yes, knock-off handbags.
SoHo is to the west. Check out the art galleries, designer shops, and splendid architecture.
The East Village is to the north with a diverse food scene, thrift stores and street art.
The Lower East Side is to the east. Its rich history of immigration in the 1800s sits side by side with a trendy vibe and bars, shops and cuisine of every kind.
8. Take in the glorious smells of Di Palo's
When you walk into Di Palo's Fine Foods at 200 Grand Street you are greeted by the aromatic smells of cheese.
This family-run purveyor of Italian meats and cheeses opened the shop in 1925. It’s the go-to place for what I think is the best fresh mozzarella in New York City.
Besides selling dozens and dozens of cheeses and many kinds of meats and sausages, Di Palo sells handmade pasta, sauces, and appetizers like olives, Italian peppers, artichokes...the list goes on and on.
Di Palo opened a wine bar in 2019, around the corner from the shop at 151 Mott Street.
It’s a cozy place to get a glass of wine paired with the store’s cheeses and other foods.
WHERE SHOULD I EAT IN LITTLE ITALY?
If you are on a budget or want to grab a sandwich to go, try these spots:
Parm at 248 Mulberry St. Gourmet twist on classic Italian dishes, created by chefs Mario Carbone and Rich Torrisi and restaurateur Jeff Zalaznick.
Parisi Bakery Delicatessen at 198 Mott St. Opened in 1903, it is still family-operated. Get the porchetta and mozzarella sandwich, you won't regret it.
Caffé Palermo at 148 Mulberry St. Opened in 1973, it is a neighborhood institution. Sit for antipasto platters, an assortment of panini, or the famous cannoli, a close runner-up to Ferrara's above.
For sit-down meals, here are the best of the rest.
Da Gennaro Restaurant at 129 Mulberry St. A charming spot that serves up a mean homemade Spaghetti Carbonara. The homemade gnocchi is also excellent.
Casa D'Angelo at 146 Mulberry St. Opened in 1902, the menu is homemade southern Italian with top-notch service.
Puglia at 189 Hester St. Opened in 1919, this Italian restaurant has big portions with a big family feel.
Il Cortile at 125 Mulberry Street. Northern Italian cuisine. Get a table in the enclosed back garden atrium.
Pasquale Jones at 187 Mulberry St. Try the pizza! Wood-fired pies, pasta, cool vibe, and excellent service.
DIRECTIONS TO LITTLE ITALY
Little Italy is indeed little. Just take a look at this map!
There are multiple subway stations in and around Little Italy. Just pick the subway line closest to your starting point.
Subway lines
- N, Q, R to Prince Street Station
- 6 to Spring Street Station
- J, Z to Bowery Station or Canal Street Station
New to New York? See our article, Navigating the Subway System.
TAKE A LITTLE ITALY WALKING TOUR
I listed our guided tours that include Little Italy (see above) but there are other tours available.
There are Mafia tours, Movie/TV locale tours, shopping tours, shopping tours, food tours and walking tours.
You name it, there’s a tour for it!
TIP: If you are buying a tourist attraction discount pass, some include a free tour of Little Italy.
