OVERVIEW
Immigrants from Naples and Sicily ventured to Little Italy, NYC in the 1880s, and the area once stretched from Canal to Houston Streets, between Lafayette Street and the Bowery.
Nowadays the strong Italian presence shrunk down to the blocks surrounding Mulberry Street. Ethnic pride remains during the annual Feast of San Gennaro.
LANDMARKS
The Feast of San Gennaro is a large street fair, lasting 11 days, that takes place every September along Mulberry Street between Houston and Canal Streets.
The Italian American Museum: housed in the former Banca Stabile—a bank with historical significance for the Italian immigrant community in New York City—this museum, born out of a staggeringly successful 1999 exhibition at the New-York Historical Society, is dedicated to celebrating and exploring the Italian American experience.
In addition to historical exhibitions like a survey of Italian newspapers in America, the museum features art by contemporary Italian American artists and much more.
ASTORIA
DINING
From French-Malaysian fusion to first-rate pizza slingers: Rubirosa is a family-run restaurant that helped usher in Mulberry Street’s red-sauce revival, offering simple, thin-crust pizzas and classic red-sauce fare.
Lombardi’s was founded in 1905, making it the first pizzeria in the United States. Still located in the Little Italy section of Manhattan offering its beautiful, smoky-crusted coal oven baked pizza, topped with San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil, keeping locals and visitors alike coming back.
Ferrara Bakery & Cafe: displayed alongside the cannoli and carrot cakes, the cheesecake at this Little Italy icon strikes the requisite balance of sour and sweet.
SHOPPING
If Nolita offers several standout boutiques, where you’ll find stellar jewelry and shoe stores, in Little Italy, don’t pass up the chance to seek out the few remaining Italian food stores for fresh mozzarella and other delicacies once the shopping fatigue sets in.
Examples: BucketFeet, Condor, Coclico, Scotch & Soda, Vint and York, Warm.
TRANSPORTATION
Little Italy is best experienced by strolling around the small neighborhood taking in all the sights and smells. The nearest subways are 4, 6, B, D, J, N, Q lines.