NoLita, New York City: What This Italian Hub Is Known For (2024)

While North of Little Italy (AKA NoLita) shares similar features as its neighborhoods, Little Italy and SoHo, it boasts a uniquely charming vibe of its own. Located in downtown Manhattan, this gorgeous village has a young population and remains one of the trendiest neighborhoods in New York City.

It has incredible art galleries, designer boutiques, and cozy cafes and restaurants, most of which offer outdoor dining options. The town's cobblestone streets have a unique charm that's not popular in this century. Planning a trip to NoLita, New York City? Here is what this Italian hub is known for.

NoLita’s Highlights And Features

NoLIta, NYC, NY

NoLita has a lot to see and do, thanks to its downtown position and its uniquely charming atmosphere. The village's main features and highlights include its colorful clothing boutiques, vintage shops, and art galleries.

The town boasts a thriving culinary scene, with beautiful sidewalk cafes, hip eateries, and bars to explore. With a laid-back vibe, vacationers can always have some friendly chats with the locals.

When it comes to the nightlife scene, NoLita is not as vibrant as its other downtown neighbors. It is a bit quiet, and instead of bustling nightclubs, it is filled with chill spots where travelers can sip some co*cktails or drink some wine.

Another important feature in this neighborhood is street art, which is among the most spectacular in NYC. Visitors can explore the adorable scene when they wander around its four blocks and gaze at the gorgeous bright-colored murals beautifying the brick walls.

Tourists can feel the artistic spirit and the village’s charm through these murals. One may also decide to stroll along these streets during weekends to find the local handmade pieces of art.

NoLita's Food Scene: Where To Find The Best Food

Food is one of the best features defining NoLita and has some of the most impressive restaurants in Manhattan. Some of the eateries that capture its unique character include:

• Café Habana: Established in 1998, Café Cabana is a Cuban-Mexican café & Bar known for its delicious Cuban sandwiches, cocteles, and other tasty eats that are reasonably priced.
• Balaboosta: This eatery was opened by Chef Einat Admony to share her incredible personal food, which largely gets its inspiration from Israel, Persia, and Yemenite backgrounds. The menu is extensive and includes fried olives, wild mushroom pappardelle, salmon, brick chicken, tahdig rice, and tahdig rice.
• Cocoron: Offering Japanese home-style prepared meals, Cocoron’s main focus is on soba a noodle staple that travelers can eat in several ways. One can choose to dine in, pick up, or have their orders delivered.
• Lombardi's Pizza: This restaurant developed the New York-style pizza and is the first pizzeria in the United States. Its pizza is topped with fresh whole milk mozzarella, basil, and purist tomato sauce. The result is a very delicious pizza that keeps bringing travelers back to the eatery.
• Egg Shop: As the name suggests, the egg is a staple for numerous offerings in this restaurant, which generates several creative dishes.

Top Tourist Attractions In NoLita

The Basilica Of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral

NoLIta, NYC. NY

One of the most iconic tourist attractions in NoLita is the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. This is the oldest St. Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC, which became the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York in 1879 when the one on 5th Avenue was launched.

Built in 1809, the cathedral has become one of the city’s most significant landmarks and is definitely worthy of exploring.

Related: Aachen Cathedral: Germany's Oldest With The Greatest Treasures

Elizabeth Street Garden

Garden lovers would love spending time in Elizabeth Street Garden. It is filled with incredibly unique sculptures and some of the most impressive architectural features. It is one of the top places in NoLita to enjoy nature and enjoy picnicking in the designated sites.

It also has several peaceful corners that tourists can use to relax and benches to engage in nice conversations with friends.

DeSalvio Playground

This is one of the best destinations in NoLita to visit with kids. It is a neighborhood playground with colorfully painted walls. The white, red, and green colors represent the Italian flag, honoring the Italian Americans who served this neighborhood.

There are benches that vacationers can relax on as they watch their kids play. This amazing playground is situated on the corner of Mulberry and Spring streets, which have plenty of eateries where families can grab something to munch on.

Shopping In NoLita

NoLIta, NYC, NY

NoLita has become one of the best shopping districts in Manhattan, boasting trendy shops, jewelry stores, bookshops, and some of the city's most spectacular art galleries.

The streets offer unique items that would definitely interest any type of traveler. Some of the places to check out include DECIEM beauty company, REI outdoor clothing store, and Storefront for Art and Architecture.

NoLita is definitely full of charm and a unique vibe of its own. It has a lot to explore, ranging from a fantastic food scene to shopping to some of NYC’s most iconic landmarks.