Little Italy

A nostalgic area full of the legacies of Italian immigrant culture at the turn of the 20th century.

TravelCurious Tip

Little Italy was the locale of the Corleone family depicted in the Godfather trilogy. Enjoy an orange, and keep your eyes peeled…

Little Italy earned its name, quite simply, by being full of Italians. It used to be like an insular Neapolitan village recreated in Manhattan, with its own language, customs and financial and cultural institutions. However, after World War II Chinatown to the south began to expand, eating into Little Italy’s territory. Today it really is little, made up of just three blocks on Mulberry Street.


It may have shrunk, but those three blocks retain their old world charm and hold a serious concentration of restaurants and cafés. It’s certainly touristy, but if you know where to look you can still find a slice of Italy. For a rustic take on Italian cuisine, head to “Peasant”, where everything is cooked in a wood-fired oven and served to you on clay earthenware. You will be transported to the Tuscan hillsides.


Afterwards, move on to “Ferrara Bakery and Café”, the first espresso bar in America. It opened in 1892, but still does much the same thing: cannolis and cream puffs, gelato and cookies, and of course cappuccino — though don’t ask for one after 11am…


The Good Life

The Feast of San Gennaro is an 11 day festival that takes place every September along Mulberry Street. It celebrates Italian culture and the Italian-American community. Expect food, drink, parades, and zeppole — a deep-fried dough ball, filled with custard, or butter and honey, and sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Nearby Attractions

See all attractions in New York
Old Police Headquarters
Today a group of luxury apartments, the NYPD's former headquarters is one of the finest Beaux-Arts buildings in all New York.
Little Italy NYC
Little Italy is a neighbourhood in Lower Manhattan in New York City, centred around Mulberry Street, known for its Italian population, shops and restaurants.
Mulberry Street
Mulberry Street has historically been associated with Italian-American culture & history since the early 20th century has been the heart of Manhattan's Little Italy.
Hearty Italian food
Delicious Italian meatballs on tour!
Murder Scenes
Visit the multiple murder locations, including Umberto's Clamhouse where Crazy Joe Gallo was shot.
"Our Guy" in NYC
Dennis is a retired NYPD Detective born and raised in Little Italy where he would do runs for the local gangs from a very young age. Dennis designed this tour, full of insider information, and trained a select team of guides to lead it.

Related Tours

Little Italy, Greenwich Village, Soho & Chinatown: Private Tour
Welcome to New York City and Manhattan - the core of the Big Apple! Made up of several cool and quirky neighbourhoods, full of iconic New York history and made famous in movies and TV series, this fascinating private tour will take you around the trendy and bohemian areas of Little Italy and Greenwich Village, Soho and Chinatown. 

 On your private tour, you will:  

  • Begin your tour in the bohemian Greenwich Village - where Hemingway, Poe and Jackson Pollack have all lived; 
  • See where the ‘Friends’ flat was, and the Washington Arch;
  • Learn about the Stonewall Riots, and see the Monument dedicated to it;
  • Visit the artistic soul of New York City in Soho, filled with galleries and art museums;
  • Learn about the cast iron facades that flank the streets;
  • See the Haughwout Building - home to the first safety elevator and the Old Police Headquarters;
  • Learn about the history of the immigrants in Little Italy and Chinatown, and how each neighbourhood has come to be a local diaspora;
  • Admire Old St Patrick's Cathedral built between 1809-1815;
  • Pass by the Ravenite Club - a famous gangster hangout - and hear some of the dramatic stories of the Mafia;
  • Stop outside Lombardi's Pizzeria - the very first pizzeria in the entire country opened in 1905;
  • Step inside Alleva Dairy - the oldest cheese shop in NYC;
  • Your tour ends in the heart of Little Italy - where your guide will happily recommend some of the best Italian restaurants and shopping areas.

Simply known as “The Village” and much loved by native New Yorkers, Greenwich Village is home to America’s Bohemian scene. Filled with artisanal coffee houses, art galleries, and chic boutiques you will see where the ‘Friends’ flat was located, explore Washington Square Park, a buzzing city hangout, and see beautiful architecture, including 19th-century brownstone carriage houses. 

See some unusual spots like the home where John Wilkes Booth spoke openly of his plan to murder President Abraham Lincoln. On your way out of the neighbourhood, you'll see Jefferson Market Library and Bleecker Street, as well as where Hemingway, Edgar Poe, and Jackson Pollack lived and worked. 

Next venture through vibrant Soho, where your guide will tell you about its transformation from its humble beginnings as a centre for the rag trade industry, eventually becoming an extravagant artist community. See Soho's unique collection of cast iron buildings such as the Haughwout Building, home to the first safety elevator, and the Old Police Headquarters— the 1909 Beaux-Arts building.
 
From there, while walking the narrow cobblestone streets in the heart of Little Italy, you will learn about Mafia hangouts, the most famous of which is the Ravenite Club. Pop into the oldest cheese shop in NYC and the first pizzeria, Lombardi's, and explore Old Saint Patrick's Cathedral. 

Journey through NYC’s Chinatown, walk along Canal and Motts Streets, the former Five Points District, and the Old Opium Den, where you will hear stories of Chinese immigrants who came to Manhattan to build a future of their own. Your expert local guide will also tell you all about the violent gangs that sprang up around them, fighting for dominance. 

Your tour will finish in the vibrant, cultural heart of Little Italy - filled with restaurants, shops and good vibes! Your guide will happily direct you to any number of eateries where you can rest and recharge before continuing to explore at your leisure. 
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