Little Italy & Nolita

A century ago, Little Italy covered dozens of blocks, and tens of thousands of immigrants from Naples, Sicily and Calabria lived packed into its tenements. Mulberry Street was lined with pushcarts, social clubs and churches, and the neighborhood had its own banks, newspapers and, yes, its own mob. Most families have since moved to Brooklyn, Staten Island and the suburbs, and Chinatown has grown around what is left. Today Little Italy is a few lively blocks of restaurants, cafés and memories. North of it lies Nolita, short for North of Little Italy, once part of the same neighborhood and now full of boutiques, pizza and cafés. Come hungry, and keep an eye out for the mob stories.