8 showing · 197 on the list
Cafe Habana
The Prince/Elizabeth corner luncheonette that's anchored Nolita since 1998 — cramped, loud, and the grilled corn is still one of downtown's defining cheap thrills.
Order: Grilled corn with cotija and lime (two ears, trust me) plus the Cuban sandwich. To-go window next door skips the wait.
Verified open Aug 2026 (Yelp Aug 2026 + OpenTable 2026)
17 Prince St (at Elizabeth St) · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
Lombardi's
America's first licensed pizzeria (1905), coal oven still burning. Yes, it's on the tourist circuit — but the char on a fresh margherita out of that oven is real, and locals still concede it.
Order: The original margherita, whole pies only (no slices), add fresh basil. Cash only — there's an ATM inside.
Verified open Aug 2026 (Yelp Aug 2026 + OpenTable). Cash only, whole pies only, no reservations for small parties · editor: Trades on the 'America's first pizzeria' plaque; long tourist lines for merely decent coal-oven
32 Spring St (at Mott St) · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
Parm
Major Food Group's casual counter — Italian-American deli classics executed with restaurant precision. The chicken parm hero is the neighborhood's best lunch under $25.
Order: Chicken parm on a roll (hero if you're starving), side of broccoli rabe. Save room for the ice cream cake.
Verified open Aug 2026 (official site parmitalian.com, daily 11am-10pm)
248 Mulberry St (btwn Prince & Spring) · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
Pasquale Jones
Wood-fired pies and a serious wine program on the Kenmare corner — the grown-up counterweight to the slice joints. The clam pie is a legitimate NYC dish, not a gimmick.
Order: The littleneck clam pizza with a glass from the by-the-glass list. Pizza omakase at the chef's counter if you want the full ride.
Verified open Aug 2026 (official site + OpenTable 2026; Yelp Jul 2026)
187 Mulberry St (at Kenmare St) · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
Puglia
Communal tables, live singers, and red sauce since 1919 — loud, unpretentious, and one of the few Hester Street originals still standing. It's a party, not a quiet dinner.
Order: Rigatoni alla vodka or the veal francese, and lean into the sing-along — that's the product.
Verified open 2026 (Yelp Jun 2026 + official site). Closed Mon-Tue; opens 4pm midweek
189 Hester St (btwn Mulberry & Mott) · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
Rubirosa
The Nolita spot locals actually defend — Staten Island pizza lineage (Joe & Pat's family) with a razor-thin crust nobody else in the neighborhood matches. Gets mobbed, but it earned it.
Order: The vodka pie, thin crust. Half-vodka/half-fresh-mozzarella if you can't commit. Walk-in seats at the bar move faster than the Resy line.
Verified open Aug 2026 (official site rubirosanyc.com, open daily 11am-11pm)
235 Mulberry St (btwn Prince & Spring) · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
Tacombi
The original Fonda Nolita location — tacos served out of a VW bus parked inside an old garage on Elizabeth. Now a chain, but this one still feels like the reason it became one.
Order: Al pastor and the crispy fish tacos, corn esquites on the side. Three tacos is a meal.
Verified open Aug 2026 (Yelp Aug 2026 + OpenTable; daily 11am-11pm)
267 Elizabeth St (btwn Prince & E Houston) · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07
Vincent's
The Original Vincent's, corner of Mott and Hester since 1904 — the last real clam bar in Little Italy. The proprietary hot sauce recipe is over a century old and locals still argue about medium vs. hot.
Order: Fried calamari or scungilli in Vincent's sauce, medium heat (hot is a dare). Get bread for mopping.
Verified open Aug 2026 (Yelp Aug 2026 + originalvincents.nyc)
119 Mott St (at Hester St) · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07