9 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
Di Palo's Fine Foods
The last great Italian latteria of old Little Italy, same family on the corner of Grand and Mott since 1910. The line moves slowly because they talk to every customer — that is the point.
Order: Fresh mozzarella made that morning and a wedge of Parmigiano cut off the wheel; let Lou or Sal pick your prosciutto.
verified open Aug 2026 (Yelp updated Aug 2026) — take a number, expect a wait on weekends
200 Grand St (at Mott St), Little Italy · map
added 2026-08-07 · verified 2026-08-07