Just like Chinatown’s amazing new street dining for dim sum and dumplings, Little Italy has transformed into a piazza-inspired set-up with plenty of outdoor cafés and pizzerias.
You could almost pretend you’re in Rome!
As part of the Open Restaurants program, the iconic Mulberry St. is closed to traffic on weekends from Broome to Hester St., managed by the Little Italy Merchants Association. Hours are Fridays from 5-11pm, and Saturdays & Sundays from 12-11pm, when restaurants can set up tables and chairs in the middle of the historic streets.
Here you can enjoy pasta and pizza under the stars in probably the closest experience you’ll get to Italy right now!
If you’re wondering where to eat, here are some of the best restaurants currently open for outdoor dining there:
Caffe Roma: 176 Mulberry St.
This 129-year-old bakery and coffee shop just reopened for the first time since the pandemic!
Aunt Jake’s: 133 Mulberry St.
Enjoy handmade pastas, fresh cheeses, and decadent ice cream sundaes.
Umbertos Clam House: 132 Mulberry St.
This Little Italy mainstay for over 40 years specializes in fresh seafood, especially, you guessed it, clams!
Gelso & Grand: 186 Grand St.
Channeling Mulberry’s marketplace history, Gelso & Grand is reinventing Little Italy by sourcing local produce and hand rolling all of their pastas in-house.
Da Nico: 164 Mulberry St.
Try designing your own perfect pizza at this classic comfort food joint. They also have a back garden dining option.
See also: 20 Best Restaurants In Little Italy That Aren’t Tourist Traps
featured image source: Instagram / @212sid