In the heart of Little Italy stands fourth-generation Alleva, one of the city's original cheese shops and a deli famed for its mozzarella.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby SoHo & Chinatown attractions

1. Italian American Museum

0.01 MILES

This humble museum offers a random mishmash of historical objects documenting early Italian life in NYC, from Sicilian marionettes to old Italian comics…

2. Mulberry Street

0.04 MILES

Named for the mulberry farms that once stood here, Mulberry St is now better known as the meat in Little Italy's sauce. It's an animated strip, packed…

3. Little Italy

0.06 MILES

This once-strong Italian neighborhood (film director Martin Scorsese grew up on Elizabeth St) saw an exodus in the mid-20th century when many of its…

4. Museum of Chinese in America

0.09 MILES

In this space designed by architect Maya Lin (designer of the famed Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC) is a multifaceted museum whose engaging permanent…

5. Mahayana Temple

0.24 MILES

Mahayana is the biggest Buddhist temple in Chinatown and its magnificent 16ft-high Buddha statue – sitting on a lotus and edged with offerings of fresh…

6. Eastern States Buddhist Temple

0.24 MILES

This storefront temple smack in the middle of Chinatown's bustle is a quiet little refuge lined with hundreds of Buddhas. You can buy a souvenir or…

7. Ravenite Social Club

0.27 MILES

Now a designer shoe store, this was once the Ravenite Social Club, an infamous mobster hangout. It was right here that big hitters such as John Gotti (as…

8. Artists Space

0.28 MILES

One of the first alternative spaces in New York, Artists Space made its debut in 1972 with a mission to support contemporary artists working in the visual…