12 Best Restaurants in NoLIta, New York City

Long before Mr. and Mrs. Obama ate dinner here in 2014, this second-floor spot with minimalist decor had been on the map for those who appreciate chef Ignacio Mattos's deceptively simple cuisine and it still receives consistent acclaim as being one of the best restaurants in Manhattan. The chef's creativity tends to sneak up on the diner in dishes where rye matzo bread might be used under mashed salt cod or sunchoke chips might be folded into sumptuous beef tartare.

Locals have shown an insatiable appetite for this bustling but sophisticated Italian American eatery serving high-quality, classic Italian dishes. You can't really go wrong, so share an order of pasta alongside a Staten Island–style thin-crust pizza and maybe a fork-tender chicken Milanese.

New York is known for bagels, which tend to be doughy and delicious, but the Montreal-style bagels served here have a denser, sweeter dough, with “toppings” (sesame, poppy seed, salt, everything) that are more generous than on Big Apple versions. The all-day menu includes sandwiches with cream cheese, smoked salmon, whitefish salad, or baked eggs, with additional lunch choices like a BLT, roast beef with horseradish cream cheese, and a tuna melt.

The Mexican-style grilled corn, liberally sprinkled with chili powder, lime, and cotija cheese, is undoubtedly worth getting your hands dirty at this hip luncheonette that's become something of an institution on this well-traveled corner of NoLIta. Follow up with a classic Cuban sandwich (roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and chipotle mayo), fish tacos, or one of the innovative salads.

The centerpiece of the large, skylighted back room is a wood-fired oven that turns out crisp, thin-crust pizzas topped with quality ingredients like prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella. Try to save some of your carb allowance, though, for homemade pastas like garganelli with pork sausage and house ragù.

The combination of Japanese and Italian cuisines may not be common, but it's definitely a match made in culinary heaven at this buzzy spot on the ground floor of the Nolitan hotel. Expect flavor and texture profiles that mix spicy, briny, and creamy in ways that will dazzle your tastebuds, as in a soy butter pasta that's something like a spaghetti carbonara and a delicately fried eggplant katsu accompanied by caponata.

Anchoring a downtown corner under a bright neon sign, La Esquina looks like just a fast-food taqueria, with cheap tacos, but it's actually three superb south-of-the-border spots in one, including a trendy basement restaurant with a party atmosphere. The basement functions like a Mexican speakeasy, accessible (by reservation only) through an unmarked door just inside the ground-floor taqueria.

Brick walls, red-and-white-checked tablecloths, and the aroma of delicious thin-crust pies emerging from the coal oven set the mood for dining on some of the best pizza in Manhattan, and Lombardi's has been serving it up since 1905 (though not in the same location). The mozzarella is always fresh, resulting in a nearly greaseless slice, and the toppings, such as meatballs, pancetta, or imported anchovies, are also top quality.

Just north of the mediocre restaurants of Little Italy but miles away in terms of quality, Pasquale Jones serves crispy pizza, al dente pasta, and inventive takes on Italian dishes from the wood-fired oven. A meal in this chic, minimalist restaurant isn't cheap, but if you're looking for a meal you'll remember in a chic-but-casual space, this is the real deal.

Follow the line of people that often wends down the block to find this tiny counter-serve spot that serves some of the best pizza in downtown NY. Grandma slices (the square ones) are the thing to order here, and the pizza with 'roni cups (those little rounds of pepperoni) is what made this place IG-famous, but our favorite is the square margherita slice, which really showcases that delicious homemade tomato sauce.

The kitschy decor, colorful diner-esque menu, and trendy patrons will quickly cue you into the fact that this is no ordinary Thai restaurant: the food is slightly off-kilter, in a good way, and the vibe is playful. The food is a combination of creative interpretations of Thai dishes and American diner classics, with an emphasis on fried chicken.

Subterranean and almost hidden, the Smile turns frowns upside down if you're into lounging among a fashion-conscious clientele in a cozy, brick-walled space. The brunch and lunch menu leans to comfort foods like waffles, egg sandwiches, and avocado toasts, while dinner options, like whole trout, brisket, hanger steak, or roasted chicken, are more ambitious.