Little Italy on Mulberry Street extends as far south as Canal Street, as far north as Kenmare St, as far west as Lafayette and as far east as Bowery. The area borders Chinatown, Bowery, NoLita, and SoHo.This neighborhood was once known for its large population of Italians. Today the neighborhood of Little Italy consists of Italian stores and restaurants.
Little Italy was not the largest Italian neighborhood in New York City, as East Harlem (as Italian Harlem) had a larger Italian population. Bill Tonelli, a historian, said that Little Italy “was perhaps the city’s poorest Italian neighborhood”. In 1910 Little Italy had almost 10,000 Italians; that was the peak of the community’s Italian population. At the turn of the 20th century over 90% of the residents of the Fourteenth Ward were of Italian birth or origins.
Tonelli said that it meant “that residents began moving out to more spacious digs almost as soon as they arrived”. Today, Little Italy attracts visitors from all over the world and the city. You’ll still find Italian flags and waiters greeting you in Italian – “Ciao!”