While their respective sights and sounds generally distinguish other neighborhoods in Manhattan from each other, Little Italy and Chinatown are probably better known for their tastes and smells. Each portion of these intermingling areas is rich in culinary tradition that has been kept alive since the days immigrants first brought them to our shores.
Although much smaller now than it was at its peak some decades ago, the core of Little Italy is still relatively easy to spot. Simply head north from Canal Street on Mulberry and you'll find a plethora of Italian restaurants and dessert shops, each more mouth-watering than the last. Ferrara's on Grand Street is famous both here and abroad for their Italian pastries, and an ideal spot to stop for coffee after dinner. Somewhat subdued during the day, this section comes alive at night and especially on weekends, with lines of people out in the street waiting to get in for dinner a common occurrence. The area reaches its manic peak during the week-long San Gennaro festival in mid-September. Thousands of people squeeze into the confines of Mulberry Street for more food, drinks, and entertainment than is probably good for them. If you decide to go, leave your concept of personal space behind.
Within the past five years, the boundaries of Little Italy have grown a little tighter as SoHo has begun spilling into its northern section. The area around Little St. Patrick's Church on Mulberry has seen the greatest effect of this recent influx, and is now occasionally referred to as Nolita (for North of Little Italy). This expansion is but an echo, however, of the shift happening in Little Italy's southern portion.
Because of a strict set of immigration laws near the turn of the century, Chinatown was originally an area of only a few blocks south of Canal Street on the east side of the island. After 1965, when the law was lifted, the Chinese immigrant population grew substantially from its confined space and into both the Lower East Side and Little Italy.
Canal Street during the day is a scene of constant commotion. Many of the local businesses compete fiercely for business, with almost every store displaying their inventory right on the street where it can be seen and purchased by casual strollers. This is an excellent place to pick up a novelty item or find a real bargain on a piece of electronics.
The culinary mainstays are mostly to be found in the narrow, jam-packed streets and alleys south of Canal. Meals here are generally less extravagantly priced than their Little Italy counterparts, but you still shouldn't expect to go away hungry. For those who like to wake up early on weekends, Dim Sum on Sunday morning is an experience not to be missed.
Columbus Park, near the heart of Chinatown, is one of New York's oldest examples of a neighborhood beautification campaign. In the early 19th century the spot was known as the Five Points (for the five streets that intersected there), and was a stronghold of violent Irish gangs. When the gangs were driven out in the latter half of the century, the park was built to improve the area. It is still popular with both the young and elderly of the area.
Despite all of its activity, the district retains its "neighborhood" feel, with generations growing up in apartments that are mere blocks from their childhood homes. It is also a testament to the ideal of New York as melting pot, as fresh waves of immigrants slowly become a part of the larger cultural landscape.
