Little Italy, New York City

Little Italy is nothing like what it used to be. Unfortunately it has been reduced to about 2 blocks and it's lined with mediocre Italian restaurants and souvenier shops -- all selling the same stuff.

The Sorrento and San Gennarro festivals are insanely crowded and the streets are lined with vendors selling zeppoles, sausage & peppers and other street-fair food.

Unique Suggestions: Check out Chinatown, which surrounds Little Italy. You can get authentic Chinese food, shop in asian markets and buy great gifts and souveniers. Chinatown is extremely affordable.

It's a section of downtown that's been disappearing for years under the encroachment of Chinatown.
The restaurants are generally ripoffs, expensive and not authentic. I don't think there are any Italians there.
Another place tourists always want to visit.

Unique Suggestions: Walk two blocks to Chinatown.

Fun Alternatives: Find an Italian restaurant in another part of town--check out Zagat or Michelin for an expensive one or go local.
Queens and Brooklyn are good places to look, pizzerias with heros (subs) are great bets but avoid anything with
the name "Rays".

I find it quite dissapointing to try and enjoy yourself on a terrasse while all those little waiters are calling out to the tourists in order to have them come to the restaurant. Its very low class and doesn't usually encourage people to want to sit outside. Its too bad because the way the area is set up, it could be a much better experience.

And this is a note to the little lady selling firecrackers to all the kids, please change your location, I and many others could not stand hearing your demonstrations every two seconds while trying to enjoy our conversations and meals.

Located in the heart of Little Italy, Ferrara sells delicious Pasticceria.

Unique Suggestions: Weekends are busy in Little Italy, so Ferrara is often packed (specially during summer and San Genari Festival -January). Have a cappuccino or a gelato and keep walking towards Chinatown.

Fun Alternatives: If Ferrara is packed, across the street there are several shops selling italian delights. Mozzarella tastes good, however it tends to be super expensive. There are also fresh pasta shops, if you happen to enjoy cooking get some spinah or ricotta ravioli.