10 Spots in Nolita That Make It the Best Neighborhood in New York City

If New York is the city of dreams [1], then Nolita is the fairy tale inside it. It's such an inspiring part of NYC that even Vanessa Carlton actually wrote a song, "Nolita Fairytale," about it. This tiny neighborhood in lower Manhattan lies right between SoHo, Little Italy, the Lower East Side, and Chinatown. Once a part of Little Italy, Nolita ("North of Little Italy") broke away after trying to adapt some of the characteristics of its SoHo neighbors.

It's a chic, foodie-indulgent hot spot that has gained in notoriety recently with its influx of millennial-friendly places to eat and photograph. The street art changes weekly, a new pink-inspired restaurant seems to open every couple of months, and with a vibe even enticing enough to inspire David Bowie to live there before he passed, it's not an area to miss. These are 10 places in Nolita that you don't want to miss.

The Butcher's Daughter

This vegetarian and vegan eatery is literal brunch goals. With healthy options, a huge and diverse menu, and an ambience fit for someone who enjoys clean eating, it's a great place for any meal. The lighting is bright, and you can either sit in or outdoors.

Cha Cha Matcha

Matcha is all the rage now, and Cha Cha Matcha serves up a delicious cup of the green tea mixture. This pink-and-green-themed shop is a perfect place to stop in for either an iced or hot matcha latte and is a cute place to hang out with friends as you sip your brew.

Milk & Cream Cereal Bar

Cereal-infused ice cream? Yes, it's real, and it's amazing. This little shop lures you in with a turquoise and white front, a treat yo' self neon sign, and the promise to blend your favorite cereal into your ice cream. And obviously it's delicious and some of the best ice cream I've ever tried. It even has a little treat yo' self spot on the wall outside so you can take a photo of your cone with the phrase.

Street Art Galore

Are there any better backgrounds for an impromptu photo shoot than rainbow hearts covering a wall? Doubtful. While the designs have changed over time, there are lots of spots throughout Nolita with gorgeous hearts, entire wall murals, and graffiti to use as a backdrop for all the Boomerangs.

Sel Rrose

I don't even care what's inside here because the outside is so perfectly pretty in pink. This little restaurant's blush-colored doors and delicate font are unique and insanely gorgeous. While I haven't been inside yet, I have seen many a fashion blogger use this facade as a prop in their outfit of the day photo shoots.

Pietro Nolita

Millennial pink has struck again, and this time in every single aspect of this Italian eatery in Nolita. The outside is pink, the interiors are pink, the cups are pink, even the bathroom is pink. This place has exploded on Instagram as the pink restaurant in New York City, much like Sketch in London [3] did as it gained popularity. This place is all about the aesthetic.

The Sosta

This casual Italian semi-fast-food spot recently opened, and it's another place where pink is the dominant color. Its eggs benedict is to die for, and it doesn't hurt that it has a huge neon sign with "Let's eat" in Italian on the wall.

Love Walls

JGoldcrown has left his #lovewall mark all over the world, but there are lots of traces of his work around Nolita. From love walls to this "Love is Love" door, this simple design evokes good feelings and lovely thoughts. It doesn't hurt that it makes a great Instagram shot as well.

New Museum

For art-lovers, the New Museum is right on the edge of the neighborhood. It famously held Pipilotti Rist's Pixel Forest exhibit in 2016, but even though it's moved on, there are still many floors of modern art to explore and enjoy. The women's bathroom is also a masterpiece in itself with a pixelated floral design.

Nomo SoHo

OK, so technically this is in SoHo, but it's only within a block or so of the official outlines of Nolita, so it counts in my book. This gorgeous hotel has a walkway with a ivy-wrapped arbor and bright, twinkling lights across. While it is a place to stay, there's also a restaurant inside that is open to all.

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