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Wayan’s dark wood dining room is filled with people, plus a tropical plant in the foreground
Wayan continues to draw a crowd.
Gary He/Eater NY

14 Standout Spots in Nolita

Restaurants dishing up Thai, Indonesian, and Japanese Italian flavors anchor this diminutive neighborhood

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Wayan continues to draw a crowd.
| Gary He/Eater NY

Wedged between Soho’s retail stretches and tourist-clogged Little Italy lies Nolita. Home to dozens of quaint restaurants and equally twee boutiques, there are an impressive array of worthy meals to be found here, mostly in charming digs housed in former tenement building storefronts.

The neighborhood seems to have weathered the pandemic well, with old-school places like Emilio’s Ballato sidling up to newcomer Torrisi around the corner, or Lovely Day for Thai not far from Indonesian go-to Wayan. Check out these 14 standout spots below, wedged into the pint-sized neighborhood.

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The compact restaurant from partners chef Ignacio Mattos and beverage director Thomas Carter has gained plenty of accolades since it opened in 2013 in a living room-like space with a bar perfect for second dates up front. The small plates Mediterranean menu includes lots of innovative, umami-packed creations, like beef tartare with sunchoke and delicate ricotta dumplings.

An overhead photograph of bread covered in mussels and herbs.
Estela’s mussels escabeche toast.
Tuukka Koski/Estela

Emilio's Ballato

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This thoroughly old-school Italian joint has been a celebrity fixture for years, feeding the likes of Rihanna, as well as Barack and Malia Obama. The vibe and owner chef Emilio Vitolo’s personality are big draws, though the menu includes solid versions of classic, hearty pastas like tagliatelle Bolognese. 

Torrisi Bar & Restaurant

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Torrisi first opened in 2010 as a sandwich shop by day and a prix-fixe restaurant at night before closing in 2015. In its comeback, now in the Puck Building, the menu has an Italian throughline, referencing the first restaurant from Rich Torrisi and Mario Carbone, but also has nods to Vietnamese, Chinese, Jewish, and Jamaican dishes.

Ham and other small plates on a table.
A collection of starters from Torrisi.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Tacombi

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Known for slinging out tacos with barbacoa, crispy fish, and carnitas, Tacombi started out of a Volkswagen trailer in the Yucatán Peninsula in 2006. Tacombi touched down in Nolita in 2010, and the decade since has seen a steady expansion for the chain, which is now backed by Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer and has outposts in Williamsburg, the Upper West Side, and beyond.

A high-ceilinged dining with white walls is emblazoned with the words “cervecería y taqueria.”
Tacombi now has locations across the country.
Eater NY

The Musket Room

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The Michelin-starred restaurant from chef Mary Attea offers a la carte fare and a tasting menu that starts at $125 (regular or vegetarian). Don’t miss the order-ahead cakes and sweets from pastry chef Camari Mick.

Raf’s chefs: Mary Attea, on savory, Camari Mick on sweets.
Mary Attea (left), on savory, Camari Mick on sweets.
Scott Semler/Eater NY

Cafe Gitane

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This pint-sized French- and Moroccan-influenced bistro lures in crowds at brunch, but it’s a solid bet — and pretty affordable for the area — for dinner as well. In addition to its beloved avocado toast, Café Gitane’s menu includes a merguez sausage and baked egg sandwich, smoked trout salad, and Moroccan couscous.

Wan Wan

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The hitmaking group behind Kimika and Wayla have added Wan Wan, a stylish Thai and Chinese restaurant, to the fold. Bangkok-born chef Tom Naumsuwan has put together a menu of regional Thai dishes — including moo tod nam pla (fried pork belly glazed in fish sauce) and yum hoi (crispy scallop tempura).

A bowl of noodles and seafood with a lime wedge on the side.
Wan Wan comes from the team behind Manhattan restaurants Wayla and Kimika.
Andrew Bui/Wan Wan

Lovely Day

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The cash or Amex-only restaurant offers reasonably priced Thai dishes like chicken satay, coconut curry noodles, pineapple fried rice, and pad Thai, each for under $20. (There’s an ATM in the restaurant, should you need it.) There’s also a handful of non-Thai dishes on the menu like flank steak and a big salad.

Peasant

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The space owned by Marc Forgione is absolutely stunning with the back kitchen built by hand in what had long ago been a garage. In particular, the hearth stands out, and shapes a menu for which everything is cooked over fire: chicken, bread, and even oysters. One of the dishes on the menu is an entire suckling pig entree that must be ordered 24 hours before the reservation.

A brick-lined oven with pigs on a spit roast.
The hearth at Peasant.
Michael Condran/Peasant

The Vongerichtens, Ochi, a Jakarta native involved in everything from menu development to tableware, and her chef husband Cédric run a top-notch addition to the contemporary Southeast Asian scene at their Indonesian restaurant, balancing flavors with aplomb. The name means first-born, with the smaller sibling, Ma-Dé, now open two doors down.

Lobster noodles at Wayan get pulled up from a white bowl.
The lobster noodles at Wayan.
Gary He/Eater NY

La Esquina

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Count on tacos with fillings like sliced rib eye, grilled mahi mahi, and seared cauliflower, plus dishes like quesadillas, tortilla soup, and grilled corn, from these compact corner taqueria digs. In the downstairs brasserie space, there’s an expanded menu — queso fundido, a shrimp BLT, various ceviches and tostadas, and more — along with a full bar in the brick-walled space, accented with colorful mismatched chairs, lots of candles, and antiques.

A battered restaurants, La Esquina, is photographed on a street corner.
La Esquina stays open late.
La Equina

Mother's Ruin

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A cozy, unpretentious cocktail bar that’s a reliable choice for drinks and light snacking. In the warmer months, the frequently rotating frozen spiked slushy creations are a hit, along with well-made cocktails. Food options include shareable dishes like pimento cheese dip, spicy fried chickpeas, and Thai pork sliders. Bigger dishes are also available, like a cheese-spackled French onion soup grilled cheese and Frito pie.

Thai Diner

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Matt Danzer and Ann Redding, the owners of the now-closed restaurant Uncle Boons, opened this all-day spot with a collection of Thai American dishes that still manage to fall under the rubric of comfort fare, like a Southeast Asian take on Ukrainian stuffed cabbage and an eggy breakfast sandwich made with Isan sausage.

Stuffed cabbage from a Thai restaurant on a plate.
The stuffed cabbage at Thai Diner.
Gary He/Eater NY

Kimika has been a prominent champion of itameshi cuisine, a Japanese spin on Italian cooking, since it opened on Kenmare Street in 2020. The menu ranges from crispy panko-crusted eggplant katsu to bomboloncini, a playful mash-up of fried Italian doughnuts and mochi that’s served with hazelnut spread and toasted sesame.

Soy butter bigoli in a bowl.
Soy butter bigoli at Kimika.
Evan Sung/Kimika

Estela

The compact restaurant from partners chef Ignacio Mattos and beverage director Thomas Carter has gained plenty of accolades since it opened in 2013 in a living room-like space with a bar perfect for second dates up front. The small plates Mediterranean menu includes lots of innovative, umami-packed creations, like beef tartare with sunchoke and delicate ricotta dumplings.

An overhead photograph of bread covered in mussels and herbs.
Estela’s mussels escabeche toast.
Tuukka Koski/Estela

Emilio's Ballato

This thoroughly old-school Italian joint has been a celebrity fixture for years, feeding the likes of Rihanna, as well as Barack and Malia Obama. The vibe and owner chef Emilio Vitolo’s personality are big draws, though the menu includes solid versions of classic, hearty pastas like tagliatelle Bolognese. 

Torrisi Bar & Restaurant

Torrisi first opened in 2010 as a sandwich shop by day and a prix-fixe restaurant at night before closing in 2015. In its comeback, now in the Puck Building, the menu has an Italian throughline, referencing the first restaurant from Rich Torrisi and Mario Carbone, but also has nods to Vietnamese, Chinese, Jewish, and Jamaican dishes.

Ham and other small plates on a table.
A collection of starters from Torrisi.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Tacombi

Known for slinging out tacos with barbacoa, crispy fish, and carnitas, Tacombi started out of a Volkswagen trailer in the Yucatán Peninsula in 2006. Tacombi touched down in Nolita in 2010, and the decade since has seen a steady expansion for the chain, which is now backed by Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer and has outposts in Williamsburg, the Upper West Side, and beyond.

A high-ceilinged dining with white walls is emblazoned with the words “cervecería y taqueria.”
Tacombi now has locations across the country.
Eater NY

The Musket Room

The Michelin-starred restaurant from chef Mary Attea offers a la carte fare and a tasting menu that starts at $125 (regular or vegetarian). Don’t miss the order-ahead cakes and sweets from pastry chef Camari Mick.

Raf’s chefs: Mary Attea, on savory, Camari Mick on sweets.
Mary Attea (left), on savory, Camari Mick on sweets.
Scott Semler/Eater NY

Cafe Gitane

This pint-sized French- and Moroccan-influenced bistro lures in crowds at brunch, but it’s a solid bet — and pretty affordable for the area — for dinner as well. In addition to its beloved avocado toast, Café Gitane’s menu includes a merguez sausage and baked egg sandwich, smoked trout salad, and Moroccan couscous.

Wan Wan

The hitmaking group behind Kimika and Wayla have added Wan Wan, a stylish Thai and Chinese restaurant, to the fold. Bangkok-born chef Tom Naumsuwan has put together a menu of regional Thai dishes — including moo tod nam pla (fried pork belly glazed in fish sauce) and yum hoi (crispy scallop tempura).

A bowl of noodles and seafood with a lime wedge on the side.
Wan Wan comes from the team behind Manhattan restaurants Wayla and Kimika.
Andrew Bui/Wan Wan

Lovely Day

The cash or Amex-only restaurant offers reasonably priced Thai dishes like chicken satay, coconut curry noodles, pineapple fried rice, and pad Thai, each for under $20. (There’s an ATM in the restaurant, should you need it.) There’s also a handful of non-Thai dishes on the menu like flank steak and a big salad.

Peasant

The space owned by Marc Forgione is absolutely stunning with the back kitchen built by hand in what had long ago been a garage. In particular, the hearth stands out, and shapes a menu for which everything is cooked over fire: chicken, bread, and even oysters. One of the dishes on the menu is an entire suckling pig entree that must be ordered 24 hours before the reservation.

A brick-lined oven with pigs on a spit roast.
The hearth at Peasant.
Michael Condran/Peasant

Wayan

The Vongerichtens, Ochi, a Jakarta native involved in everything from menu development to tableware, and her chef husband Cédric run a top-notch addition to the contemporary Southeast Asian scene at their Indonesian restaurant, balancing flavors with aplomb. The name means first-born, with the smaller sibling, Ma-Dé, now open two doors down.

Lobster noodles at Wayan get pulled up from a white bowl.
The lobster noodles at Wayan.
Gary He/Eater NY

La Esquina

Count on tacos with fillings like sliced rib eye, grilled mahi mahi, and seared cauliflower, plus dishes like quesadillas, tortilla soup, and grilled corn, from these compact corner taqueria digs. In the downstairs brasserie space, there’s an expanded menu — queso fundido, a shrimp BLT, various ceviches and tostadas, and more — along with a full bar in the brick-walled space, accented with colorful mismatched chairs, lots of candles, and antiques.

A battered restaurants, La Esquina, is photographed on a street corner.
La Esquina stays open late.
La Equina

Mother's Ruin

A cozy, unpretentious cocktail bar that’s a reliable choice for drinks and light snacking. In the warmer months, the frequently rotating frozen spiked slushy creations are a hit, along with well-made cocktails. Food options include shareable dishes like pimento cheese dip, spicy fried chickpeas, and Thai pork sliders. Bigger dishes are also available, like a cheese-spackled French onion soup grilled cheese and Frito pie.

Thai Diner

Matt Danzer and Ann Redding, the owners of the now-closed restaurant Uncle Boons, opened this all-day spot with a collection of Thai American dishes that still manage to fall under the rubric of comfort fare, like a Southeast Asian take on Ukrainian stuffed cabbage and an eggy breakfast sandwich made with Isan sausage.

Stuffed cabbage from a Thai restaurant on a plate.
The stuffed cabbage at Thai Diner.
Gary He/Eater NY

Kimika

Kimika has been a prominent champion of itameshi cuisine, a Japanese spin on Italian cooking, since it opened on Kenmare Street in 2020. The menu ranges from crispy panko-crusted eggplant katsu to bomboloncini, a playful mash-up of fried Italian doughnuts and mochi that’s served with hazelnut spread and toasted sesame.

Soy butter bigoli in a bowl.
Soy butter bigoli at Kimika.
Evan Sung/Kimika

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