Cast-iron storefronts, daytime brunch lines and a handful of the city's better pastry counters tucked between the boutiques.
Ignacio Mattos's Houston Street Nolita room in New York City runs Mediterranean-leaning small plates. The burrata with salsa verde has been on the menu since 2013.
Signature: Burrata with charred bread, Beef tartare with sunchoke
Order: Burrata with charred bread, beef tartare, ricotta dumplings.
Tip: The counter is first-come; bar tables take walk-ins. Wine list is unusually long for a 60-seat room.
Black Seed in Nolita bakes Montreal-style honey-water bagels in a wood oven in New York City. Smaller, sweeter, denser than the New York standard, with house-cured lox.
Tip: Mobile order is the fastest line. The beet-cured lox sandwich is the cross-style order to share.
Worth the queue: Beet-cured lox sandwich
Eileen Avezzano has baked mini cheesecakes on Cleveland Place in Nolita, New York City since 1975. Single-portion glass-display counter, 25 flavours rotating weekly.
Tip: The plain or strawberry are the originals. The Oreo and the salted caramel are the indulgent picks; share two.
Worth the queue: Strawberry mini cheesecake
Prince Street Pizza in Nolita has sold the cult $6 spicy spring square slice in New York City since 2012. Sicilian crust, cup-and-char pepperoni, hot honey on the side.
Try: Spicy pepperoni square slice
Tip: Lines at 13:00 weekends run 45 minutes. Off-hours at 15:00 to 17:00 are the easy walk-up; the slice still holds heat.