Shorthand for "north of Little Italy," NoLIta is a mecca for independent-minded designers, restaurateurs and gallerists who appreciate the small-scale, almost European charm of the narrow streets, the lower-than-SoHo rents and the pervading spirit of community and innovation. And there's an added bonus, too: affordability. Whether it's discounted cult indie clothing labels, a tasty burrito with Mexican chorizo or a post-shopping glass of Chasselas at a cozy café, splashing out in NoLIta doesn't have to trigger a bank-balance hangover. This season, visitors can stave off the winter chill by savoring a cup of award-winning coffee, taking in a reading (with a croissant) at a neighborhood bookstore or ducking into a multidenominational holiday concert at an oft-overlooked local icon. Gone are the days captured in Martin Scorsese's 1973 movie Mean Streets—today NoLIta is more likely to attract the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker's kittenish Carrie Bradshaw than Robert De Niro's tough-guy Johnny Boy.

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