Arthur Avenue Bronx: The Real Little Italy of New York

Did you know the real Little Italy of New York is in Belmont, a neighborhood in the Bronx?

It's true that until a few decades ago the heart of the Italian community in New York was Manhattan's Little Italy, but as the city grew and Chinatown expanded, its residents moved to other neighborhoods like Belmont.

So if you want an authentic Italian-American New York experience, head to the Bronx's Little Italy.

What to see in the Bronx's Little Italy

Belmont, in the center of the Bronx, is one of the neighborhoods that absorbed those waves of Italian descendants. Just walk down Arthur Avenue and you'll see it.

These blocks are packed with pizzerias, trattorias, bakeries, fish markets, and cheese and cured meat shops, all run by Italian speakers or other immigrants who haven't made the slightest effort to learn English.

To give you a sense of how important this area is to the city's food scene, Arthur Ave Baking Co is the bakery that supplies most of New York's high-end restaurants.

This slice of Italy in the Bronx is a world of its own, far more authentic and cheaper than Manhattan's old Italian quarter.

Where to eat in Belmont

For many locals, Roberto's (632 E 186th Street at Belmont Ave) serves the best Italian food in the city. They don't take reservations, so be ready to wait in a long line for a table.

Movie buffs, take note: Mario's (2342 Arthur Ave) is supposedly where the scene from The Godfather takes place, the one where Al Pacino grabs a gun hidden in the bathroom and comes out shooting inside the family's restaurant.

Another good move is visiting the Arthur Avenue Retail Market (2344 Arthur Avenue), where you'll find vegetables, fresh ingredients, and products imported straight from Italy. There aren't many markets like this left in the city.

There are also spots like Joe's Italian Deli (685 E 187th Street) where you can grab a sandwich loaded with wonderful Italian ingredients and eat it right there. Gourmet fast food!

Attractions near the Bronx's Little Italy

When you visit Belmont, take the chance to see the gorgeous New York Botanical Garden, a fifteen-minute walk from Arthur Avenue.

If you're traveling with kids, you'll love the Bronx Zoo, one of the largest in the world, also just a few blocks from the center of the Bronx's Little Italy. One thing though: if you plan to go, buy your Bronx Zoo tickets online, they don't sell them at the gate.

Is the Bronx's Italian neighborhood safe?

It's true that some parts of the Bronx can be unsafe for visitors, but Belmont is a quiet residential neighborhood, and it's full of young people thanks to its proximity to Fordham University, the Jesuit school whose campus is also worth a visit, especially the church, which looks like it came straight out of a Harry Potter book.

To reach the heart of Belmont, you'll have to walk about 20 minutes from the nearest subway station, through a few blocks where a lot of Latino families live (everyone there speaks Spanish). There's no subway stop nearby.

Along the way you'll come across a couple of stairways like the Joker stairs.

Once you get to the neighborhood, you'll find dozens of very posh New Yorkers and restaurant owners buying ingredients for their Italian dishes.

During the day, visit Belmont with confidence 🙂

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Address
Arthur Avenue and Belmont. Bronx

Getting there
B and D lines. Fordham Rd station

(Read how to plan your subway trip)

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