NYC Real Italian

When out-of-towners come to New York, they are invariably looking to find real Italian restaurants and shop in some traditional food markets. They immediately set their sights on a trip to downtown Manhattan’s Little Italy.

When they get there, they should quickly realize they have been transported into a parody of a traditional Italian area, with few 1st and 2nd generation restaurants and markets still remaining in the area. Most of the remaining restaurants are “gussied up” establishments, charging high prices for mediocre (or worse) food. Some of the traditional cafes and restaurants are not even Italian owned anymore. A couple of stalwarts markets still remain, e.g. Di Palo Fine Food and Allegra Dairy for terrific Italian meats and cheeses on Grand Street, but there’s no restaurant that would make me want to take a trip to Little Italy. If you put a gun to my head, I’d probably head to either La Mela (fun atmosphere, no menu’s they just bring the food and wine) or Benito’s or Angelo’s restaurants but there is much better Italian food to be had around New York.

If you want some excellent Italian markets and restaurants, you’ll need to take a trip uptown to Bronx’s Arthur Avenue. And, this is actually an excellent day trip which can provide a fun and satisfying day for the entire family. So here’s a potential itinerary for a day trip to the northern edges of the Bronx.

Head to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx.

Start by taking a walk around the neighborhood to visit the local food stores. (Note: some of you may prefer to visit the markets after lunch!) You can find excellent bread (including great olive stuffed breads) at Addeo Bakery or Madonia Brothers, fresh mozzarella and other deli cheeses and meats at Teitel Brothers, http://www.teitelbros.com/index.asp, or Mike’s Deli (in the Arthur Avenue Market http://www.arthuravenue.com/Dispatch.jsp?screen=index), pork products at Calabria, fresh pasta at Borgatti Ravoli, http://borgattis.com/ravioli/index.php , and great homemade cannoli’s at De Lillo’s. Of course there are many other butchers, deli’s, and fish markets to check out as well. And, most of these markets are still 2^nd generation, and are making their products the old fashioned way (guess in today’s vernacular these would be called “artisanal” foods.)

After visiting the neighborhood, stop for lunch at either Enzo’s or Roberto’s, for some excellent Italian fare. Enzo’s actually has two restaurants, the original on Williamsburg Road in the Bronx, and a newer restaurant on Arthur Avenue. The menu is fairly traditional, although Enzo’s preparations seem a bit lighter and more refined than most Italian restaurants. The pasta’s can all be served family style as an appetizer or main course, with some excellent chicken, seafood, and veal dishes to choose from. We had some excellent fried calamari with a Fra Diavolo sauce, and a veal scallopini with sauteed cherry peppers, onions and portobello mushrooms in a white wine sauce that I’m still tasting.

To me, Roberto’s, http://www.usmenuguide.com/Robertos.htm, is the best Italian food in and around Manhattan. The broad menu offers exciting food choices for everyone, while Roberto’s daily specials are almost always too inviting to pass up. Roberto’s pastas are superb, with creative sauces that will have you ooohing and aaahing. Last time my wife and I went for lunch with shared an antipasto plate with meats and cheeses, one of the daily pasta specials, and an asparagus salad. We were then ready to explore some of the other Bronx attractions that are within a couple of miles of Arthur Avenue.

On this particular day, we headed off to the Bronx Botanical Gardens. They are New York’s largest public gardens spanning 250 acres. There are always special exhibits going on; twenty- One of Henry Moore sculptures are now featured throughout the grounds until November 2nd. There’s also a fabulous Rose Garden, a Children’s Garden and the always fascinating Conservatory. The gardens change throughout the season and are fun to visit at different times of the year. Plan on at least 2 to 3 hours to explore, and you may want to take advantage of the trams to save your feet.

As an alternative, the Bronx Zoo is one of the world’s best with a great deal to see and do. It’s also a huge place, spanning 265 acres, and offers the opportunity to see your favorite animals in a fairly natural setting (at least it seems so to me vs. other zoo’s I’ve been to.) While my personal favorites are the penguins, you can find your favorite lions, tigers, birds & butterflies, snakes, and bears. They also have a great children’s zoo, a monorail system… It’s a huge place, so don’t expect to see the whole zoo in one shot.

Of course, a visit to either the Zoo or the Botanical Gardens will give you a chance to work off lunch and get ready to enjoy your Arthur Avenue purchases for dinner!