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Little Italy

Here’s how to find the Bronx’s Little Italy: travel to Arthur Avenue and 187th Street in the Belmont neighborhood and follow the scent of fresh-baked bread, wood-fired pizza and just-ground espresso. This epicurean bazaar initially started as an informal marketplace where the local Italian community sold its wares and edibles from street pushcarts, and the area is now a beacon of culinary adventuring for those interested in savoring bona fide Italian cuisine. Longstanding old-world traditions are on display all throughout the neighborhood: the Arthur Avenue Retail Market opened in 1940 as an homage to the food halls of the home country, and it continues to feature prepared delicacies and authentic Italian items (a gargantuan sandwich at Mike’s Deli is de rigeur). Both Arthur Avenue and the surrounding streets are rich with bakeries, cafes, groceries, restaurants and retail shops that cater to the tightly knit local community as well as international travelers on the hunt for an age-old New York City experience.