Our first trip to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. Any reccos? (Updated)

That’s the thing about living in such a culturally diverse part of the country, can you ever see it all? Consider the Bronx somewhere that I avoided for the first 50 years of my life. Now I want to shop it, eat it and feel it. What say you?

Mike,

Three words: ZERO OTTO NOVE! The Ave & 184th St. You will remember the pizza for months to come!

Have fun.

Thanks!

I find it easy enough to believe - since I’ve never heard of Arthur Avenue.

I think I got lost near there once, so I’ve definitely heard of it. I was coming from a pizza place just outside the Bron-nx, in Mount Vernon. I was trying to get back to the GW Bridge…it didn’t seem like a special street or anything…that would make life incomplete without.

Johnny’s in Mt. Vernon Google Maps is highly reputed, but I’ve never been motivated to return in the intervening 3 years. (Of course, I’m not a big DiFara fan either.) I think Arthur Ave goes right into Mt. Vernon; otherwise, I’m not sure why I was on it.

Seeing that John Tomasso grew up there, I don’t think this thread would be complete without his comments.

Mike; Start at Casa della Mozzarella for fresh cheese…the market for a sandwich at Mike’s Deli…Peter’s and Biancardi’s for meat…Randazzo’s for seafood…Gino’s and Delillo’s for cookies and cannoli’s…
Addeo and Madonia Brothers for bread and bread sticks…Calabria for pork products…Mount Carmel Wine for a great Italian selection.

For “regular” street pizza, there is Full Moon Pizzeria and for more “Italian designer” pizzas try Zero, Otto Nove. For a real sit down meal try Roberto’s.

You’ll have a blast! If you have time and are interested, the Bronx Botanical Gardens is very close by.
FWIW, my favorites are in larger type.

Let me know about other things that might interest you.

Cheers!
Marshall

Roberto’s at Crescent (just off of the corner of Arthur Avenue) is one that I consider one of the best Italian restaurant in NYC. Tough availability, with usually very long wait, but definitely worth the try if you’re in the neighborhood.

Dominick’s for some great red sauce lunch along Arthur Avenue. Fun communal tables. Just go with whatever is the special for the day.

Mike’s Deli, of course, for some fresh-made sandwiches.

Listen to Marshalls’ recco’s, all of those places are top notch! I love going to Arthur Ave, need to get back there soon.

Wow, great recco’s. Thanks all!

You can think of it as the “Little Italy” of the Bronx. It is famous in the NYC area for its Italian food and atmosphere.

If you want to see a few photos, go here:

http://www.finewinegeek.com/social/

scroll down to “The Mets’ Last Game at Yankee Stadium, 6/27/2008.” Click on “Set 4: The Bronx after the game: From the Stadium to Arthur Avenue for dinner (43 photos).”

Pix 20-42 are in and around Arthur Avenue. You will need Flash to view these.

Add to Ken’s description: it’s the “real Little Italy” of NYC. No cheesy stalls selling “Parking for Italian-Americans Only” signs or Soprano lithographs; no Croatian (love you Leo) maitre d’s sporting thick “Italian” accents hawking crappy bowls of pasta marinara; no tourists from Omaha drinking $12 glasses of Riunite Lambrusco.

You can actually get awesome burratta at Casa della Mozarella.

I accept the friendly amendment from my esteemed colleague.

Ken, just saw Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings here two weeks ago…at a big arts festival on Broad St…never really knew anything about her…quite a show.

Though, I can’t tell from your pix, Arthur Ave must still be pretty much Italian? The Italian Market in S. Philadelphia is no longer very Italian, though the newer restaurants are more and more Italian-oriented. But, the other places, produce, etc…are very diverse. Arthur seems more preserved?

Mike,

Just walking the 2 - 3 blocks of Arthur Ave is fun. I remember my daughter, when she was young, loved the novelty of seeing dead hanging goats, freshly killed, hanging in the butchers window.
There’s an indoor market on the block that has several places to eat (low end take-away), buy meat, fruit, veggies, and fresh, hand rolled cigars. On 187th street, there are several bakeries that will complete your meal. There’s a fancy (for 187th street) wine store to check out.

I’m up for lunch when it stops raining.

Thanks, Ken.

As a previous post said Roberto’s is my favorite but be prepared to wait, pretty interesting wine list also but no ‘bring your own’ allowed and Dominick’s for a communal fun good food place no menus or written bill! More rustic than Roberto’s.

Aurthur Avenue is a hoot! Anyone wanting to see it should rent the movie “A Bronx’s Tale”.(actually filmed in Brooklyn but supposed to be Aurthur Avenue) I always shop in Titel Bros.I enjoy the jewish star in the cement pavement.There are Italian Jews. Witness the ghetto in Rome.

Love this post…like anyone who wants to get a good idea of what Harvard’s like from “Social Network” can get a good idea, although it was filmed at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore.

Marshall hit the good ones, but visit Randazzo’s Fish Store - and they have a raw bar set up outside, too.
I like Zero Otto Nove.
Also, on 187th st (which intersects w Arthur) you can buy excellent fresh pasta at Borgatti’s.
And there’s a pastry shop on Arthur I go to all the time, for cookies, pastry and espresso - Morrone’s.