Sunday, January 9, 2011

Arthur Ave - "Little Italy" in the Bronx


As I described in my prior post, which you can read on this link, Arthur Avenue in the Belmont section of the Bronx, the northernmost borough of New York City, has been a "Little Italy" marketplace for many generations. My last post showed many of the seafood stores and restaurants on the avenue, and now I'd like to show a variety of the other stores on Arthur Avenue. (All photos and collages will enlarge if clicked on once and then clicked on again when they open on a new page.)


As I stated in my last post, my husband was born in Calabria, Italy, and I know his region is known for its delicious cured dried pork sausage called sopressata, so I was curious to see what types would be for sale in the Calabria Pork Store located at  2338 Arthur Ave.


Momma mia! Sausages of all kinds by the hundreds, maybe thousands, were hanging from the ceiling!  Countless cured sopprassata and capicollo dangled tauntingly over my head. The aroma was sweet and pungent and oh, so tempting!


The Calabria Pork Store also sells many varieties of fresh sausage and pancetta, which is an Italian bacon, plus they are  a full-service deli, with roasted peppers and olives, fresh cheeses, seafood salads and dried pastas for sale.


All the meat markets along the avenue are also outstanding as far as their variety and selection of prime cuts of meats.


I am not used to seeing almost whole butchered animals hanging in the windows of a butcher shop, and I have to admit the sight was a little disconcerting and enough to make me rush by them.


The bakeries were a much more welcoming sight!


I really enjoyed looking at the goods the Teitel Brothers sold.  Located at 2372 Arthur Avenue, they are importers of specialty Italian foods, oils and cheeses.


Their selection of authentic Italian products would excite any foodie and I found their prices quite reasonable. The next time I return I will bring a long shopping list with me.  


There are not only food stores available on Arthur Ave. Above and below are photo mosaics of other Italian imports that are available in many different specialty stores. Beautiful christening gowns and suits, glassware, espresso coffee sets, statues, appliances, decorative items, etc., are for sale.


In the heart of this Little Italy is the Arthur Avenue Retail Market located at 2344 Arthur Avenue. It is a large indoor market under one roof which houses more than a dozen vendors. It was opened by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia in the 1940's as an effort to get vendor pushcarts off the crowded streets.


The market is vast, and the center isles are packed with a wonderful selection of fresh fruits and vegetables.


Meanwhile, the perimeter of the indoor market contains stores that have a dizzying array of of every imaginable Italian fresh and imported food products.


Fresh mozzarella and ricotta cheese are made on the premises. There are barrels full of different selections of olives, salted dried capers, and sun dried tomatoes. There are counter full of every kind of prepared foods too -- rice balls, potato croquettes, fish salad, stuffed peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, macaroni salads, etc.


If you can't wait to carry your purchases home you can eat right on the premises. I think I'd sit at the Humphrey Bogart table.


As I was leaving Arthur Avenue, I was clicking away with my camera.  A vendor called out to me and pointed to this apron that he had for sale.  While it does not describe me, I think it summed up my feeling about Arthur Avenue perfectly!


I'm linking tis post to Mary at The Little Red House "Mosaic Monday" event.  Please visit Mary today and see her beautiful photo mosaic and links to all the blogs participating in her event.




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69 comments:

Jojo said...

I would love some of that fresh mozzarella "made daily," right now!

Michelle said...

So many wonderful foods in these pictures. I enjoy your posts about NYC so much.

Elaine said...

Wow, what a variety to choose from. I think my favorites would be the bread shops, aw the smell of it!

Love the vibrancy in your photos. Thanks for the virtual tour!

podso said...

I could see you rushing by the meat, but not that gorgeous bread! What an amazing market!

Claudia said...

MommaMia, indeed! You must have bought one sausage! Grandma lived there and had most of her children there. And then she bought the home in Queens - where my mother grew up.

I have dreams of Arthur Avenue - many - which is - interesting. And your apron - I have a refrigerator magnet saying the same thing!

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Pat, another fascinating post! I cannot get over all of that sausage hanging in that store! WOW! And the produce and other foods... New York is phenomenal. Loved reading this.

I think you should have gotten that apron, even if you aren't technically Italian but are so by virtue of marriage! Loved it!

XO,

Sheila :-)

Anonymous said...

I would love to be able to shop where all the fresh produce is...fantastic! Then I was wondering if there was a "little Italy" in my area...I'm going to check and see. I'm going to need it when I start doing my recipe a month!

black eyed susans kitchen said...

My mind could smell the stores as I gazed at your pictures...if that made any sense to you. What a wonderful and authentic place to shop. Your pictures are wonderful Pat!
♥, Susan

Ginny Hartzler said...

What an eyeful this post is, I love it! Pork Store, that is a funny name, instead of Butcher Shop or Meat Market.That Pork Store looks very small from the outside, but inside, wow!! It looks HUGE, is that just an illusion from the sausages hanging from the ceiling? I would love to go through the huge market, you are so lucky to live near all this!! Now, when will you show the bakeries?? Yum!

Lora @ my blessed life said...

Wow! Your photos are a feast for the eyes!

Annesphamily said...

Oh my goodness, I am not sure what I would choose! SO many choices and everything so wonderful and fresh! I can just imagine all the different smells lending in the air! Ah...Anne

Sheila said...

You have some great adventures Pat but i agree with you about the meat markets. i think it might be really strange to look up and see all those sausages hanging overhead! We have a wonderful Italian Market in the closest city which is 2 hours away from our farm. I love the produce there as a lot of it comes from the Okanagan Valley where we lived for nine years. Thanks once again for sharing your trip to Arthur Avenue!

Sarah said...

Pat, you take us on the best field trips. I'd love to walk around in this area. Putting this on my list!
Stay warm! ~ Sarah

The Gathering Place said...

I really enjoyed your images of Little Italy. The hanging sausages makes me want to go to the real Italy again! You are lucky to have so much culture at your fingertips!

Pondside said...

Can you imagine how much I enjoy these tours? I swear that I could smell the sausage and the crusty bread. I couldn't wait - had to stop at one of those tables and have a chunk of sausage and big slab of bread!

Ebie said...

Wow! Through the glass windows, the meats look so fresh! It is so huge and has a variety of goods to sell.

Pat, you are the best tourist guide!

Ingmarie We said...

So many different kinds of fresh foods in the shops and such a variety to choose from. Incredible. Have a nice week.

Kris said...

Oh my gosh. Now I am going to have to go have a midnight snack!!!

Catherine said...

What fun. One of the things I miss about the city is the huge farmers markets, the bakeries and real butcher shops. Thanks for sharing.

RNSANE said...

Pat, you do such a fabulous job with all your posts. This visit to Little Italy was enchanting. It's almost like being in Europe. San Francisco has its own Italian section of the city in North Beach, with Italia groceries and the like but nothing can compare with that incredible Arthur Avenue retail market. You really do have, at your fingertips, so many unbelievable places to shop and eat in New York!

Tanna said...

OH, MY GOODNESS! I would dearly love to get to shop in that pork shop! Who knew there was an entire store filled with pork? LOL! I think I could stay in Little Italy!

Gardening in a Sandbox said...

I am feeling overwelmed by all the lovely shops of fresh and prepared products for sale. I just love the tours of New York and districts. Thanks again for a wonderful tour.

La said...

Thank you for taking me along another fabulous outing in your amazing city. I could almost catch a wiff of Calabria's sausages. I didn't think the prices looked too bad at the meat market.

It looks like your area is going to get hit with another snowstorm tomorrow. Stay safe and warm. La

Kat said...

These stores are simply amazing. I could lose my mind (not to mention my budget) in that pork store alone. And the bakeries - yum! I laughed at your comment about seeing the whole butchered animal in the window. When we were first married and living in Philly, my husband took me to the 9th st market - same thing. One minute I'm looking at some lovely veggies, look up and was staring at a whole butchered hog. A bit disconcerting, but the bakery on the corner made me forget all about it :) Thanks for the tour! Kat

Vee said...

Now that apron looks like it has your beloved written on it...as a gag gift and it would be better suited to him than the red number. Ha! Oh the sights and smells... I'd be concerned about the sausages hanging overhead just because dangling things from ceilings torments me. (Yes, I am wearing a grin.) My grandfather-in-law would've been a street vendor peddling fresh fruits and vegetables in that time frame, but in another city entirely. It wasn't all that long ago. Thank you for another fabulous post from NYC.

Flavia Galasso said...

OMG....it's wonderland!!! I've decided..when I will come to New York again..? must go to Arthur Av in Bronx...I have to!!Thanks for sharing this wonderful reportage, hugs, ciao Flavia

Tracy said...

*Tip to self: visiting Pat's blog while hungry will make the stomach growl more!*... LOL! Another fun foodie post... it looks so good. I would love some super-fresh mozzarella...mmm... Somethings almost creepy about all those sausages hanging from the ceiling...LOL! Happy Week, my friend ((HUGS))

Donnie said...

You should be on the Chamber of Commerce to promote the city. Fabulous. Send them a link to your blog please.

Yuè said...

interesting post and pictures. thanks for sharing. now i am hungry lol!

*viel

Carol said...

I love the shot of the sausages overhead! Cool pic! I wouldn't know what to buy first! So many great things to get! I really enjoyed the Arthur Ave posts!

Get ready for tomorrow! Bundle up :) here we go again!

H said...

HOW many sausages?!!! That looks like such a fascinating place. I would love to spend a day exploring!

GailO said...

So which would you choose...Eataly or Arthur Ave?

Unknown said...

My mum is planning a trip to NYC later this year, after reading your blog I think I'm going to have to tag along!

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Oliag -- that is an interesting question to answer!

Eataly is wonderful in that it is a one stop ultra modern Italian import and fresh food emporium and food hall in the chic Gramercy Park neighborhood of Manhattan. It is definitely an experience in and of itself.
Arthur Avenue is wonderful as it is a jumble of authentic neighborhood Italian food and imports institutions in the Bronx, that has served all New Yorkers over many generations.

I'd say the biggest difference between the two is that Eataly has devoted itself to products from every region in Italy, north to south, while Arthur Ave has predominantly concentrated on Southern Italian imports.

If you are a person who has traveled to Italy and saw the areas of Venice, Florence and Rome you might appreciate Eataly's product selection. If you are a person whose ancestors came from Southern Italy --Naples, Calabria, Scicly, Apulia or Bari --you would probably enjoy the selections Arthur Avenue had to offer, just for nostalgia sake.

Truthfully, I enjoyed both and would be happy to shop in either!

Rajesh said...

Wonderful shots of the market. Fantastic variety.

Old Kitty said...

I'd rush past the meat places and straight to Teitel Brothers and Arthur Ave retail Market! I'd never leave!!

Fantastic photos as always Pat!! I could smell the different foods just by looking at your wonderful pics!!

Thanks for sharing!! I think a shopping list is definitely in order! Take care
x

Anonymous said...

O' WOW!...wish I knew about all these wonderful places on my past visits, I would have loved to go and shop here, this is awesome!
The picture of sausage is amazing.
Jo
LazyonLoblolly

My name is Riet said...

Wow beautiful food shops. I can't believe all those sausiges at the ceiling of the shop. Indoor markets are common in Spain too. They look the same in every little village.Imagine a whole little Italian neighbourhood in one big city. Unbelievable. Love your mosaics and everything you show us in them.

nanny said...

Oh to stroll through all of that fresh produce....I am a pushover for it all.....Love It!

Ciao Chow Linda said...

Oh Pat - I really want to get to Arthur Ave. now more than ever. Those sausages in Calabria are so enticing - but the other shops too. I want to take my dad there (who's Calabrian) and make a day of it, with lunch included. You're a fabulous resource and your posts are always so wonderful. I agree that you should be on the Chamber of Commerce - or write a book about NYC.

eileeninmd said...

What a cool place to shop. Your photos and mosaic are just wonderful. They make me wish I was there shopping now. All those sausages are just amazing. I could live on just the cheeses and bread.

Blooming Rose Musings said...

I absolutely love your posts! I can taste the mozzarella and bread now. I have been catching up with blogs because I was down with the flu and missed so much. Love your posts and wonderful photos. You sure know how to give a tour! Thank you a million times!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Oh My Heart.... I would LOVE that place... I'd want to buy and/or EAT everything.. I've never seen so much sausage in one place... AND --those breads and cheeses looks fabulous... Did you take alot of great food home with you????

Thanks for sharing, Pat.
Hugs,
Betsy

Lovella ♥ said...

Pat. . .I was reading this post and had to pass the notebook over to my beloved for him to see the pictures. The sausage store really is quite unbelievable.
I would have been stuck in the bread shop. . .for sure.

From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...

Since I am Italian, these stores are like the mother ship to me. I feel an overwhelming need to go there. I have to go back and read your post again. Best post ever.

Lisa@GrandmasBriefs said...

Oh yeah, I certainly empathize with the desire to race past the windows with the butchered animals. Gah! But the shop with the christening gowns looks like a heavenly spot to stop and enjoy.

Lisa said...

Your post is so very intersting. Love how you put all the photos together.
Love the clear photos too.
Thanks Pat for stopping and your kind words. xo

Vagabonde said...

I’d love to shop there, what a selection! I wonder if the underground goes to that area of the Bronx from Manhattan? I like good dry Italian salami, sliced ultra thin, with French baguette and French cheese. This is my lunch very often – with a glass of red wine like Sangiovese. Che è buono!

Suzy said...

What an interesting area...we have a section in Pittsburgh called "the strip district" where there's shops and resturants of all nationalities!

Nuts about food said...

Hi Pat! Thanks for visiting my blog; this way I discovered yours. I am always interested in finding out new things about NY. I will pass this on to many NY friends. I cannot believe the amount of sausage hanging from that ceiling! As per the almost whole butchered animals, it is so normal here (as your husband surely knows) that I never would have thought it strange if you hadn't mentioned it!
www.nutsaboutfooditaly.blogspot.com

Edie Marie's Attic said...

Oh how I'd love to go shopping there!! Such fabulous food choices... love the pic of all meat hanging from the rafters!

Happy New Year and blessings to you and Vinny and your family & friends in 2011!!!

Big hugs, Sherry Wes & Chrissy

diane b said...

What a fabulous street. My husband would be in heaven in the sausage shop. So much choice of such delightful food. Italian is my favourite. I used to have an Italian boyfriend when i was 20. He was from Napoli and didn't speak much English. I had fun teaching him. We used to love dancing cha cha .

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

Oh my heavens - the smells are wafting up from your photos. Yummmmmmmmm!

CatHerder said...

OH MY THAT MARKET IS HEAVEN.....are you ready for the next round of snow tonight pat...im not lol

CatHerder said...

OH MY THAT MARKET IS HEAVEN.....are you ready for the next round of snow tonight pat...im not lol

Anonymous said...

WOW! Unreal, but BEAUTIFUL!!! I loved this tour. The hanging sausages are too weird!

Hope you stocked up on everything. You're about to get our weather. We had 6 inches of snow and now it's all solid ice. Nothing is moving today. If it is like that here, yours will be... YIKES!

steviewren said...

Those sausages!!! I'm amazed by the variety and selection of food in all the shops.

Love all of your pictures, but the one of the sausages is the best!

Sniff said...

Fantastic photos! And what an impressive selection of food! I'd go bananas having that much to choose from, I believe.

annie said...

The photos are great. The amount of work you put into this blog is evident.
I so appreciate it and the things you share.

mrs. c said...

Thank you for the wonderful field trip....as usual! I think I would still be sitting at that checkeedr tablecloth eating lots of bread, cheese, olives and who knows what else! I will have to visit Arthur Ave on my next visit and of course meet you in person!

Anonymous said...

Oh my giddy aunt Mabel I have never seen so many sausages before!

In Oxford at the covered market they would display the full prize winning carcasses of various animals which you could then chose parts of for Christmas and New Year.

RoeH said...

Wow would I ever love to go down that street for about a month straight. I'd spend time with every single thing there.

Laura @ the shorehouse. said...

I have been itching to go there for years and years, and your posts are making me drool on my keyboard!! :-) This year (whomany times have I said that and not come through, lol?!) I'd like to take a week day off and head up there. Sounds like the perfect place to spend a spring day. I'll have to ask you for recommendations!

Proud Italian Cook said...

Check out that ceiling, Wow! Arthur avenue would be hard to beat! I want to go to the pork store, STAT!You are the BEST tour guide Pat, I feel like I walked the neighborhood with you.
I agree about the Chamber of Commerece or you writing a book. Hello, is any publishers out there? What are you waiting for?

Gracie said...

Thanks for helping me add up another kilo with all your tempting photos!

Nick said...

Thanks Pat for sharing great information and Picson Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. Umbertos Clam House is my one of the favourite restaurant for Italian Seafood. I love their Clams, Lobster and Seven Fish platter. We have very good memories at Umbertos.

Azar "ACE" Attura said...

Ah!! The indoor Market!! I used to go there often with my Nonna Lucia-- I believe back in the 50's and 60's, there was sawdust on those floors.
Azar ACE Attura -- La Bella Di Nonna Lucia

betsy said...

thank you for this marvelous tour. How I wish we had markets like this in Nashville. And downtown neighborhoods to walk in. But we do not. I love Nashville, the South. I love being only a day away from the Gulf of Mexico, but I dream about New York City.

Unknown said...

I grow up in this neighborhood. Living in Florida now I long for the days when I can run the local fish market or meat market and get what you want and know its good. I feel so privileged to be a part of this world and have so many people want to go there to see it. I may be far but people always know where I am from. The Bronx vanity plate helps too...