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One Fine Day on Arthur Avenue
“This one fine day is more of a 'one fine afternoon'. I went to college at Fordham University in the Bronx and lived on and around Arthur Ave. for most of that time. It's also where Rich and I went on some of our first dates! It's such a special place to us that we took our engagement photos here.
Arthur Avenue was the original neighborhood that the Italians settled in in New York. I always say it's the better, more authentic Little Italy of New York. You can get here by car, Uber, or Metro North train from Manhattan. If you make a day of it, I recommend also heading to the Bronx Botanical Gardens - it's beautiful to walk around and no matter the time of the year, they always have something interesting going on. It's a 10 minute walk from Arthur Ave. and an even easier drive.
But on Arthur Ave, there is a lot to cover. The street spans about 4 or 5 blocks and a few of the good spots are just off the main ave. You can park or start somewhere and walk the rest! In typical old world style, most of the shops focus on a more singular specialty - so I'll share with you my recommendations based on the thing itself!”
- Madison
Eat oysters on the half shell while standing up at the folding tables they have set up on the street side. Order whatever the guy shucking tells you to and dress them according to his instructions!
The best of the best for hand-pulled mozzarella, burrata and bocconcini, which should be eaten on the spot, still warm.
Hand rolled cigars to enjoy as you walk the Avenue. Always a hit with Dads!
Arthur Avenue Retail Market
A bunch of different vendors inside one space. You can find almost anything you'd want here!
This was always the best sandwich shop, closest to campus and will likely be half full of college kids. It's great for your Italian classics and the owner is so sweet!
This is one of my favorite restaurants. Their pizza is great and you dont want to miss their Nutella pizza dessert special. Whenever we brought visiting friends in college, their response was always "this is genius!"
If you can go here on a Saturday evening for the live music dinner, which consists of a spunky wedding-singer-style performer, you must go! You will not even mind that the food is just okay, you'll be so consumed in the napkin twirling, Italian comrodorie and entirely sufficed by the stiff drinks and ambiance.
They have every Italian cookie style you would want and the espresso is as much about its taste as it is about the insight you get into the lives of the locals there. Sit down, sip, and enjoy the scene.
This bakery is so old school and their Italian breads can't be beat, especially the Olive Bread and Fennel Raisin Bread. I'm not much into cannolis but people like theirs and I know they fill them on the spot.
The guys running this specialty shop are usually the owners themselves. This is the one place I frequented most throughout college to stock up on dry goods and olives.