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City Living: Tottenville

By Miranda Siegel | Special to amNewYork

November 8, 2007

Tottenville, Staten Island Egger's 7437 Amboy Road (Lane Johnson, Newsday / November 7, 2007)

Tottenville is not only the southernmost tip of Staten Island -- it's also the southernmost point in New York state, a novelty that attracts a surprising number of curious urban explorers.

"The fact that we're the last stop on the Staten Island Rail[way] brings in a lot more people than you'd think," said resident Christine Mandile. "They wonder, 'What's down there?'"

What's "down there" are clusters of elaborate Victorian houses, recently built McMansions, mom-and-pop stores and large parks surrounded by the bay -- all complemented by a pace of life similar to that of a lazy seaside New England town.

Contributing to this atmosphere is the area's relative isolation: Because no bridges, tunnels or highways pass through this part of Staten Island, there's little traffic. "If you're in Tottenville, you're here for a reason," said local historian and lifelong resident Linda Hauck.

Europeans settled the area -- at the time home to the Unami Indians -- in the 17th century. After ferry routes were established, including the important connection between Tottenville and Perth Amboy, N.J., the area's trade network began to develop.

"Tottenville was 'oyster built,'" Hauck explained. "It was maritime trades and oysters. After they built the first dock, houses were just popping up all over the place."

Today, those older houses lend Tottenville a suburban feel, but one where neighbors don't hide in their cars.

"This is a walking neighborhood," Mandile said. "[In] other parts of Staten Island, you get in your car and go. Here, you get out and walk so you can say hi to everyone."

Find it
Tottenville is defined by Page Avenue to the east, the Arthur Kill to the north and west, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south.

To eat
A handful of restaurants -- most of them Italian -- line Amboy Road, one of Tottenville's main arteries. A great salumeria, ice cream parlor and bakery can all be found here.

Egger's Ice Cream Parlor
For anyone who turns their nose up at all the new-fangled ice cream joints out there, Egger's is a real treat, with more than 30 flavors of homemade ice cream to be enjoyed in malteds, shakes, egg creams, floats and banana splits. Although Egger's has been in business since the 1930s, there's not one sign of kitsch or self-importance here. The shop is often packed with squealing youngsters fiddling around in the bulk candy bins that line the walls.
7437 Amboy Rd.
718-605-9335

Silverio's Bakery & Pastry Shoppe
Owner Silverio Espinosa presides over this corner Italian bakery, where he creates flaky apple turnovers, chocolate meltaways, ice-cream cakes and giant, buttery crumb buns. Perched on the baking racks are the shop's most whimsical creations: turtles and alligators fashioned out of shiny loaves of bread.
7358 Amboy Rd.
718-984-5233