City Living: Port Richmond, Staten Island

By Kristen V. Brown | Special to amNewYork

December 27, 2007

amNewYork city living: Port Richmond (Lane Johnson, amNewYork / December 26, 2007)

Once the "Fifth Avenue" of Staten Island, the formerly bustling Port Richmond Avenue was a major center of transportation and industry in the 19th century. The area was first incorporated collectively as Port Richmond in 1866, after the Staten Island Railway constructed their first North Shore Branch stop on the avenue.

Port Richmond entered a severe economic decline after the construction of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in the 1960s shifted Staten Island's development and commerce to the center of the island. Then the North Shore Branch of the Staten Island Railway closed, leaving behind a dilapidated track that is today unkempt and overgrown with weeds.

More recently, Port Richmond is seeing new life, powered in part by the arrival of Mexican immigrants who have reopened businesses on Port Richmond Avenue. Indeed, the area is noted for its diversity. With Italians, Irish and Albanians calling the area home, Port Richmond is a true New York melting pot.

"The diversity of the area makes it more real, it's a down to earth place," said Tim Fink, Sr., who owns an auto repair shop in Port Richmond.

The area boasts many historical buildings. A stroll down Decker and Heberton avenues offers a tour of Victorian mansions. Old churches and temples abound, including Temple Emanu-El of Staten Island, which was built in 1907. The New York Public Library branch dates to 1905.

Find it

On Staten Island's north shore, Port Richmond is defined by the Kill Van Kull to the north, the Bayonne Bridge and MLK Expressway to the west, Forest Avenue to the south and Broadway to the east.

To Eat

Denino's Pizzeria and Ralph's Italian Ice are two neighborhood staples that survived the economic decline in the area. And with a newly settled population of Mexican immigrants, the area offers up authentic Mexican cuisine in addition to traditional Italian.

Denino's Pizzeria

This pizza joint is one of New York's best-kept secrets, and a reason tourists make the trek out to Staten Island. "I have a couple from Australia that comes every year on their way from the airport," says Michael Burk, owner of Denino's and stepson of Carl Denino, who first turned the restaurant into a pizzeria in the 1950s.
524 Port Richmond Ave.
718-442-9401

Casa Milla
Up the block from Denino's, the newer Casa Milla offers a more extensive menu than Deninos. Specialties include Veal Casa Milla, zuppa di pesce and a range of Italian favorites.
461 Port Richmond Ave.
718-981-4530

Los Jarochitas
This small Mexican restaurant does mostly take-out orders, but the food is about as authentic as you can find north of the border. The huevos and chorizo is a morning favorite with local workers.
297 Port Richmond Ave.