Belmont: The Bronx's true Little Italy

By Patrick Verel | Special to amNewYork

June 8, 2006

Anyone in the know will tell you the "real" Little Italy isn't on Mulberry Street, but in the Bronx.

Belmont, a sliver of land just south of Fordham University, has stayed remarkably stable since Italian immigrants began flocking there in the early 1900s.

The construction of the Bronx Zoo provided jobs, and until it was torn down in 1973, the Third Avenue El provided a link to Manhattan.

The demographics have shifted a little over the years with an influx of Albanian immigrants. But the neighborhood, which radiates out from the intersection of Arthur Avenue and East 187th Street, still oozes the gritty, old world charm that was featured in Chazz Palminteri's 1993 film "A Bronx Tale."

Frank Barbieri, a broker with 187 Realty Corp. who grew up in Belmont, said a big part of the neighborhood's vitality has been its proximity to Fordham University and St. Barnabus Hospital as well as the spiritual draw it has on Italians around the tri-state area.

The neighborhood is home to both the Enrico Fermi Cultural Center and The Belmont Italian American Playhouse.

"There are still a lot of traditional events that take place at Mount Carmel Church, which was the nucleus for all things Italian," he said. "They'll have some readings in Spanish in addition to English and Italian, but they still have the old world-style Italian festivals."

With 50 or so restaurants and shops crammed into five square blocks, with Arthur Avenue at its center, Belmont is known as a mecca for food lovers.

"There are all the Italian restaurants, and the food stores that specialize in fresh meats and bread products, and unusual foods like rabbit and lamb. I mean, they'll cut a whole lamb into sections for you," Barbieri said.

When it comes to housing, many houses are advertised by word of mouth. But like many parts of New York, new houses are being built on empty lots and former parking lots.

Most of the buildings were built between 1900 and 1920.

Right now a one-bedroom in a typical walk-up will run you $650 to $750; a two-bedroom will cost $750 to $1,000.

Houses and apartments are pricier near Arthur Avenue and tend to go down in price as you head south and toward Crotona Avenue.

"In the last three years, these lots for ancillary uses have been turned into two- and four-family houses." Barbieri said. "Walk on Hoffman Street either way, or around the neighborhood, and you'll see the newer buildings."

To play

Café Santea
Cozy and inviting, with plenty of outdoor seating. Perfect for enjoying a glass of wine or a cappuccino.
660 E. 187th St.
917-684-4650

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