{"id":136752,"date":"2026-02-17T23:09:57","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T23:09:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/136752\/"},"modified":"2026-02-17T23:09:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T23:09:57","slug":"in-new-york-citys-real-little-italy-arthur-avenues-family-owned-shops-keep-tradition-alive-bronx-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/136752\/","title":{"rendered":"In New York City\u2019s \u2018real\u2019 Little Italy, Arthur Avenue\u2019s family-owned shops keep tradition alive \u2013 Bronx Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t Search our comprehensive guide to things to do in the Bronx<\/a> for more local events \u2014 or submit your own<\/a>!<\/p>\n

Arthur Avenue in the Bronx is often called New York City\u2019s \u201creal Little Italy,\u201d a distinction from Manhattan\u2019s Little Italy. Longtime business owners say this \u201ccomes from generations of Italian immigrant families who continue to live the American Dream.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unlike Manhattan\u2019s Little Italy, which has become a tourist commodity, the Bronx\u2019s Little Italy remains defined by family-owned bakeries, butcher shops and sandwich counters with roots extending back more than a century.<\/p>\n

The neighborhood dates back to the 1700s, when Pierre Lorillard established P. Lorillard & Co., the first tobacco company<\/a> in New York, on the site that would become Arthur Avenue. Families all over Italy began immigrating to the Bronx in the early 19th century and continued to arrive throughout the late 20th century.<\/p>\n

As a result, they established family-owned bakeries, butcher shops, and restaurants over several generations, creating a tight-knit community where neighbors knew each other by name and supported one another.<\/p>\n

Today, Belmont showcases a wide variety of regional Italian cuisines and distinctive culinary influences, reflecting the ongoing legacy and diversity of its Italian immigrant population.\n<\/p>\n

Two of those businesses \u2014 DeLillo\u2019s Pastry Shop and Casa Della Mozzarella \u2014 tell that story through the people who run them.\n<\/p>\n

Josephine Florio has worked at DeLillo\u2019s Pastry Shop since 1984, carrying on a legacy passed down through her family after they immigrated from Italy\u2019s Amalfi Coast in the early 20th century.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cMy uncle worked with the original owners, The DeLillos, and when their daughter, Rose, did not want to keep the business, my family was allowed to take it over,\u201d Florio said.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cOpening in the Bronx felt right because this is where the Italian community really was.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

As Italian immigrants settled throughout the Bronx decades ago, Arthur Avenue became a cultural hub where families could preserve language, food and tradition. A haven away from home. Florio said her family arrived with limited English, depending entirely on their culinary knowledge and heritage to build a livelihood.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey came with their culture and hands,\u201d she said. \u201cThat is what they had to offer.\u201d
\n\"\"Customers love DeLillo\u2019s famous cannolis in espresso, chocolate, and chocolate. Photo by Bridgette Leahy.\n<\/p>\n

Today, DeLillo\u2019s is famous for its classic Italian pastries, each made from family recipes carried down through generations. Handcrafted pignoli cookies coated with toasted pine nuts, lobster tails filled with rich mascarpone cream and delicate cannolis in espresso, chocolate and classic flavors.<\/p>\n

Not only do these sweets showcase Florio\u2019s pastry skills, but they also reveal her deep personal connection to her heritage. She says these recipes and traditions represent her family\u2019s legacy, which she upholds with pride and passion.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you do not have that, you will not make a good pastry,\u201d Florio said. \u201cWhen you really love what you are doing, the dessert feels it. And the judge, our customers do too.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

The bakery\u2019s pignoli cookies \u2013 typically made with almond paste and pine nuts \u2013 have become a signature item. Pine nuts are costly, Florio said, but the shop keeps prices accessible to maintain a sense of home for customers.<\/p>\n

\"\"Florio\u2019s famous Lobster Tail-filled cream pastry. Photo by Bridgette Leahy<\/p>\n

\u201cI want people to feel like they are coming to their grandmother\u2019s or aunt\u2019s house,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave a coffee, have something sweet, gossip about everyone. Those slow yet calm moments are what people miss while living in the country\u2019s busiest city. We are all desiring connection at the end of the day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just a door down, Casa Della Mozzarella continues a similar tradition, centered on fresh cheese and simple, authentic sandwiches.\n<\/p>\n

Carlo Carciotto, whose father immigrated from Sicily, said the shop opened in 1993 with a single goal: make mozzarella by hand, every day.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cMy father came here with nothing,\u201d Carciotto said. \u201cHe did not even know how to make mozzarella when he arrived. He built everything from a bowl of milk.\u201d
\n\"\"The Casa sandwich is known as one of best Italian sandwiches in the city by Eater and ranked amount The New York Times. Photo by Bridgette Leahy\n<\/p>\n

More than three decades later, Casa Della Mozzarella pulls fresh mozzarella every 20 to 30 minutes and has gained national recognition.<\/p>\n

Its signature \u201cCasa\u201d sandwich was named one of the top Italian sandwiches in the city by The Infatuation<\/a> and ranked among The New York Times\u2019<\/a> best sandwiches in New York City.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe try to do it like in Italy,\u201d Carciotto said. \u201cSimple sandwiches. Thin prosciutto di Parma, fresh mozzarella, sun-dried peppers from Italy, a little oil and balsamic. The simplest ingredients \u2014 that is the Casa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carciotto said working alongside his father has shaped his feelings of identity and responsibility.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything I do represents the Carciotto name,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is my legacy. It is our culture.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Together, businesses like DeLillo\u2019s and Casa Della Mozzarella continue to define Arthur Avenue\u2019s identity, even in such a modernized city.\n<\/p>\n

For families who have worked there for generations, the Bronx\u2019s Little Italy is a community that embodies family ties, history, plus a commitment to culture.\n<\/p>\n

These family-owned businesses show that maintaining tradition is possible through community connections. This enduring feeling of community not only accentuates the collective identity of Bronx Little Italy but also its strong cultural presence amid a city that is always evolving.<\/p>\n

By maintaining these family-run businesses in the Bronx, the community continues to embody what many consider the \u201creal\u201d Little Italy of New York City. Each street continues to carry a distinctive charm shaped by decades of immigrant life in the birthplace of the melting pot.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis neighborhood holds history,\u201d Josphine said. \u201cAnd it holds people.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Bridgette Leahy is an intern at the Bronx Times. For more coverage, subscribe to our\u00a0newsletter<\/a>\u00a0and follow us on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>!<\/p>\n

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