Bronx's 'Real' Little Italy Keeps Tradition Alive on Arthur Avenue

Family-owned shops on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx preserve the legacy of Italian immigrant families for generations.

Published on Feb. 19, 2026

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Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, often called New York City's 'real Little Italy,' remains defined by family-owned bakeries, butcher shops and sandwich counters with roots extending back more than a century. Businesses like DeLillo's Pastry Shop and Casa Della Mozzarella continue to embody the community's Italian immigrant history and culture, even as the city modernizes around them.

Why it matters

Unlike Manhattan's Little Italy, which has become a tourist commodity, the Bronx's Little Italy remains a tight-knit community where family-owned businesses have preserved regional Italian cuisines and culinary traditions for generations. This enduring sense of community and cultural identity amid a rapidly changing city highlights the importance of maintaining these family legacies.

The details

Families all over Italy began immigrating to the Bronx in the early 19th century and continued to arrive throughout the late 20th century. As a result, they established family-owned bakeries, butcher shops, and restaurants over several generations, creating a close-knit community. Two such businesses, DeLillo's Pastry Shop and Casa Della Mozzarella, exemplify this legacy - DeLillo's makes classic Italian pastries using family recipes, while Casa Della Mozzarella pulls fresh mozzarella daily and serves simple, authentic Italian sandwiches.

  • The Bronx's Little Italy neighborhood dates back to the 1700s.
  • Italian immigrant families began arriving in the Bronx in the early 19th century and continued to arrive throughout the late 20th century.

The players

DeLillo's Pastry Shop

A family-owned bakery on Arthur Avenue that has been making classic Italian pastries using generational recipes for decades.

Casa Della Mozzarella

A family-owned shop on Arthur Avenue that has been making fresh mozzarella daily and serving simple, authentic Italian sandwiches for over 30 years.

Josephine Florio

An employee at DeLillo's Pastry Shop who carries on her family's legacy after they immigrated from Italy's Amalfi Coast in the early 20th century.

Carlo Carciotto

The owner of Casa Della Mozzarella, whose father immigrated from Sicily and built the business from scratch.

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What they’re saying

“If you do not have that, you will not make a good pastry. When you really love what you are doing, the dessert feels it. And the judge, our customers do too.”

— Josephine Florio, Employee, DeLillo's Pastry Shop (bxtimes.com)

“Everything I do represents the Carciotto name. This is my legacy. It is our culture.”

— Carlo Carciotto, Owner, Casa Della Mozzarella (bxtimes.com)

The takeaway

By maintaining these family-run businesses in the Bronx, the community continues to embody what many consider the 'real' Little Italy of New York City, preserving regional Italian cuisines, culinary traditions, and a tight-knit sense of community that has endured for generations despite the city's rapid modernization.