D'Abruzzo

ITALY 🇮🇹 (Abruzzo)

To the rest of the world, any familiarity with the Southern Italian region of Abruzzo is usually through its extraordinary wines like Montepulciano and Trebbiano. A slightly overlooked place in terms of tourism, most of the region is dominated by the central mountains and Adriatic Sea coastline. Despite being considered part of the south of the country, if we use the boot graphic of Italy, Abruzzo would be about the meaty part of the calf. The simple fact of its geographical separation has kept the places here full of what some might call "old world charm."

But travelers to Italy should take the time to drive over the mountains from Rome and explore this lesser-known region for its culture and food, something that the D'Abruzzo stand and pop-up vendor is vouching for. Currently you can find these treats at the Winter Village in Bryant Park, but in warmer months look out for it at food festivals and Smorgasburg.

The top draw here and reason enough to book flights for a Abruzzese vacation are the arrosticini ($12.25 for a small order, above and below), mutton skewers full of fatty bits and unmarinated.

Those fatty bits in between meat not only keep it very tender, they also drop a lot of juice down into the fire and create a nice smoke that makes it way through the park and probably pulls in quite a few customers. Bryant Park is not quite the old world, but if you close your eyes and are guided by only your senses of smell and taste it gets pretty close. My only complaint is that I cannot have a nice Montepulciano to enjoy with this lamb.

This meat needs no marinade or sauce.

Depending on which event you come upon it, D'Abruzzo will have a slightly different menu that grows and shrinks to what the stand can accommodate, but you might find other finger foods and cookies from the region as well.

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BRYANT PARK Manhattan
Pop-up vendor/various locations

Map of Eat the World NYC:

Caffe Caggiano

ITALY 🇮🇹

The spectrum of what "Italian" means, especially in South Brooklyn, is a tricky question. The typical heavy Brooklyn accent of a middle aged man with a Juventus tattoo who speaks zero Italian might be the majority, but in the small cafes that survive in parts of Bensonhurst and Gravesend, a direct connection to Italy is still alive.

When I have time while happening upon them, I try to sit down for at least an espresso just to enjoy the atmosphere. Usually a cast of regulars are chatting with the owner and each other, sometimes in both English and Italian.

Despite a frigid dip in temperatures, a recent evening had me also in the mood for a cup of gelato ($4.25, below), so Caffe Caggiano was there for the rescue.

The hazelnut (nocciola) brought me immediately back to Sicily, where I spent part of September. Despite the small selection in a detached fridge unit, the gelati here seems to be quite well made, rich and creamy as you could ask and miles better than the junk our friends in Manhattan peddle to tourists.

This little shop is also just a pleasant, relaxing place to sit down. The proprietor really takes care of you and invites customers to make themselves comfortable. The world slows down to the speed of the Mediterranean, a pace we all need sometimes.

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GRAVESEND Brooklyn

209 Avenue U

Map of Eat the World NYC:

[CLOSED] PinsaLab

ITALY 🇮🇹

[UPDATE: CLOSED]

There are more famous pizza empires nearby. Both Artichoke Basille's and South Brooklyn Pizza have outposts within a block or two. Park Slope is also full of little slice parlors. But this, as the proprietor says, is not pizza. This is pinsa.

And what is pinsa? The biggest difference with this Roman-style flatbread is the dough, which takes 72 hours to rise due to its usage of more water and less salt than standard pizza dough. This gives it a light and fluffy texture, which is scorched for a very short time at very high heat.

Each selection costs $7.35 + tax, and is probably enough food for most people to fill up on. The tre carne (above, far right) was the pinsa of the month and cost a bit more at $10, but there are about two dozen options at the base price, and even two dessert pinsas.

Pick up a bottle of their nice chinotto ($2, not pictured) to accompany any pinsa. This soda is made from the juice of a specific myrtle-leaved orange tree and despite being sweetened has a bitter taste similar to Italian amari.

The close ups on this diavola (above and below) give a better sense of the fluffy crust that distinguishes a pinsa from a pizza. The flatbread is not piled with toppings, but rather good quality ingredients are used sparingly so you can better enjoy the dough in each bite.

Even though this shop has been open since last summer, most people that walk in seem curious and have not tried it yet. The owner explains to each of them what the difference is, and why pinsa is superior. So far the lines at Artichoke and South Brooklyn have not died down, but maybe pinsa will catch its moment soon and take off? At the very least, it is worth adding to your normal pizza rounds.

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PARK SLOPE Brooklyn

86 5th Avenue

Map of Eat the World NYC:

Arco Cafe

SARDINIA ITALY 🇮🇹

Many places in the city, especially in the southern reaches of Brooklyn, call themselves Sicilian. Waves of Sicilian immigrants came and settled in New York City about 100 years ago and were eventually stopped by racist and discriminatory government policy in the 1920's not unlike that which we are now seeing against Muslims, Haitians, and Central Americans today.

These Sicilian immigrants have had families who have had families, and many generations have grown up here. Some foods have stayed similar while some have evolved into Italian-American cuisine. Now for the first time that I know of, Italy's other large Mediterranean island is getting a look. Arco Cafe offers the foods and wines of Sardinia.

If you search for images of Sardinia, beautiful photographs of crystal clear aqua waters and rocky coastlines will fill your browser. The paintings that cover one brick wall here show scenes from the interior of the island though, rolling farmland and clouds that could be the Midwest. The cows in these paintings seem very happy.

The meal started with salumi e formaggi ($19.50, above), a selection of Sardinian cheeses served with four types of cured meats and olives and covered with pane carasau, the traditional flatbread of Sardinia. This thin but rigid flatbread is more like a cracker and is great for eating the meat and cheese. Conceived by shepherds, this bread has been eaten on the island for at least 3000 years!

Once the bread is removed, the plate looks kind of like the garbage barges that float down the East River taking away the city's unwanted scraps. This appetizer fared very differently, with not a single scrap remaining when the meal was over.

Arco Cafe offers some Sardinian wines that may have not been on your radar before. We had a $50 bottle of Cannonau, the name of Grenache grapes planted on the island. It paired lovely with everything we ate. We also sampled the Monica, which someone with sweeter tastes might prefer.

Squid is fished off the coasts of Sardinia and is one of their most eaten products, making the insalata di calamari ($14, below) a no-brainer. These large pieces are super fresh and needs no spices or sauce, the squid and arugula speak for themselves. If you want a bit more zing, ask for an extra side of the lemon dressing.

The famous pasta of Sardinia is malloreddus, grooved and folded pieces that are sometimes referred to as Sardinian gnocchi. This does not capture the uniqueness of this pasta though, as it has a feeling all its own in your mouth. Maloreddos alla Campidanese ($15.50, below) is al dente pieces with tomato and sweet sausage ragout.

Sardinians love their pork, often roasting suckling pigs for many uses. These sausages are unfortunately about as close as you can come to a Sardinian pig roast here in New York, but the dish is fantastic and so full of flavors. The grooves of this unique pasta grab good quantities of tomato sauce for each bite.

After-dinner digestif selections are of note here as a shelf full of amaro is available as well as mirto, a Sardinian liqueur made from the evergreen myrtle shrub. Salute!

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UPPER WEST SIDE Manhattan

886 Amsterdam Avenue

2017 Champions League Finals: Real Madrid C.F. vs Juventus F.C.

FOOTBALL ⚽

The final match of Champions League takes place this Saturday in Cardiff, Wales. Juventus will be playing Real Madrid starting at 2:45pm ET. If you want to watch the game with fans of each team or country, or even certain players, here is a list of places we recommend for the best atmospheres and chances to eat and drink your culture.

ITALY 🇮🇹
Ground zero for Italian national team football and Serie A games in New York City is Ribalta Stadium, the name of Ribalta Pizzeria (48 East 12th Street, Greenwich Village) during big matches when the projector screen comes down. In Brooklyn, the unofficial meeting place for Juventus fans is Caffe Sportivo (7502 18th Avenue, Bensonhurst, Brooklyn). Check out their Facebook page for details about the pre-match BBQ they have planned. Other time-tested places for great experiences are Mulberry Street Bar (176 Mulberry Street, Little Italy) and right across the street Grotta Azzurra (177 Mulberry Street).

Juventus Club NYC meets at The Football Factory (6 West 33rd Street, Midtown).


SPAIN 🇪🇸
I have always found the best support options at smaller restaurants like La Nacional Tapas Bar (239 West 14th Street, Chelsea), which also has watch parties upstairs sometimes but appears not to for Champions League. Nearby Cafe Riazor (245 West 16th Street, Chelsea) also has a small but friendly bar, and if you happen to be in Newark, definitely head to Casa d'Paco (73 Warwick Street, Newark NJ) for perfect football atmosphere.

The official Peña Madridista group has two locations, check their Facebook page for more info.


GENERAL
Smithfield Hall (138 West 25th Street, Chelsea) is New York City's best football bar, and will have a great atmosphere as always. Woodwork (583 Vanderbilt Avenue, Prospect Heights) is great in Brooklyn.

Fans from Colombia 🇨🇴  will have their allegiances split between James Rodriguez (Madrid) and Juan Cuadrado (Juve), but expect Northern Boulevard in Jackson Heights, Queens to be packed with fans in its many football bars. Good bets are Teatro Restaurante Blvd (82-24 Northern Blvd), La Pollera Colorada II (82-13 Northern Blvd), El Rumbero (82-05 Northern Blvd), and El Paisa Bar (87-05 Northern Blvd). On 37th Avenue, newcomer Barriles (83-14 37th Avenue) is a fantastic sports bar with good food.

Fans of Ronaldo 🇵🇹 will be at O Lavrador (138-40 101st Street, Jamaica, Queens) or in Newark, NJ. Try Madrid & Lisbon Bar & Restaurant (325 Lafayette Street, Ironbound) or Coimbra (637-641 Market Street, Ironbound).

Costa Rican 🇨🇷 fans will be cheering on Real Madrid and their goaltender Keylor Navas from their home bar Olga's Place (214 LT Glenn Zamorski Drive, Elizabeth, NJ). If you have the chance, this is a fantastic place to watch football.


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Joe's of Avenue U

ITALY 🇮🇹

While deciding where to go for lunch on a recent afternoon, a report appeared about Mount Etna erupting in Sicily. While the volcano is Europe's most active and has been for a long time, it seemed only natural that a visit to Avenue U for Sicilian food seemed in order.

Joe's has been around for more than 50 years, and now has another recently opened location in Staten Island. The tables and booths seem to look about 50 years old too, the cheap old laminates and vinyl become charming rather than tired though. There is an ode to their biggest team, Unione Sportiva Citta di Palermo, with jerseys and a large Forza Palermo sign in pink, the team's color. On other walls are maps of Sicily and Italian and US flags.

The entrance has a counter displaying many of the foods that are available on the menu and does a brisk takeout business as well. The dining room is fairly large and can handle a lot of people, including big groups. As lunch proceeded, other tables were filling up with mostly Italian speakers.

The first impression of the women here are these tough Brooklyn ladies that you want to remain on your best behavior around, but you know will never be nice to you. But after your first interactions, this is proven wildly untrue, and they seem to go out of their way to take care of your table and questions. After the two of us ordered everything, our server asked what we wanted first. Saying we would share, she surveyed our small table top and replied "OK, whatever fits!"

It was obvious the order was excessive.

Perhaps the most famous Sicilian specialties in the United States are arancini, or rice balls. Joe's serves big ones plain for $5.99 or the rice ball special (above) for $7.99. The special gets you a healthy dollop of unseen ricotta cheese on top of the ball, as well as red sauce and parmesan shavings. If you are in the mood for red sauce with no seafood, ordering a bunch of these might be the way to go, as they are delicious.

The cozzi stufati (steamed mussels, $8.99, below) are also served with a tomato-based red sauce that is more like a soup. This runs on the sweet side, but works despite feeling odd on first bite. For the price and freshness, this seems like a steal.

A must have here at Joe's is the purpu e calamari (octopus and squid salad, $14.99, below), which is served very plain with a bit of olive oil. Squeeze on a little lemon, and nothing else is necessary. The chunks of both octopus and squid are both larger than normal, and again so fresh.

The result of the overorder was that we had hardly any room for the pasta cchi sardi (sardines and wild fennel pasta, $14.99, below), which is served with bucatini as the pasta. Since stomachs were already so full, it did not help that this dish ran rather strongly on the fishy side with the sardines.

Wild fennel is plentiful in Sicily and makes for a thick topping, while the wide straw-like noodles are expertly cooked at Joe's. You will find this dish in restaurants around the whole island, but it was created and is still associated with Palermo. On the side (blurry in the background of the photo), the dish is traditionally served with crunchy breadcrumbs that have been lightly toasted.

The dish is also the favorite meal of late justice of the Supreme Court Antonin Scalia, if that makes a difference to your order.

Joe's of Avenue U is reminiscent of the kind of spot you come across while touring around Sicily by car, a typical casual focacceria, serving those quick seafood plates and big sandwiches like the famous vastedda, made with veal spleen. The full menu makes it a bit different, but the relaxed vibes and quality fresh food are very similar.

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GRAVESEND Brooklyn

287 Avenue U

Café al Mercato

ITALY 🇮🇹

Arthur Avenue in the Belmont section of the Bronx is often billed as the "Little Italy of the Bronx" and some even think of it as their little secret. Although the neighborhood is constantly getting more and more Balkan, with Albanian shops growing in number, the Italian-American roots are still strong just like in Manhattan's version. Tours bring patrons up and down the street as well, giving the whole place a very touristy vibe.

The Arthur Avenue Retail Market, site of Café al Mercato, is a prime spot on these tours, and it is hard to visit for lunch without a group of 20 or so gawking at your sandwich. The café's section is clearly marked off exclusively for their customers, so it sort of becomes a bit zoo-like once you sit down. However when the tours are not passing, the market is quite fun to sit in the middle of, and still gets loads of local patrons who have probably been coming here since the 1930's when it opened. It now even boasts a small beer bar.

Those aforementioned gawked at sandwiches on focaccia are pretty well known here, and have accordingly risen in price. The Italian number below costs a swift $8 for a nice quarter wedge of the full moon. It is tasty to be sure, and comes with a bit of pasta on the side to fill out the plate.

In my estimation, better deals are to be had with the delicious slices of pizza. My eggplant slice ($3.50, below) was thick and filling, warmed up in the over before arriving at my table. The next time I find my way back here I will be sure to nose my way through their other slice selections. They do pizza very well.

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BELMONT Bronx

Arthur Avenue Retail Market

2344 Arthur Avenue

I COULD USE YOUR HELP

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Bono Trattoria

ITALY 🇮🇹

Often times when I meet someone new and world foods come up as a topic I write about, the new person will ask "Oh, so what is your favorite Italian/French restaurant?" For me, this question is the equivalent of studying all night for an important test, thinking you know everything coming, then having no idea how to answer the first problem.

I started this site with an idea that meals would cost $20 and under and usually Italian doesn't fit that bill unless it is a Sicilian sandwich in Bensonhurst, or something comparable in feeling and price. Over time the price point has become less strict, although most of the meals here certainly are economical, but I thought I should give more due to the more regional inventive kitchens in the city. I might not be hitting Mulberry Street anytime soon, but quality places like uptown's Bono Trattoria do exist, so why not?

There were two items from Robert Sietsema's write up from September that we absolutely could not resist, the first being the grilled octopus ($12, above), very simply cooked and a bit softer than expected. It is a good dish to divvy up between at least three people and get the meal started.

The roasted beets ($9, below) spoke to us from the menu but did not do much for our mouths. In fact, only a few of them are used to cover the arugula, which makes for the bulk of this salad.

With such a beautiful white oven designed as the centerpiece of the restaurant, we were hoping for good things from within it, ordering two of the Neapolitan-style pizzas. Thankfully the well-crafted pies here do not disappoint, and are of very good value. While not quite a vegetarian option, the capricciosa ($13, below) served as our vehicle of plant life with its mushrooms and artichokes. The ham took second fiddle.

Even better was the bona ($13, below), where sweet sausage was king and really brought out a flavorful punch in each slice. The menu lists ten options, and we would not be afraid to try others on a return visit.

There were some leftovers, and sadly like usual, a Neapolitan pizza does just not have a thick enough crust to manage a sitting overnight even if put back in the oven for warming. Our fault though, we should have been hungrier obviously. Plan your meals here as to not take home the doggy bag.

The winner of the night, and definitely a reason to journey here if traveling from the south is the amazing strozzapreti alla Norcina ($13, below), an Umbrian truffle-cream sauce defined by mushrooms and more sweet sausage. The photo below seems small, but the portion is decent, definitely a viable option for a quick lunch or light dinner.

When I walked out of the restaurant carrying the box filled with our leftover slices, a resident of the area asked me where it was obtained. I pointed right behind me and he seemed to see the facade for the first time, the expression on his face betraying his immediate skepticism. Bono definitely has a different feel than most of it's neighbors here in the 150's, so it will be interesting to see if it can settle in, and if so, how. In warmer months it must swing its two windowed facades open, letting it become part of the street, and hopefully creating this interaction beneficial to all.

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HAMILTON HEIGHTS Manhattan

3658 Broadway

I COULD USE YOUR HELP

Eat the World NYC is and always has been free. No advertisements block the content or pop over what you read. If this website has helped you explore your city and its wonderful cultures a little better and you have the means to contribute, please consider doing so. Eat the World NYC is a labor of love, but also takes a lot of money and time everyday to keep running.

You can Venmo me @JAREDCOHEE or click here to send PayPal donation, no account is necessary. Thank you!

F & J Pine Restaurant

ITALY

Not all chicken parmigiana sandwiches are made equal, despite the fact that most are usually good. In a lot of delis, the sandwich is very soupy with so much marinara that the bread barely remains a container. This of course, is not always a bad thing. "Upscale" chicken parm, whatever that means, is usually less so, which is the case at Bronx institution F&J Pine.

Parmigiana originally was cooked as a dish with eggplant, but has evolved to include many varieties, the most popular of which is the chicken parm in New York City at least. You can find it on almost any menu serving sandwiches.

The version of the sandwich here at F&J Pine costs only $6, and is a good one, rated as one of the best by many people. The bread does not have much to say, but it serves as a bed for the nice cutlets of chicken, and an amount of sauce that does not overwhelm it.

On the side is a potato fritter that is very soft and pleasing inside. Before biting in, I was wondering what I might find within the breaded crust. You get the sense that F&J is not just using the throwaway pieces of meat for these sandwiches like a lot of delis do, because the slices are evenly thick and include no fat.

I came in and sat at the grand bar, since the restaurant is mostly set up for large groups and families. The portions here are family style, and tables are set up to accommodate very large parties. The place is very big and reminds me of a chain restaurant in the suburbs, with ample space for everyone. It is all tastefully done, and inviting even for this diner, probably the only person the bartender did not know the name of immediately.

VAN NEST Bronx

1913 Bronxdale Avenue

Bari Pork Store

ITALY 🇮🇹

There are not many greater experiences in the food world than walking into an old-fashioned salumeria. While Bensonhurst is a neighborhood that has been rapidly changing, Bari Pork Store has obviously made no concessions to any new residents and remains exactly as it must have been two or three decades ago.

The self-anointed "King of the Sausage" is even missing the letter I from its sign, something that I would wager happened in the 1970's. If the door is open you can smell the fresh meats outside, but walking in reveals a world where every square inch is taken by product of some form. It's really an amazing overload of your senses, with hanging meats, hot prepared foods, dry goods, and every other imported product a good Italian-American might need.

If you half know what you want, the guys here will treat you nicely and with professionalism, but do be warned that they are not the type of people that have time for the inquisitive wanderers. That being said, you can take a self-guided tour of the tiny shop easily enough.

I selected a small container of olives from a tray of six or so. All varieties are $5.99/lb, and the small container runs $3, rounded off for your convenience. I also could not resist the tray of arancini (75 cents, below), which I was warned were vegetarian. No matter, I took four and asked for them heated up.

While I do prefer the arancini with ground beef and tomato sauce, these were good, a creamy mix of rice and cheese on the inside. The outer layer is thin and delicate, fried to perfection.

They also make a range of deli sandwiches which are probably great, as they almost always are in a salumeria. The meats and cheeses have no choice but to be fresh, and the guys know exactly what they are doing with oil and vinegar proportions.

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BENSONHURST Brooklyn

6319 18th Avenue

GRAVESEND Brooklyn

158 Avenue U

Marco's Salumeria Leone/ Conti's Pastry Shoppe

ITALY 🇮🇹

I decided to combine these two locations to create a destination for adventurous eaters heading to the Bronx in search of Italian-American foods. I might start doing this more in the future as a way to make it more rewarding to visit the borough that gets the least reporting and love (even by me!). These two shops are next door to each other, and complimentary in all ways.

Marco's is a friendly meat store that also makes deli sandwiches and has a steam table with "home style cooking." While the steam table looks far from appetizing, the sandwiches are all very fresh and good value. The Italian combo ($7.50, below) is piled high with delicious cuts and topped with a sweet pepper mix that is out of this world.

Upon ordering a sandwich, they will grab a fresh loaf of bread and cut a big hunk off to make your creation. The shop also carries some dry goods including pasta and a small but effective selection of olive oils. I was here mid-afternoon and did not see much foot traffic, but the case of meat and cheese in the back looked very well stocked and had a good amount of variety.

I ate my dessert first when I visited, but the natural progression might seem to visit Conti's Pastry Shoppe after your lunch. Friendliness is taken to the extreme here, highlighted with deep New York accents, wood-paneled walls, and general level of comfort that goes with being taken care of. A small hodgepodge of chairs and a love seat can be found at the back of the shop, all of which could have been heisted from your grandparent's sitting room.

Pignoli cookies ($9/lb, below) are not the best in New York, but cheaper than you will find anywhere else. Add a small coffee for $1.35, and you have a pleasant way to enjoy a little time in one of grandma's chairs. It seems they even have wifi here, and if their network is not for the public, I would not be surprised if they share the password with you anyways.

Morris Park Avenue was sporting Albanian flags on the day of my visit, but I did not see any food from this country, which is better represented a bit to the north up near Lydig Avenue. A procession of cars full of Balkans screaming, honking, and waving flags drove by as I continued my walk afterwards, so I figured it must be a national holiday. It turns out it is a big week in the country, with the 28th of November being the anniversary of the independence from the Ottoman Empire. Unfortunately I was too full to walk up and enjoy some delicious burek.

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VAN NEST Bronx

786-788 Morris Park Avenue

Map of Eat the World NYC: