My Italian-American family has a penchant for good food. Cooking and eating isn’t just about survival or basic needs for us – it’s a way of life. An art, an obsession and an ongoing culinary journey.
While we’ve taken numerous cooking classes as a group, we’ve never embarked upon a walking/eating excursion. But we’ve often talked about it. We were inspired by the rather pricey walking tours offered by NYC-based culinary schools. But we thought we could do it better – and cheaper – by creating our OWN adventure. So here’s how we did it:
First, we reached out to our friends and coworkers who were Brooklyn experts (read: born and raised, are Italian-American and know where to get the goods). My Aunt Vincenza, who works in lower Manhattan, got leads from her coworkers while I took to Facebook and messaged my Fordham friends and former coworkers (thanks Roseann and Jenn F.! ) With their helpful leads, our little tour was starting to take shape.
We put together an itinerary.
And early on a warm Sunday afternoon we packed up two SUVs with children, strollers and empty coolers with ice and made our way from Northern New Jersey through Staten Island to Dyker Heights/Bensonhurst with our sights set on the Holy Trinity of Italian-American delicacies:
-good pastries
-good pasta
-good bread
And we found them at the following establishments:
Villabate-Alba Pastry Shop & Bakery
7001 18th Avenue
(718) 331-8430
http://www.villabate.net/
Specializing in pastries, cookies, gelato and rice balls, the real showstoppers are their intricately designed cakes. There was a strawberry shortcake designed to look like a cheeseburger (complete with sesame seeds!), artfully arranged fruit torts and the daintiest flower petals piped onto a sunflower cake that seemed too pretty to think about consuming. Villabate-Alba is also known for their amazing cannolis which are filled with a special ricotta cheese imported from Sicily. And my hubs insists that you sip an espresso or cappuccino at their coffee bar while you await your pastry order being packed up.
Pastosa Ravioli
7425 New Utrecht Avenue (corner of Bay Ridge Parkway)
(718) 236-9615
http://www.pastosa.com
Their flyer boasts, “New York’s finest ravioli, fresh pasta and Italian specialties” and they are right on the money. We purchased fresh pizzas, pastas and sauces but if we had a little more room in our coolers, we would have purchased additional items like antipasto, seafood salad, chicken cacciatore, rice balls and fresh cheeses.
Mona Lisa Bakery
7717 13th Avenue
Their crusty peasant breads, Italian loaves and rolls were our main reason for stopping here.
Gino’s Foccaceria
7118 18th Avenue
(718) 232-9073
There’s nothing quite like Brooklyn pizza…..from Brooklyn! Gino’s did not disappoint. (Their rice balls were a hit with our group, as well!)
Frank & Sal’s
8008 18th Avenue
(718) 331-8100
http://www.frankandsals.com/
A little off the path from the other places we visited, we swear by Frank & Sal’s stuffed, boneless chicken (or pork) roasts made with fresh parsley and cheese. Another purveyor of all things Italian and AMAZING, this gourmet groceria/butcher/deli offers everything from prepared foods like chicken parm and stuffed artichokes to cheeses, meats and fresh produce.
After we bounced from store to store – taking a brief lunch break at Gino’s – we headed back to NJ with our coolers packed and our hearts happy, excited to cook up our purchases and share a big Sunday dinner together.
What did we come away with from this experience? Far more than full bellies.
As much as we appreciated the food, we also appreciated the culture of the neighborhood we visited. Many Italian-American social clubs lined 18th Avenue, and we took pleasure in seeing the elderly gentlemen of the members-only clubs enjoying a leisurely afternoon sitting, sipping wine and discussing sports/life/or where to get the best sopresetta in town. The store clerks of the businesses we visited were more than happy to talk to us about their products, how they’re made and answer our questions about the neighborhood. And I was happy for my 2 year old to get out of the suburbs a bit and experience city life.
Interested in pursuing your own culinary walking tour? Here are mom a la mode’s tips:
Do your research. Get ideas and tips on where to go from friends and family familiar with the area. (If you’re heading to Brooklyn, print out this guide!)
Pack a cooler. Especially if you are planning your trek in the summer months, you’ll need a large, empty cooler with ice to keep your highly perishable purchases cool.
Bring your GPS. iPhone users, just use your Map app – by popping in the street addresses of each establishment we were easily able to navigate and get walking directions.
Trust your gut. Something told us to pop into Gino’s for lunch – it wasn’t on our initial list. It was SO worth it! Similarly, my hubs wanted to pop in to Queen Anne Ravioli – the extra large rigatoni (aka “sewer pipes”) he purchased turned out to be quite stellar.
Bring supplies. Pack disposable forks, knives, paper napkins and plates in case you want to sample and share amongst yourselves. Also, be sure to pack water!
Parking is tough. Prepare yourself to circle the block a bit. Best to have dad drop the troops off and continue his search for street parking.
Dress comfortably. You are on a walking adventure – wear comfy shoes and breathable clothes. Packing a small umbrella is probably a good idea, too.
{The opinions expressed in this post are solely mine. I was not compensated in any way.}
Jim D says
I’m hungry again!!! Let’s go back….maybe Arthur Ave.