Food

One important aspect of the Italian culture is the food. Immigrants both maintained and adapted ingredients and dishes from their homeland. They were able to do this because of the stores, in what was then Five Points, that sold ingredients they were familiar with.² The Italian-American cuisine that developed is mostly Southern Italian and commonly includes items such as garlic, olive oil, tomato sauce, risotto, pasta, and pizza. This cuisine that developed is partially due to the fact that now the immigrants were able to afford and use more abundantly foods that they couldn’t back home in Italy. They no longer had to limit or restrict themselves as much, leading to the large and filling dishes we associate with Italian cooking today.³

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Established Food Businesses:

Alleva Dairy was established in Little Italy in 1892 and prides itself on being “the oldest Italian cheese store in America.” They continue to make fresh ricotta and mozzarella as well as carry a variety of other specialty Italian items including olive oil and meat products.⁴

Outside of Alleva Dairy (Kaur)

Ferrara Bakery was also established in 1892. They sell a variety of traditional Italian pastries and desserts such as cannolis, tiramisu, and panettone.⁵

Pastries at Ferrara (Arama)

Arama

Lombardi’s Pizzeria opened in 1897. The immigrant who established it reinvented a Napoletana food to become what we now refer to as pizza. Their claim to fame is being America’s First Pizzeria.⁶

Pizza at Lombardi’s Source

All of these places which have been around for over 100 years show how Italian immigrants brought and reinvented the foods that were familiar to them to the Lower East Side.