Christmas on Arthur Ave.: a holiday table bursting with ‘goodies’
BY ALEX MITCHELL
As one can imagine, parking
will be scarce in and
around Arthur Avenue during
the next few days.
This old fashioned, Italian
section is putting its fi nishing
touches on Christmas
and other holiday traditions
that draw people from all over
America to appreciate and enjoy.
Fortunately for many fi rst
timers, Danielle Oteri can be
of some much needed assistance.
She runs a taste-testing
tour of Arthur Avenue’s best
bakeries, pastry shops, Italian
delis and much more.
Naturally, she calls it the
Arthur Avenue Food Tours.
While her Belmont tours
run all year long, Oteri says
there’s just nothing like Arthur
Avenue at Christmastime.
It begins at the Arthur Avenue
Retail Market, which
has proverbially ‘decked the
halls’ as far as the eye can
see.
As a matter of fact, inside
the market is enough panettone
cake to feed the crew of a
navel vessel on a trans-Atlantic
voyage.
First Oteri stops at Egidio
The Christmas baskets awaiting pickup at Joe’s. Schneps Community News Group/Alex Mitchell
Pastry Shop on the corner of
Hughes Avenue and East 187th
Street. While she explains
the shop’s history since 1912,
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, D 16 ECEMBER 21-27, 2018 BTR
Chris Borgatti with handmade lasagna
in hand.
Schneps Community News Group/Alex
Mitchell
The Arthur Avenue Retail Market.
Schneps Community News Group/Alex Mitchell
other shoppers fl ock to the
special Christmas section of
fi g cookies, roccoco, torrone,
and…more panettone.
Next on the list is a shop
that’s a bit more savory, Borgatti’s
Ravioli & Egg Noodles.
Famous for his handcrafted
ravioli and other
cheese-based pastas, the
store’s owner Chris Borgatti
is in the midst of his busy season.
Up next is a cheese lover’s
paradise by the name of Joe’s
Oteri (l) shows tourists the history of Egidio Pastry Shop.
Schneps Community News Group/Alex Mitchell
The counter of Joe’s Italian Deli. Schneps Community News Group/Alex Mitchell
Italian Deli at 685 E. 187th
Street.
Reputed for some of the
best mozzarella in the city,
the deli is known best by locals
and FDNY members.
“Honestly, if you want to
know where all the good stuff
is, just follow the fi refi ghters,”
Oteri seriously joked.
The walls, up and down at
Joe’s, are fi lled with Christmas
baskets packed with
cheeses, sauce, olive oil, quality
Italian meats and more
waiting for pickup.
After a few more stops, the
tour returns to the festive retail
market where Oteri offers
old-fashioned grandma,
square pizza and a chicken
parmesan hero from Café Al
Mercato to those who came
along for the ride.
This reporter suggests
that anyone still needing to
get holiday shopping done on
Arthur Avenue not prolong it
past 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
Buon Natale.