Some publication just named Cleveland’s Little Italy the #3 Little Italy in the world, behind New York and San Diego (?).
Cleveland’s Little Italy made our list for its contributions to Italian culture. In addition to all the restaurants, the area claims a lot of firsts. Cleveland’s Little Italy was the site of the first Italian restaurant in Ohio. The first pasta machine was invented here, patented in 1906. And, if the stories are to be believed, the area was a major base of operations for that other Italian import, the Mafia. Finally, the area is the site of the first restaurant of a major celebrity chef: The one and only Chef Boyardee.
Being the resident Italian here at BLACKHEARTCleveland, couple thoughts. Of their list, I’ve only been to New Yorks’ Little Italy, and having lived in Cleveland’s Little Italy during law school, I am confident saying that New York makes the top of the list on reputation only.
New York’s Little Italy feels like Italian Disneyland. It’s past immensity is gone, whittled down to a couple blocks of Mulberry Street, as the Italians moved out, and the surrounding Chinatown took over. (which, btw, is the most incredible Chinatown I’ve ever seen. If this place was once filled with Italians, WOW. It sprawls. Feels like you’re in another country). But the remaining Italian-ness of the place feels forced. I’ve eaten at a couple of places on Mulberry Street, and this Guido ain’t impressed.
Some exceptions, of course! There’s a pizza place named Sal’s at Mott & Broome which is DA BOMB - flattest thin crust pizza this side of crepe paper. There’s a pretty amazing bakery just off Mulberry, Ferarra, which is as old school as it gets. Their canoli is great.
However, Cleveland’s Little Italy is still a neighborhood with actual Italians in it. Murray Hill still has the homes with the Virgin Mary statues, the Feast of the Assumption gets bigger every year. The restaurants? Eh. They’re o.k. Largely because they can’t compete with the Italian moms and grandmas down the street.
But what really makes Little Italy in Cleveland still genuine is not something this Italian is proud of. It’s still, to this day, a no go area for African Americans. I can’t tell you how much this saddens me. I had numerous run-ins with this during law school, and I fought it like a good law student would, especially one who doesn’t like his heritage besmirched by a bunch of morons living in another century. Times are changing, though. They can’t change fast enough.
Either way, Cleveland’s Little Italy is the real deal. New York’s must have been something to behold in the day, but it ain’t “the day” anymore.
