`
Travelin' Cousins
  • Home
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Media Kit
    • Press >
      • October 2018 Press
    • Contact
  • The "Almost" Daily Scoop
  • Travel Articles
    • Travel Adventures Articles
    • Throwback Thursdays >
      • Elisa's Throwback China Trip Adventure
    • Foodie Fridays
    • Travelin' The NYC Outer Boroughs with Elisa
    • Walt Disney World Wednesdays
  • Things To Do
    • Entertainment Reviews
    • New York Area
    • Southern California Area
  • Where to Stay and Things to Do
  • Where to Dine Vegan
  • Fun Fact & Travel Trivia Articles
    • Fun Facts List Directory
  • Tanya's Photo Gallery
    • Pictures from Auschwitz/Birkenau - WARNING: Mature Content/Depressing Images
  • Elisa's Photo Gallery
  • Travel Tips
    • Know Before ya Go

July 18, 2020 - An Evening at “Piazza di Belmont” on Arthur Avenue in The Bronx

7/18/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Tanya's Scoop 
Covering the West Coast & the World
CURRENTLY IN:  KITTY HAWK, NORTH CAROLINA
Stay tuned for more from Travelin' Tanya!
Picture
Picture
Elisa's Scoop 
Covering Long Island & NYC Boroughs 
CURRENTLY IN: LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK
Happy Saturday! We are back in the swing here on Travelin' Cousins after a four month hiatus. 

Tanya is traveling along the east coast over the next week, currently enjoying time with family in Virginia Beach.  As for me, I'm stoked as ever for so many upcoming blogs and travel stories about local travel.  

Although it is true that we are all still in a cautious mode about getting out and quite mindful of social distancing and facial protection, one thing is for certain -- it is Summer!! And years, decades and centuries of the tradition of summer vacation is a hard mindset to break. While many of us are choosing not to travel far or at all, that doesn't mean that we cannot enjoy the pleasures and sites in our local area.

If you have followed me for a while, you know how committed I am to getting the word out near and far about the wonders of New York City's "Outer Boroughs." With so much to see and do throughout the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Long Island, I believe wholeheartedly that everyone in the New York Tri-State area (and our visitors!) can fill their calendars with fun and stimulating local trips and daycations without going very far. 

So, stay tuned as I ramp up with an ongoing list of ways to explore the outer boroughs and take you along with me via my "Scoop" as well as my column here on Travelin' Cousins, Weekends are Better in The NYC Outer Boroughs with Elisa.

Picture
Arthur Avenue in The Bronx (c) travelincousins.com
Speaking of embracing the outer boroughs...

Let's take a look at what's happening in the Belmont section of the Bronx, better known as Little Italy. With the continued focus on outdoor dining in NYC, The Belmont Business Improvement District (BID) in the Bronx, just launched “Piazza di Belmont” on Arthur Avenue. For those that love the "piazza" feel of Italy, where streets are closed off to vehicular traffic, and walking around freely is possible, Arthur Avenue is the place for you this summer!

For the first time ever and as part of New York City's reopening, each weekend evening this summer from Thursday to Sunday Bronx Little Italy has partnered with Sam Schwartz, former NYC Traffic Commissioner, to create their first-ever piazza-style dedicated al fresco dining plan between East 188th Street and Crescent Avenue.

"The plan incorporates health and safety protocols, six feet spacing between tables, signage for pedestrians, temporary street closures during the weekend evenings and more. Approved by the Department of Transportation, “Piazza di Belmont” creates a glorious, European-style outdoor dining experience," according to a recent press release from BID.

As huge Arthur Avenue fans, me and my gang made our way to the Bronx from Long Island last night to experience things first-hand. Since the street is closed to vehicular traffic Thursdays to Saturdays from 6 pm to 10 pm (and Sunday 1 pm to 9:30 pm), we wanted to get there a bit prior because I wasn't sure what to expect in the way of parking. There are municipal lots, however, we were lucky enough to find street parking less than a block away from Arthur Avenue and our destination restaurant, Enzo's of Arthur Avenue. 
Bronx Little Italy’s neighborhood outdoor dining plan feature over 25 restaurants, eateries and local businesses, including Ann & Tony’s, Antonio’s Trattoria, Arthur Avenue Fiasco, Azgardz, Bronx Beer Hall, Café Nocciola, Cka Ka Qellu, Emilia’s Restaurant, Enzo’s of Arthur Avenue, Estrellita Poblana III, Gerbasi Ristorante, Gurra Café, Mario’s Restaurant, Mike’s Deli, Michaelangelo’s, Pasquale’s Rigoletto Restaurant, San Gennaro Restaurant, Tapas Italiano, Tino’s Deli, Zero Otto Nove, among others. Clearly, one can visit regularly this summer, getting a taste (no pun intended) of the variety of restaurants that make up this historic, multi-generational neighborhood.

And, while selecting a restaurant in "The Real Little Italy" is never easy because they are all so good, I had wanted to dine at Enzo's for quite some time. Not only because of their reputation for delectable food and their selection of homemade pasta options, but because of the amazing story behind the current owner, Maria di Rende.
Picture
Enzo's of Arthur Avenue's outdoor dining (c) travelincousins.com
As the mother of five school-aged daughters, (one of which is attending my alma mater, Fordham University in The Bronx!), Maria runs the successful restaurant that she and her husband opened in 2005. Named for her husband, Enzo, a graduate of Fordham University and the Culinary Institute of America, the restaurant first began as a café with 40 seats, and grew into one of the most popular restaurants on Arthur Avenue, seating up to 200 patrons. It is oftentimes listed on “where to dine” stories about Little Italy in the Bronx.

Both Maria and Enzo grew up the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx, each coming from multi-generational families that owned local shops on Arthur Avenue, so they were well positioned for success, which they certainly enjoyed!

Sadly, tragedy hit the di Rende family when Enzo was diagnosed with prostate cancer and passed away at age 46 about two years ago. When Enzo passed, Maria and her family, along with the entire staff, promised to work together to continue their family’s original vision and make sure the restaurant would succeed.

As a single mom, Maria is not only a shining example of a successful small business owner, but a role model for women, and especially moms, of what is possible when one puts their heart, soul and hard work into their business.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Maria for a story I will be featuring in the next few weeks featuring a number of Arthur Avenue businesses and they are faring in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic, business closures and re-openings. Aside from her soft spoken demeanor and gracious manner, Maria is an inspiration for how she was able to get through such a personal tragedy and push forward successfully on both the home front and the work front. 

My sit-down, however, did not include eating and of course, that was something that I was intent on doing at Enzo's! As a single mom and blogger, I try to bring my own teenage daughters with me on story excursions whenever possible and a trip to Arthur Avenue was not one I had to persuade them to do. My girls love everything about the Bronx Belmont neighborhood and the eating experience tops the list.

We had a new addition to our usual trio and our dinner at Enzo's last night - Gianna's boyfriend Tyler, who had never been to Little Italy. 

The outdoor seating was very inviting and with the absence of cars driving by, it was quiet and calm. Wait staff, of course were donned with masks (which I'm sure is not the most comfortable way to take orders, wait on patrons and serve food, but they made it look easy with their extra friendly attitude and high level attention.
Picture
Gianna eating her artichoke (c) travelincousins.com
​My crowd is a pasta crowd, so, while Enzo's menu is quite extensive and there were number of meat and seafood specials, we ordered pretty basic. But, let me assure you, there was nothing basic about the taste, flavor or preparation.

We ordered two appetizers after indulging in not one, but two baskets of bread. Enzo's olive bread is to die for!! So soft, fresh and the olives literally fall apart in your mouth. The Stuffed Artichoke was a culinary work of art to look at, filled with different textures and colors and Gianna devoured it. The kids also did a number on the Fried Calamari, served with tomato sauce. I was worried that they may not have room for their mains.  But, that didn't happen!
Picture
Fried Calamari (c) travelincousins.com
Picture
Yummy, fresh bread - Enzo's olive bread was to die for!! (c) travelincousins.com
Picture
Spaghetti Pesto (c) travelincousins.com
Picture
Spaghetti and Meatballs (c) travelincousins.com
Picture
Jumbo cheese ravioli (c) travelincousins.com
Picture
Orrechiette and Broccoli Rabe (c) travelincousins.com
Our order included: Spaghetti with Pesto Sauce, Spaghetti and Meatballs , Ravioli and for me (the group vegan), I had my all-time favorite Orrechiette with Broccoli Rabe. The original preparation includes sausage, which I asked them to omit. 
It should be noted again, as per above, all of the pastas are homemade and oh, so good!!!

I'm going to let the photos speak for themselves! We were lucky that the weather cooperated for an evening of al fresco dining - a lovely breeze filled the air along with the aroma of the best Italian food in all of New York!!

Try to venture to Arthur Avenue for a delicious night of al fresco dining this summer!

-Travelin' Elisa
xoxo

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Our Blog 

    Travel around the world
    ​and the NYC outer boroughs everyday!

    Subscribe

    * indicates required
    /* real people should not fill this in and expect good things - do not remove this or risk form bot signups */

    Intuit Mailchimp

    Categories

    All
    15-cool-facts-about-lititz
    15-cool-facts-about-maui
    15-fabulous-facts-about-kauai
    15-facts-about-boca-raton
    15-facts-about-boston
    15-facts-about-bratislava
    15 Facts About Friday The 13th
    15-facts-about-luna-park
    15-facts-about-niagara-falls
    15-facts-about-norway
    15-facts-about-prague
    15-facts-about-sea-turtles
    15factsaboutstpatrick
    15-facts-about-st-patrick
    15-facts-about-st-thomas-usvi
    15-facts-about-st-valentines-day
    15-facts-about-the-grand-tetons
    15-facts-about-yellowstone-national-park
    15-fun-facts-about-horses
    15-fun-facts-about-lancaster
    15 Fun Facts About Pancakes
    15-fun-facts-about-paris
    15-fun-facts-about-potatoes
    15 Fun Facts For April Fools Day Around The World
    15-longest-running-broadway-shows
    15 Most Interesting Facts About Las Vegas
    15-things-to-do-in-mendocino
    15-top-facts-about-doughnuts
    15-top-unsafe-cities-in-the-world-for-female-travelers
    15-valentines-day-facts
    16-cool-facts-about-breckenridge
    16factsaboutmonterey
    16-fun-facts-about-death-valley-national-park
    16-fun-facts-about-moab
    16-nutty-facts-about-pistachios
    16-of-the-most-interesting-facts-about-montreal
    16-of-the-most-interesting-facts-about-quebec
    17-mile-drive
    1st-blog-post
    2016-in-review
    40-cities-in-2015
    52-places-to-go-in-2015
    5traveljournalingtips
    Adventureland-long-island
    African-american-museum
    Afternoon-tea
    Ahwahnee-hotel
    A-la-carte-cooking-school-long-island
    Alanis Morissette
    Alaska-national-parks
    Albany
    Albuquerque
    Albuquerque-balloon-fiesta
    Algarve
    Altitude-sickness
    Andorra
    Angelas-house
    Animal-kingdom
    Antelope-canyon
    Aquarium-of-the-pacific
    Arbor-day
    Arches-national-park
    Arizona
    Arroyo Seco
    Arthur-avenue-bronx
    Auschwitz
    Austria
    A-vegan-thanksgiving
    Azores
    Balloon-festival
    Barbados
    Barcelona
    Beach-day
    Being-happy
    Belgium
    Best-ski-resorts-for-families
    Bethenny-frankel
    Bethpage-air-show
    Beverly-hills
    Beverly-hills-hotel
    Big-apple-circus
    Big-sur
    Bike-nyc
    Bike-the-bay
    Biking
    Bilbao
    Birthdays
    Black-history-month
    Blog-anniversary
    Boston
    Boticas
    Bratislava
    Breckenridge
    Bridges-around-the-world
    Brontosaurus-roadside-attraction
    Brugge
    Bryce-canyon-np
    Budapest
    Butterfly-wonderland
    CA
    Canada
    Canoe-races
    Car-free-townsvillages
    Caribbean
    Carlsbad-caverns-np
    Carnac
    Catalina-island
    Chamonix
    Chateau-marmont
    Chaves
    Cheap-airfare
    Cherry-crest-adventure-farm
    Chicago
    Chicago-cubs
    China-cruises
    Chinese-new-year
    Christmas-in-florida
    Christmas-prep
    Christmas-time-in-nyc
    Christmastime-in-san-diego
    Christmasy-fun-things-to-do
    Christopher-byrne
    Cincinnati
    Cinnaholic
    Clearwater
    Co
    Colorado
    Colorado-bbs
    Colorado-state-capitol
    Community-service
    Coney-island
    Cortinadampezzo
    Cortina-dampezzo
    Cotswolds
    Crater-lake
    Crestline
    Croatia
    Crossroads-kitchen
    Cruises
    Cyber-monday-sales
    Cycling
    Death-valley
    Denver
    Dinosaur-ridge
    Disneyland
    Disney-world
    Disney-world-attractions
    Dog-sledding
    Dutch-wonderland
    Earth-day
    Easter
    Eastern-europe
    Eastern-europe-rail-trip
    Eclipse-2017
    Edinburgh
    Eiffel-tower
    Elisas-2014-christmas-card
    El-matador-state-beach
    England
    Eventsfestivals
    Expo-west
    Facts-about-halloween
    Facts-and-festivals-all-about-beer
    Fall-festivals
    Fao-schwarz
    Fire-cracker-ride
    Fis-alpine-world-ski-competition
    Fis-snowboard-world-cup
    Fitness-challenge
    Fl
    Flowers
    Foodiefriday
    Foodie-friday
    Fort-bragg
    Four-corners
    Fourth-of-july-celebrations
    France
    Friends-or-soul-mates
    Fun-stuff-to-do
    Galway
    Game-capture-adventure-in-the-s-african-bush-part-1
    Geneva
    Gladiator-rock-n-run
    Going-to-the-azores
    Goleta-butterfly-grove
    Grand-canyon
    Grand-cayman
    Grand-tetons-national-park
    Granfondo
    Great-salt-lake
    Great-views
    Groundhog-day
    Guadix
    Guest-blogger-jason-biondo
    Guest-blogger-kaye-perron
    Guest-blogger-oscar-waterworth
    Hallockvillemuseumfarm
    Halloween
    Harry-potter
    Hawaii
    Hawaii-national-parks
    Hempstead
    High-roller
    Hiking
    Holy-door
    Honduras
    Horses
    Horse-shoe-bend
    Hot-air-balloon-ride
    Hotel-travel-tips
    Hsi-lai-temple
    Huntington-gardens
    Iceland
    Idaho-falls
    Inca-trail
    Innsbruck
    Inspiration
    International-snow-sculpture-championships
    Ireland
    Irvine-global-festival
    Italy
    Jersey-boys-the-movie
    Jones-beach-holiday-light-spectacular
    Jones-beach-ny
    Joshua-tree-national-park
    Julius-sturgis-pretzel-factory
    Kakawa-chocolate-house
    Kalalau-trail
    Katy-perry
    Kauai
    Keystone-ski-resort
    Killarney
    Kings-canyon-sequioa-national-park
    Kings Of Leon
    Kirkwood
    Kitzbuhel
    Krakow
    Labor-day-weekend
    La-fair
    Lake-dillon
    Lake-tahoe
    Lancaster-county
    Las-vegas
    Lipsense
    Little-italy-bronx
    Little-italy-festa
    Locks-of-love
    London
    Long-beach-marathon
    Long-flight-tips
    Long-island
    Long-island-museums
    Loretto-chapel
    Los-angeles
    Los-angeles-county-fair
    Love-letters-broadway
    Love-or-fear
    Luau
    Luna-park
    Luxembourg
    Macaron-crawl-nyc
    Macaron-crawl-vlogs
    Macys-thanksgiving-day-parade
    Makeawish-foundation
    Making-a-difference
    Manzanar
    Maritime-museum
    Maritime-museum-of-san-diego
    Maui
    Memorial-day-wkd
    Mendocino
    Mendocino-ca
    Mesquite
    Michele-16-lemon-drop-cookies
    Michele-16-you-tube
    Midway
    Milwaukee
    Mlb
    Mlb-all-star-game
    MLB Spring Training
    Moab
    Moby
    Mono Lake
    Monterey
    Montmorency-falls
    Montreal
    Mont-st-michel
    Monttremblant
    Monument-valley
    Morro Rock
    Mothers-day
    Mountain Biking
    Mount-rainier-national-park
    Multnomah-falls
    Museum-of-the-city-of-new-york
    Muzeo
    National-balloon-festival
    National-empanada-day
    National-ice-cream-sunday
    National-parks-grand-tetons
    National-parks-week
    National-pretzel-day
    Neon-museum
    New Hampshire
    New-jersey-state-capital
    New-mexico
    Newport-beach-boat-parade
    Niagara-falls
    Nv
    Nv-to-anaheim
    Ny
    Nyc
    Nyc-columbus-day-parade
    Nyc-food-wine-festival
    Oahu
    Oakland
    Ojai
    Oldest-grocery-store-in-north-america
    Olympic-national-park
    Olympic-training-park
    Once-upon-a-time
    One-republic
    One-world-observatory
    Online-card-retailers
    Oregon
    Oregon-state-capitol
    Oslo
    Outer-hebrides
    Pa
    Packing
    Paris
    Park City
    Pasadena-rose-parade
    Pasadena-rose-parade
    Passports
    Patriot-day
    Philly
    Piazza-novona
    Pittsburgh
    Plunge-at-ganesvoort-meatpacking-nyc
    Poland
    Portland
    Portugal
    Prague
    Presidents-day-facts
    Puerto-rico
    Pumpkins
    Quebec-city
    Quebec-winter-carnaval
    Queens
    Quogue-wildlife-refuge
    Radio-city-christmas-spectacular
    Ramblewild
    Raynham-hall-museum
    Recap-of-2015
    Red-bull-air-races
    Reno
    Ring-of-kerry
    Rise-of-the-jackolanterns
    Road-trip
    Road-trip-reno
    Robert Plant
    Rock-center-cafe
    Rock-climbing
    Rocky-mountain-national-park
    Romance
    Rome
    Ronalds-donuts
    Roosevelt-field
    Route-66
    Rustic-wedding
    Sacred-sites
    Sad-sam-and-honey
    Saguaro-national-park
    Saint-malo
    Saks-fifth-avenue-holiday-window-display
    Salt-lake-city
    San Diego
    San Francisco
    San-marino
    Santa-barbara
    Santa-fe
    Sao-miguel
    Sapelos
    Scotland
    Scottsdale
    Sea-otter-classic
    Sea-otter-classic
    Sedona
    Seven-magic-mountains
    Seville
    Shark-attacks
    Silly-stuff
    Sixth-street-bridge
    Skellig-michael
    Skiing
    Skiing-on-a-budget
    Ski-resorts
    Small-business-saturday
    Snugharborinn
    Solvang
    Spain
    Stanford-inn
    St-augustine
    Staying-fit-while-traveling-is-easy
    St-kitts
    St-lucia
    St-maartenst-martin
    St-moritz
    St-moritz1c7c0e8bc8
    St-nicholas-day
    Stonehenge
    St-patricks-cathedral
    St-patricks-day
    St-thomas
    St-thomasc3d62a8e96
    Surprises
    Switzerland
    Tanyas-photo-shoots
    Taos
    Tbt
    Tbt-october
    Terceira
    The-audience
    The-butchers-son
    The-cyclone
    The-oscars
    The-press-at-ink-48
    Things-to-do-in-nyc
    Things-to-do-on-valentines-day
    Thomas-edison-memorial-tower
    Throwback-thursday
    Tiny-prints
    Top-15-facts-about-barbados
    Top-15-facts-about-puerto-rico
    Top-15-facts-about-san-diego
    Top-15-facts-about-st-kitts
    Top-15-facts-about-st-lucia
    Top-15-facts-about-st-martin
    Top-15-fun-facts-about-oregon
    Top-15-fun-facts-about-san-diego
    Top15placestovisitinireland
    Top-15-tips-for-disney-world-travel
    Top-6-activities-in-maui
    Toronto
    Traveling-with-kids
    Travelin-traditions
    Travelin-tuesday
    Travis-barker
    Trekking
    Tucson
    Turkey-hill-experience
    Turtle-bay
    Unesco
    Universal-studios
    Us-open
    Uss-iowa
    Ut
    Utah
    Vail
    Val-disere
    Vanderbilt-museum-long-island
    Vegan
    Vegan-airline-food
    Vegan Bakeries
    Vegan-beer-food-festival
    Vegan-festival
    Vegan-food-tour
    Vegan-food-tour
    Veganism
    Vegan Luau
    Vegan Road Trip
    Vegan-street-fest
    Vegan Treats
    Vegan-trip-planning
    Venice
    Veterans-day
    Vienna
    Voodoo-doughnuts
    W2gw
    W2gw-april
    W2gw-aprild35aa9cb07
    W2gw-august
    W2gw-december
    W2gw-january
    W2gw-july
    W2gw-june
    W2gw-november
    W2gw-november85b7ba28ba
    W2gw-october
    W2gw-september
    WCOPA
    Weddings
    Wengen
    West-coast-trail
    Where-to-go-wednesdays
    Where-to-go-wednesdays-june
    Where-to-go-wednesdays-september
    White-sands-national-monument
    Wild-horses
    Winnie-the-pooh
    Wondercon
    World-best-shopping-cities
    Worst-tour-companies
    Wynn
    Yellowstone-national-park
    York
    Yosemite-national-park
    Zermatt

    Archives

    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014

    Blog Directory & Business Pages - OnToplist.com
The Scoop Blog
Travel Adventure Articles
Travelin' the NYC Outer Boroughs with Elisa
Walt Disney World Wednesdays
Travel Resource Guide
Vegan Dining Guide

                                                      
Fun Fact and Travel Trivia Articles
Elisa and Tanya's Favorites
Travel Tips - Know Before You Go
​
About
​Contact Us 
​Media Kit 
​
All of the photos on Travelin Cousins are taken by the Travelin’ Cousins Photographers unless otherwise noted. If you wish to use any content from Travelin Cousins please credit and link to the source or request permission by email.
(c) Travelin' Cousins 2020 -2024 All Rights Reserved