Where are the best Little Italys in America? You don't have to travel far to find them.

Gail Ciampa, Providence Journal
Updated ·2 min read

Federal Hill is one of the top Italian neighborhoods in the United States, according to Travel + Leisure. It ranked No. 3 after Boston (No. 1) and San Diego (No. 2). Providence came in ahead of Manhattan's Little Italy (No. 4) and South Philadelphia's Ninth Street Market (No. 5).

The influential media brand posted "The Five Best Little Italy Neighborhoods" on their website as a trip idea on Sept. 1. It said: "Come for a sense of community and stay for the cannoli."

Cobblestoned DePasquale Square, on Atwells Avenue in Providence’s Federal Hill, is a gathering place for diners and the neighborhood community. Federal Hill ranked No. 3 on a list of the best Little Italys in the U.S.
Cobblestoned DePasquale Square, on Atwells Avenue in Providence’s Federal Hill, is a gathering place for diners and the neighborhood community. Federal Hill ranked No. 3 on a list of the best Little Italys in the U.S.

The story was written by Giovanna Caravetta, a travel writer based in Southern California who has an Italian heritage. She said she gravitates toward "locally sourced restaurants, farmers markets, and family-owned pastry shops."

Caravetta noted that Federal Hill "has maintained its charm and continues to encapsulate the essence of a true Little Italy neighborhood through specialty stores like Venda Ravioli and Tony’s Colonial Foods, its pastry shops, and its classic Italian-American restaurants."

Tony DiCicco and his family run Tony's Colonial Foods, which sells everything from deli meats and cheeses to Italian imports, including pasta and stoneware.
Tony DiCicco and his family run Tony's Colonial Foods, which sells everything from deli meats and cheeses to Italian imports, including pasta and stoneware.

She also noted that the neighborhoods she chose have long served as unifying spaces. "Italian immigrants get to enjoy the community of fellow paesani, and the inviting atmosphere draws locals and tourists alike," she wrote.

Her suggestions included stopping by Scialo Brothers Bakery for a sfogliatella (a traditional pastry from Naples) or Italian cookies; dining at Il Massimo for spaghettoni alla carbonara; or enjoying the entirely Italian wine list at Pane e Vino.

Travel + Leisure noted both Atwells Avenue and Spruce Street for their markets and restaurants. You can find cannoli at Scialo's on Atwells, but this plate was found at Pastiche on Spruce Street.
Travel + Leisure noted both Atwells Avenue and Spruce Street for their markets and restaurants. You can find cannoli at Scialo's on Atwells, but this plate was found at Pastiche on Spruce Street.

As for the other selections, Caravetta chose Boston's North End as No. 1 on the list, writing, "it is emblematic of the enduring legacy Italian-American cuisine and culture have created." In selecting San Diego No. 2, she wrote that "with 48 square blocks of eateries, coffee shops, and local markets, San Diego is home to the most expansive Little Italy in the U.S."

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Noting that though "Lower Manhattan's Little Italy is today just a fraction of what it was in its glory days, it remains widely known." As for Philadelphia, she cited its Ninth Street Market as America’s oldest and most expansive open-air market.

Venda Ravioli has many choices for prepared foods on Federal Hill. The cafe and store was cited by Travel + Leisure as a place to shop.
Venda Ravioli has many choices for prepared foods on Federal Hill. The cafe and store was cited by Travel + Leisure as a place to shop.

The guide also included hotel suggestions for visits, and she named The Graduate and Hotel Providence as the choices for Providence.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Federal Hill is one of the five best Little Italys in America