Since its founding, the Belmont section of the Bronx, fondly known as Bronx Little Italy, has been a critical part in the development of the borough and city. An economic as well as a cultural engine, Belmont hosts thousands of regional and local shoppers as well as domestic and international tourists every year, making it one of the busiest and best-known communities of NYC.

The authentic Italian culture found in the vibrant community of Bronx Little Italy sustains a thriving business district that includes world-class restaurants, high-quality artisanal food shops, and specialty stores carrying handmade local and imported items that you’d be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. Charming old-world ambiance emanates from the generations of Italian families who continue to give the area a welcoming small-town character that is unique for an urban setting.

Over the years the neighborhood has provided inspiration for a number of films including the 1955 Best Picture Academy Award winner, “Marty,” the 1970’s film “The Seven-Ups,” and the 1990’s classic “A Bronx Tale.” A handful of celebrities and notables have been raised in the neighborhood including Academy Award-winning actress Anne Bancroft, “A Bronx Tale” writer and actor Chazz Palminteri, “The Sopranos” and “The Godfather: Part II” actor Dominic Chianese, author Don DiLillo, and rock star Dion DiMucci, of Dion and the Belmonts. Upon moving to the Bronx, Larry Chance formed his group, The Earls, and Joe Pesci began his acting career after being discovered by Robert DeNiro at a local neighborhood restaurant, where Pesci worked as the maitre’d.

Most of all, it is Arthur Avenue’s authentic dining experience that delights visitors year after year. Where else can you take a short walk and discover such a wealth and breadth of fine Italian delicacies at your fingertips? Within a few footsteps in this beloved New York neighborhood, you can revel in some of the most authentic cuisine, culture, and commodities outside of Italy. Guests from across the globe come to sample the tastes and traditions of this extraordinary community, home to numerous businesses that are still owned and operated by the same families that started them over a century ago.

We pride ourselves on all we have to offer. All who explore the neighborhood encounter an eclectic mix of inviting shops, friendly faces, and a pervading spirit of communal living, common ancestry, and inter-generational cooperation.

Whether you come to the area for shopping, dining, one of our exciting events, or after a visit to the Bronx Zoo, New York Botanical Garden, or Yankee Stadium, the Belmont Business Improvement District (BID) promises that it is worth the trip!