South Philly Among the Best Little Italy Neighborhoods in the U.S.

Three young female friends sitting outdoor and eating pizza - Happy women having fun enjoying a day out on city street

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You don’t have to leave the U.S. to experience Italian culture and cuisine. There are vibrant Italian neighborhoods in various cities in the United States that offer traditional foods, music, festivals, and immersive cultural experiences.

Travel + Leisure magazine compiled a list of the best "Little Italy" neighborhoods in the U.S. Their choices span from New York, New York, to San Diego, California, and Providence, Rhode Island.

Philadelphia is number five on the list. More specifically, the magazine highlighted South Philly's Ninth Street Italian Market.

"As one of America's oldest and most expansive open-air markets, the Italian Market stretches across roughly ten blocks and offers an amalgamation of fresh produce, butcheries, bakeries, and more," they wrote.

Travel + Leisure also spotlights the culinary offerings of Ninth Street Italian Market. This includes Italian-inspired dishes from Angelo's Pizzeria, meats and cheeses from Di Bruno Bros., bread from Sarcone's Bakery, and shopping family-owned businesses.

According to the Italian Market's website, it holds a collection of nearly 200 individual businesses situated between two public parks and two churches. Their Market also spans over twenty city blocks including 8th, 9th, and 10th streets from Fitzwater Street to the north, through Wharton Street to the south. This year, they're holding an Italian Market Festival on May 18 and May 19. Visitors can enjoy many festival events, including live music, arts and crafts, a Grease Pole contest, and food throughout the market.

For over 100 years, Philadelphia's S. Ninth Street Italian Market Shopping District has been a community of immigrants, according to their website. "It is our hope that for the next 100 years, our market will continue to be a beacon of hope to achieving the American Dream for immigrants dedicated to serving the community, while continuing this unique shopping tradition," they wrote.

Check out T+L’s full list here and find out where else you can discover Little Italy in the U.S.

Food Italian philly

Kayla MorganEditor

Kayla is the midday host on Detroit’s 105.1 The Bounce. She started her career in radio back in 2016 as an intern at another Detroit station and worked her way here. She's made stops in Knoxville, TN, Omaha, Ne and other places before returning to Detroit. She’s done almost everything in radio from promotions to web, creating content on social media, you name it. She’s a true Michigander, born and raised. So, you can catch her camping or vacationing up north to exploring the downtown Detroit or maybe even catching a sports game. During her free time, Kayla enjoys watching movies, roller-skating, crafting, and music festivals. She and her husband together dip into many of the great things Michigan has to offer. Together they also like to travel. A few hobbies of hers include wine and beer tastings, crafting, hiking, roller skating, movies, home improvement projects, gardening, and festivals. She’s always looking to take on more local events happening in the community. She loves connecting with the community. When writing, Kayla covers topics including lifestyle, pop culture, trending stories, hacks, and urban culture.