Little Italy is home to over 120 years of Italian culture. Established in 1885 Little Italy is a thriving community that values art and authentic Italian cuisine very highly. The contents of the neighborhood really do give it a feel of a miniature Italy in Cleveland. And this weekend, check out Little Italy’s June Art Walk on Fri 6/1, Sat 6/2 and Sun 6/3.
Little Italy has grown from its start by the group of Italian immigrants looking for a new life in America to a now bustling community of people of, not only Italian descent, but also other ethnicities. For such a small area, it has so much going on. There are a boatload of small, family owned businesses packed into the streets, similar to that of Tremont, but with an Italian flavor. With Mayfield road running right through it, it is very close to the Eastside suburbs and only 2 minutes down the road from Coventry, while still pretty close to downtown. This puts it in a great location for anyone on the Eastside to visit and not a huge distance from the west side either.
Everything in little Italy is very pretty; the homes, the buildings, and, especially, the arts. It has many galleries and boutiques full of clothes, portraits and other fine art.
The art in Little Italy is some of the best stuff in Cleveland. Some of these assorted, freestanding shops are scattered throughout Mayfield road in between restaurants, and many are housed in the Murray hill gallery building perpendicular to Mayfield road. In here you’ll find even more concentrated community of walk in galleries, boutiques, and offices with a lot of interesting materials. We walked in to a few of them, like the Anne Van H. boutique, and definitely saw some things you couldn’t find in any other spot in Cleveland. It was all professionally made, quality clothing and jewelry that looked very classy. Top notch stuff for the ladies.
The best part, in our opinions, is the food. With over 25 authentic restaurants, the Italian cuisine can be matched only by Italy itself. You will definitely not go hungry around this place. There are so many awesome places to get a pizza. People on the street recommended to us Valentino’s and others recommended Maxi’s. We couldn’t decide which to choose so instead we picked Mama Santa’s. We were certainly happy with the decision after we ate and we did not leave disappointed or hungry. There, you can get a large, pepperoni pizza for only $7.50. Better quality for a couple bucks less than your regular pizza chain store. When your done with your pizza, your pasta, or whatever tantalizing Italian dish you choose, you can head down the street to Presti’s bakery for great gelato and other Italian pastries.
From its cultured art, to its great cultural food, Little Italy is another awesome place to spend a beautiful day. If you’ve got a day free, we highly recommend you come to Little Italy, have a good meal, check out the cool shops, bring a date and soak in the Italian atmosphere.
http://www.LittleItalyCleveland.com
Video & story by Hawken students Nick Barnett & Jeremy Simmons
One Response to “VIDEO: Little Italy: Packed With Flavor”
Sue Marrone
Thanks for the plug. Hope to see you at the art walk, June 1,2,and 3