It would be nice to have a list of Italian restaurants that Italians would say represent the kind of cooking they would get at home. What’s wrong with that?
Maybe we can find reasons to say this list might be biased or have an ulterior motive etc etc, but none of that matters as much to me as seeing if other Italians would agree with the restaurants on this list.
We already have enough lists of Italian restaurants that Americans say are good.
Not a darn thing. OP has quit the thread after starting it so we don’t know his/her thoughts.
I’ve not been to a single one of these places, but I am always searching for Italian restaurants in NYC or Philly that resemble what one would get in Italy (or Germany, for that matter).
It’s a rare find, for sure.
I guess there’s been enough convo over the years about I-A food vs. I food that I’d question their list. I remember someone commenting that many Italians had never heard of “clams casino” and I found out that it was invented in Rhode Island. So that’s a prejudice I carry forward. In addition, with Little Italy in NYC getting smaller all the time, I’d think that’s another strike against “authentic” food.
You often come across these “authentic” things turning out to be not authentic. Or, at least, not the authenticity first considerd
On a number of occasions, I’ve read folk referring to a chicken tikka masala they’ve eaten as being “authentic Indian”, not appreciating it was dish most probably invented in 1971 in Glasgow by a chef of Bangladeshi/Pakistani origin, not Indian. So, “authentic Scottish” then?
Hopefully y’all don’t have an India-UK food society 
Again, I’m not saying their recs aren’t legit; just not a strong degree of validity from my standpoint.
I like this piece about Little Italy eats.
When we visited Little Italy it was during the feast of San Gennaro. So, with the scenes in the Godfather fixed in our heads, there was no way we were eating anywhere else.
In similar vein and on the same trip, lunch in Chinatown was at Big Wong - it features regularly in the Kinky Friedman books of which I’m a fan.
John “Tourist & Proud” Harters
Oh gosh I have heard HIS name in a long time.
Off-topic from Italian but we’ve tended the last number of years to head to Flushing for Asian food.
Thanks for sharing this! I wish i could read the article too but at least I have a list of places to check out.
No one in their right mind goes to eat italian food in little italy in nyc. Well, aside from the tourists who don’t know any better.
We go to DiPalo’s and that’s it! We’ve had a couple of tasty meals in the Bronx. And, of course, outside of Little Italy.
If you’re in the neighborhood, take a cruise through Buon Italia in the Chelsea Market. The selection is on par with DiPalo (except for the mozzarella, which is emphatically not as good), but you won’t have to wait for service, which is what drives me nuts about DiPalo.
Thanks a million for that! I’m CRAVING a NYC visit. Gotta tell ya though, standing in that line and paying attention I learn a lot. Plus I know that when it’s my turn I’ll get the same amount of devoted attention. From Lou, Sal and Marie
As someone who does not need to taste 25 things to make a decision, THIS MEANS NOTHING TO ME. Sell me a ball of mozzarella and a container of roasted peppers and let me get the hell home. If I could get that caliber of cheese anywhere else (I’m looking at you, Alleva Dairy), I would. But I can’t.
Yes, but you live in the ‘promised land.’ We don’t so we wallow in the glory
It is nice here. I should be more sanguine about the nonsense.
Nah. When we lived in SF I got pretty much the same at time. Oh ho hum
This isn’t about Italian Americans, but about Italians traveling to the US. Why they would take the trouble and expense to travel all the way here and then want to eat Italian food they could more easily and cheaply get at home in Italy - is sort of confusing.
People have many reasons to travel abroad that don’t have anything to do with food.
There are Americans worldwide who still eat at McDonalds while traveling.
