Italian Enclave Spotlight: South Brooklyn

Thanks to the hard work of Italian Enclaves society member and major contributor, Michael Grillo, we now have a living document that can showcase the Italian American businesses in South Brooklyn that supports our popular hashtag: #SupportItalianAmericanBusinesses.

As we begin to embark on the cold days of winter during these unprecedented times it is now more important than ever to support our Italian American businesses. These businesses, often in the same family for generations are the lifeblood of our Italian American community. The goods and services provided by these establishments have made so many of our family celebrations special.
At Italian Enclaves we are committed to doing our part to ensure that these businesses thrive and are here for us once the pandemic is over. We hope that by bringing attention to these businesses we will introduce them to a whole new base of people.

We encourage our followers to write in about the businesses that make up their Italian American experience. Let’s work together to spotlight these institutions all across the country. Let us know about the places in your enclaves. Each business includes an address and we’ve done our best to link a website for those that have provided them. Many of these places have instituted very stringent Covid precautions, offer shipping and/or curbside pick up. We encourage you to take a ride or place an order at any of the following venerable establishments.

The first enclave that we are going to highlight are the South Brooklyn neighborhoods of Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, Dyker Heights and Graves End. While demographics in all our cities shift to encompass more groups, these neighborhoods retain an Italian influence and have some of the best offerings of Italian Products outside of Italy. We were impressed by the sheer amount of Italian shops in these enclaves. The list below are not paid advertisements. They are simply to encourage people to try a place they might not have or come back to an old favorite. The list includes grocery stores, specialty shops, eateries, bakeries, clothing stores, coffee roasters and more. Look for a future piece on these neighborhoods’ wonderful Italian Eateries.

Some of the best Italian grocery stores are located in the heart of Italian South Brooklyn. The following places, listed in no particular order offer an abundance of well stocked and highly authentic Italian goods. Walking into any of these stores affords the customer an opportunity to buy products often only found in Italy. Offering imported and domestic meats and cheeses, olives, dry goods ( pasta, risotto, beans, etc.), extra virgin olive oil, vinegars, homemade breads, fruits and vegetables, house made sausage, house made pastas and stuffed pastas such as ravioli, tortellini, etc., canned tuna, sardines, and anchovies, and other imported Italian specialty beauty and cleaning products and delicacies.

A.L.C. Italian Grocery 8613 3rd Ave
D. Coluccio & Sons 1214-20 60th St Between 12th &, 13th Ave,
La Bella Marketplace 7907 13th Ave
Pastosa Ravioli 7425 New Utrecht Ave
Frank & Sal Prime Meat 8008 18th Ave
Papa Pasquale Ravioli Co. 7817 15th Ave

No Italian American neighborhood is complete without the quintessential butcher shop and Pork Store. Brooklyn has no shortage of the most authentic. Whether you are in the market for an organic thinly sliced cutlet,the most primes cut of beef or the most obscure specialty these shops offer it all.

B & A Pork Store 7907 13th Ave
Bari Pork Store 6319 18th Ave
ROMEO MEATS 7801 15th Ave
Landi’s Pork Store 5909 Avenue N
Faicco’s Pork Store 6511 11th Ave
Anthony’s Butcher & Deli 7324 3rd Ave
G & S Salumeria & Pork Store 2611 Avenue U
La Torre Brothers Pork Store 4518 Avenue N
Steve’s II Pork Store & Salumeria 1602 Bath Ave
Tribuzio Meat Market 7714 18th Ave

No meal is complete without fresh pasta. While many of the aforementioned stores make delicious fresh pasta, these shops specialize in every type of pasta imaginable.

Pasta Fresca Ravioli 6406 11th Ave
Queen Ann Ravioli and Macaroni 7205 18th Ave
Dairy Maid Ravioli Manufacturing Corporation 216 Avenue U

Perhaps no other food memory is as ingrained in our psyche as the sights, sounds and smells of a favorite Italian bakery. While the paneantico specializes in breads, focaccia and taralli and the pasticceria in every sweet lover’s favorites, so many places do both so well we combined them on this list. For some of the best bread and baked goods on earth look no further than the following.

Il fornaretto 7616 17th Ave
Villabate Alba 7001 18th Ave
Tasty Pastry Shoppe 8216-18 13th Ave
Cannoli Plus 6903 New Utrecht Ave
Reliable Bakery 8118 18th Ave,
Mondial Bakery 7802 20th Ave
Grandma’s Bakery 7208 13th Ave
Savarese Italian Pastry Shoppe 5922 New Utrecht Ave
St Anthony’s Bakery 6819 Fort Hamilton Pkwy
Paneantico 9124 3rd Ave
Vito’s Bakery & Grocery 1916 Avenue U
Rimini Pastry Shoppe 6822 Bay Pkwy
Aliotta Pastry Shop 4522 Avenue N
Brooklyn Bread Company 292 Kings Hwy
Pasticceria Rocco 9402 4th Ave
Mona Lisa Bakery 7717 13th Ave
18th Avenue Bakery 6016 18th Avenue
Cuccio’s Bakery 320 Avenue X
Nuccio’s Bakery 261 Avenue U,
Elegante Pastry Shop 165 Avenue U

The torrefazione, or coffee roaster seems to be of a dying breed these days but there is one standout right in South Brooklyn. Some of the best roasts plus a wide variety of every coffee machine around

Nicoletti Coffee Roasters 6723 13th Ave

While many of the above markets make amazing homemade mozzarella the Latticini specializes in all types of cheeses. Lioni Latticini makes mozzarella and burrata that are served in the finest restaurants in the area. The store is a must stop before making any antipasto platter.

Lioni Latticini 7819 15th Ave.

People often write to us asking where they can find a beautifully Italian made Christening or Communion outfit for their child or grandchild. La Bavetta Children’s Boutique has a wide variety of children’s clothing that you simply will not find anywhere else

La Bavetta Children’s Boutique 7414 18th Ave

Finally we would like to showcase a store that is a true walk into another time. SAS Italian Records has everything an Italophile could need. From a cornicello for your car, any type of Italy apparel, an obscure piece of music or anything for your families bulk tomato jarring needs you can find it here

SAS Italian Records 7113 18th Ave