I remember the first time I tasted gelato—I was a study abroad student living in Rome, and it was a sweltering August day. I don’t recall what I tasted first—the dark chocolate, the rich hazelnut, the overall creamy cold sweetness—but I’m pretty sure my knees buckled. Now this was how ice cream should be done—an explosion of sweet flavor teasing each tastebud; a lighter density than American ice cream (but still decadently creamy); and a perfect miniature spoon, all the better to savor each bite.
I think I knew that day, early in my semester abroad, it was going to be difficult to come home.
Luckily for me, Italian enclaves in U.S. metropolises have brought a little slice (or a whole pie) of the old country to American shores. If an Italy vacation (or relocation!) isn’t in the budget this year, consider seeking out an Italian stronghold right here at home …
The Hill—St. Louis
Fire hydrants painted red, white, and green. The home of Yogi Berra. A festive Labor Day bike race (“Giro della montagna”) and a Columbus Day Parade that attracts the whole city. The Hill in southwest St. Louis gives Italian residents a home away from the home country.
Lorenza Pasetti, president of Volpi Foods, has been working on The Hill for most of her life. “The Hill is one of the few lasting Italian neighborhoods,” she recently told me. “It is a communion of church, local government, community, and small businesses of primarily Italian descent.” Beyond the local flavor, I liked seeing The Hill’s distinct “shotgun” style houses—long residences laid out in neat rows, block by block, with neat manicured lawns and Italian flags in the windows. Exploring on foot, I often couldn’t tell if the intoxicating aromas of baking bread, tomatoes, and fragrant olive oils were emanating from the homes or the restaurants.
Volpi’s holds a particularly unique place in the neighborhood—founded in 1902, it’s the oldest business on The Hill today, situated on the corner of Daggett and Edwards avenues, and exports its dry-cured meats around the world. “We have three buildings we work out of on the Hill,” says Pasetti. “Uno is the oldest and houses our retail store and our salami production plant. Due is our prosciutto facility and Tre is the newest addition which houses our offices, slicing, and rotola production. Rotola is a product we make using mozzarella cheese and prosciutto hams. Together with basil, they are hand rolled and packaged for retail. The flavors together are great.”
Bordered by I-44/Kingshighway and Hampton Avenue, The Hill features a plethora of bakeries, restaurants, and specialty food stores scattered throughout the neighborhood. Pasetti highlights the Missouri Baking Company, Vitale Bakery, Cunetto’s restaurant, and Zia’s restaurant as favorites. Rest assured, many visitors come hungry and leave stuffed—on my last visit, I certainly did.
Plan your trip: Plot out your feasting in advance by browsing the listings on TheHillSTL.com and The Hill Business Association Web site.
Mangia!
Dinner: Lorenzo’s Trattoria, 1933 Edwards, 314-773-2223
Dessert: Missouri Baking Company, 2027 Edwards St., 314-773-0468
Related Story: Finding La Bella Vita Stateside: New York City’s Little Italy
