Don't ever sleep on the old-school Italian deli. Sandwiches — and good eating in general — have become so popular in recent years that, here in New York, at least, there's such an extraordinary wealth of new and incredible options available for any given meal. And so I fear we too often ignore the old reliables, especially those that feature lots of cured meats hanging from the ceiling.

There are Italian delis all over the New York area, but this one happens to be on Arthur Ave. in the Bronx. If you're a tourist in this city and looking for an array of local Italian options, head to exactly that street. Don't bother with Manhattan's Little Italy, which seems so overwhelmingly touristy that it's more or less Disneyland at this point. Arthur Ave. definitely draws tourists, but also locals. And it's got everything you should be seeking in your New York Italian food experience: Pastry shops, butchers, sit-down restaurants, and, perhaps best of all, delis.

Read more

Source: http://ftw.usatoday.com/