Arthur Avenue facts for kids

Arthur Avenue is a famous street in the Belmont neighborhood of the Bronx, New York City. It is known as the heart of the Bronx's "Little Italy." This area is full of Italian delis, bakeries, cafes, and shops. It stretches beyond Arthur Avenue itself, including East 187th Street.

The Bronx's Little Italy has a rich history. Italian immigrants started settling here around the 1910s and 1920s. Arthur Avenue and Morris Park are key areas for Italian American communities in the Bronx. Other neighborhoods with Italian-American roots include Schuylerville, Country Club, Pelham Bay, and parts of Fordham. The street itself is named after Chester A. Arthur, who was a former U.S. president.

Arthur Avenue in Movies and TV

Arthur Avenue and its surrounding areas have appeared in many movies and TV shows.

Arthur Avenue pushcarts in 1940.

Arthur Avenue in 2014.

Famous Films and Shows

• The movie A Bronx Tale, directed by Robert De Niro, is set in the Belmont area. However, most of it was filmed in Astoria, Queens.
• The TV series Third Watch was first based on Arthur Avenue. The firehouse in the show was called "Camelot" because of its location near King Street and Arthur Avenue.
• The 1973 film "The Seven-Ups" starring Roy Scheider was filmed on Arthur Avenue and Hoffman Street.
• In 2003, a scene from the popular HBO series The Sopranos was filmed at Mario's Restaurant. This restaurant was also considered for a scene in The Godfather, but the owner said no.
• The opening scene of the 1955 film Marty shows Arthur Avenue. The main character, Marty Piletti, works at a meat market on Arthur Avenue.
• Early scenes in the 1960s film The Incident take place on 183rd Street and Third Avenue.
• The 2019 movie Bottom of the 9th was filmed in the neighborhood, especially on Arthur Avenue. The writer, Robert Bruzio, grew up there.

Books and Music Connections

• Leonard from James Frey's book A Million Little Pieces grew up in this area.
• Much of the novel Underworld takes place near Arthur Avenue. The author, Don DeLillo, grew up there himself.
• The 1950s doo-wop music group Dion and the Belmonts started in this area. They were named after Belmont Avenue.
• The Italian rock band Elio e le Storie Tese included a funny fake advertisement for a food shop on Arthur Avenue in one of their songs.
• Lady Gaga's music video for "Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)" was filmed in and around Arthur Avenue/Little Italy.

Other Mentions

• A reality TV show called Mama's Boys of the Bronx was about adult men living with their mothers on and around Arthur Avenue.
• In 2016, the American Planning Association named Arthur Avenue one of "America's Greatest Streets."