Today the North Ward is a diverse neighborhood with a Latino majority.
Newark's North Ward is perhaps best known for once being Newark’s Little Italy. Joe DiMaggio would once bring his buddies from the Yankees here and show them what "real Italian food" tastes like. Giordano’s was once an Italian bakery (that is now closed), where Frank Sinatra got his bread, no matter where he was in the world. Luckily, I still got to experience that myself at Luigi’s, one of the last remaining Italian restaurants in the North Ward. Today there are Puerto Rican, Dominican, Mexican, and Ecuadorian restaurants in the North Ward, as well.
Newark's North Ward is perhaps best known for once being Newark’s Little Italy. Joe DiMaggio would once bring his buddies from the Yankees here and show them what "real Italian food" tastes like. Giordano’s was once an Italian bakery (that is now closed), where Frank Sinatra got his bread, no matter where he was in the world. Luckily, I still got to experience that myself at Luigi’s, one of the last remaining Italian restaurants in the North Ward. Today there are Puerto Rican, Dominican, Mexican, and Ecuadorian restaurants in the North Ward, as well.
However this neighborhood of over 60,000 residents offers more than just a past reputation.
The northernmost part of Newark boasts one of most marvelous parks in the country, Branch Brook Park. The park was created by Frederick Law Olmsted, the same architect who designed Central Park in New York.
The North Ward has a proud immigrant past and also boasts great dining at a cheap cost due to its great ethnic diversity.
Bloomfield Avenue light rail station, near Branch Brook Park. The Newark light rail makes four stops here, including Park Avenue, Bloomfield Avenue, Davenport Avenue, and Branch Brook Park.
Branch Brook Park
Forest Hill, one of Newark's most desirable neighborhoods, is located in the North Ward
Later
Broadway, one of the main commercial streets in the North Ward.
Sacred Heart of the Basilica is the seat of the Archdiocese of Newark and the fifth largest cathedral in North America.
Its Italian past
Italian immigrants migrated to urban New Jersey cities like Elizabeth, Paterson, Jersey City,
Hoboken, and Union City.
Now kid when you mention all these cities you’re losing the attention of the reader!
However Newark undoubtedly had the largest population of Italians in the
state at one point. Newark was in fact the fifth largest Italian city in the country and many of Italians
settled in the North Ward. There were about 80,000 Italians in Newark,
Is this number significant?
enough to create a somewhat
distinct "Italian Newark" culture.
Famous Italian American entertainers such as Joe Pesci as well as Frankie Valli from the Four Seasons hail from Newark's once Italian North Ward.
The Four Seasons created hits such as "Oh what a night!"and "Walk like a Man."
Famous Italian American entertainers such as Joe Pesci as well as Frankie Valli from the Four Seasons hail from Newark's once Italian North Ward.
The Four Seasons created hits such as "Oh what a night!"and "Walk like a Man."
"Jersey Boys", a Broadway show, was a show about them. The city even came up with
its own "Newark Italian Hot Dog" and later I will mention where to get the best Newark.
Saint Francis Xavier Church.
This is a statue of Christopher Colombus with the American flag as well as the flag of Italy to the side.
Italian style hot dogs.A few Italians remain in the North Ward, as many relocated
to the surrounding suburbs like Belleville, Bloomfield, and Nutley (creating what has often
been known as the "pasta triangle") as well as other suburban towns. However,
the Italian presence still remains in Newark, and it is reflected in its establishments and eateries.
In this blog, I will take you to some stores and restaurants.
Seventh Avenue was the center of Italian life in Newark. In fact, many Italian immigrants
would settle here first before moving out to other parts of Newark, as well as Nutley or Bloomfield.
However during the 1950's, Seventh Avenue was destroyed by the construction of housing projects.
The Christopher Columbus Homes, a high rise housing project was built in its place to make way
for urban renewal.
Seventh Avenue was the center of Italian life in Newark. In fact, many Italian immigrants
would settle here first before moving out to other parts of Newark, as well as Nutley or Bloomfield.
However during the 1950's, Seventh Avenue was destroyed by the construction of housing projects.
The Christopher Columbus Homes, a high rise housing project was built in its place to make way
for urban renewal.
If you ask many of the Italians that grew up here, the projects only made this neighborhood worse
and is responsible for making the once in-tact Italian neighborhood disappear.
and is responsible for making the once in-tact Italian neighborhood disappear.
Not to mention the apartment building was razed in 2000 due to its high crime activity.
The last remaining Italian vestige of the Seventh Avenue area is St. Lucy's Church.
St. Lucy's was the cornerstone of the Italian community in the North Ward. The church held festivals and helped immigrants feel more at home in the "new country."
There is something about St. Lucy's that retains a rather Italian character. In fact, when I was here I felt like I was in Italy. The courtyard almost felt like a piazza or a town square and the church resembles a typical church found in Italy.
Mother Mary is always protecting us!
Today, most of the remaining Italian establishments are on Bloomfield Avenue, west of Branch Brook Park.
Calandra's Italian and French Bakery
This is by far one of the best bakeries in New Jersey! Their coffees are a must! The pastries are very good too! Calandra's is also very well known for their bread.
Dickie Dee's This place makes the best Italian hot dogs! They come with potatoes, fried bell peppers, and onions. I know many will be reluctant about entering this neighborhood just for a hot dog but trust me it is definitely worth the trip!
Interior of an old school Italian joint, Dickie Dee's.
Gencarelli's is an Italian restaurant here. I personally have never eaten here.
Caffe Intermezzo - an Italian coffee shop here. This place has good reviews so this is a place I would definitely want to check out in the future.
Luigi's Italian Tradition Restaurant
As I was waiting for a meal, the waitress gave me great bread with a unique type of garlic sauce. I asked her if she was Italian or Latina, ( because she looked like either one to be honest).
She told me she was 100 percent Italian American and, of course, proud of it!
I tried the Lasagna Bolognese. This was great food. I had tried cannelloni in San Diego, at Cafe Zuccherio, and thought to myself that as the best pasta dish I have ever eaten.
However, Lasagna Bolognese here at Luigi's really comes in a close second.
A view of the tables with the beautiful paintings in the background.
The drawing in front of where the restrooms were interesting.
Signore means gentleman and signorina stands for lady in Italian.
Also in the North Ward,
To the left is the Newark Schools Stadium, to the right is a campaign for Newark mayor Ras Baraka.
North Ward Today: The Latino Ward
Today the North Ward is predominately Latino, mainly Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, and Ecuadorians. There are Peruvian, and West Indian, African American, and Italian communities here as well.
A coco ice vendor near Branch Brook Park. This is one of the first photos I have ever taken in the North Ward.
In the past, Italians would assist each other, especially when new immigrants were pouring in. The Catholic Church was very pivotal in addressing the concerns of these immigrants.
Today, the Hispanic community in Newark's North Ward does the same. Along with the help of the Archdiocese of Newark under Cardinal Tobin, there are also two non profits that assist with the Hispanic community, Aspira Inc of New Jersey and Casa de Don Pedro. Aspira helps Latino youths to strive for more, and go on to college. La Casa de Don Pedro helps with the needs of the community, such as housing, employment, and offers preschool as well.
Cuban flag, with a tire shop to the left, on Bloomfield Avenue.
A very popular Puerto Rican and Latino bank on the western section of Bloomfield Avenue. To the right is a Puerto Rican restaurant.
A statue of Roberto Clemente, near Branch Brook Park.
An influx of Puerto Ricans came into Newark and particularly, the North Ward, in the 1950s, Puerto Ricans and Italians, at first did not get along with each other. Puerto Ricans also faced an obstacle that earlier European immigrants did not face--the departure of many industrial plants that attracted them to Newark in the first place. Thus, unemployment became rampant among the Puerto Rican community. Discrimination, although was common against Italians, was also a hurdle to the Puerto Ricans, because many Puerto Ricans were racially not white As such, even though Puerto Ricans are technically U.S. citizens, they were seen as even being more foreign than even European immigrants. In 1974, a riot broke out between the police and the Puerto Rican community in Branch Brook Park over what appeared to be an illegal dice game. Puerto Ricans constantly felt victimized by the police.
Today, although many Puerto Ricans have succeeded and have moved out to the suburbs, about half of all the remaining Puerto Ricans in the city are living below the poverty level. Many Puerto Ricans due to deindustrialization, and racial discrimination have unfortunately become part of the urban underclass and unless things change, many Puerto Ricans in Newark might just be another part of the permanent urban underclass.
A lot of Puerto Ricans in Newark are well represented in both politics and law enforcement, on the other hand. The neighborhood is represented by a Puerto Rican councilman, Anibal Ramos, and a former acting mayor of Newark, Luis Quitana, is also of Puerto Rican descent. He was mayor after Cory Booker left office.
Dominicans
Although, Dominicans are a more recent ethnic group, they have brought a lot of small businesses to this neighborhood.
One hundred years ago, we would have been talking about Italian barber shops. Today, Dominican barber shops have replaced them.
Domincan barber shops are neat places to be in. Everybody that has ever been to a Dominican barber shop knows it is just a different type of barber shop than other barber shops. It’s a place for friends and other men to talk about a lot of topics including sports, "the old country", politics, and entertainment. You will often hear bachata and merengue in the background. Barbers are very talkative and when you are there you almost feel like you are family.
La Cachapa Loka. I believe this is a Dominican chain restaurant. I saw one in Paterson too.
Mommy's Dominican Cakes- although I have never tried a cake here, I hear they make great Dominican cakes.
South Americans
Along with Puerto Ricans and Dominicans, South Americans (particularly Ecuadorians) are a large presence in the North Ward. There are many Ecuadorian eateries along Bloomfield Avenue.
A view of Broadway, in the middle is El Criollo, a Peruvian restaurant.
Ecuador Express, to the left.
Mi Lindo Ecuador
To the left is a menu and the right is Ecuadorian artwork.
You could see a bit of the Ecuadorian flag to the right.
Although the wait for the food was long, I do not regret coming here. The food is very delicious and it was a great experience because I have never tried Ecuadorian food ever.
They start you off with plaintain strips and what appears to be a unique and very good picante sauce with lime on the side as well.
I tried the chaufa, which is Chinese-Ecuadorian plate of fried rice with shrimp, chicken, and plaintains. I tried it with the hot sauce and it tasted very good. I believe this is one of the best cuisines I have ever tasted! I have eaten other chaufas and it is not as greasy as theirs.
Ecuadorian chaufa is different from the one made by Peruvians because it has more of an Andean taste. I can’t explain it in words.
El Merengue Restaurant - 185 Broadway in Newark, NJ!
This Dominican restaurant is pretty good. I noticed a lot of the Dominican restaurants are on or near Broadway in the North Ward of Newark.
This is better than a trip to Newark. I'm going to Barcelona, Spain!
Take the Cross you can take! Don't worry about it!
I had fried chicken and rice with Country Club (Frambuesa)
lol
Ecuadorian bakery, Pan de Casa, to the left.
Mexican presence
Newark Cheese Steak House. This is a Mexican owned restaurant and even though they serve cheese steaks, they also serve tacos. The food is great, filling, and inexpensive.
To the right is Omar's Cuban Cuisine Restaurant on Mount Prospect Avenue
Soul Food
Even though the North Ward is a primarily Latino neighborhood, it does offer a soul food restaurant. This restaurant is definitely on my "to do list."
Taste of Flava
El Pueblo Supermarket
El Pueblo, this supermarket carries products from all over the Latin World. I saw shelves that offer Colombian, Dominican, Mexican, Peruvian, Argentinian, and Central American products.
Housing
Once home to Mona and Maries, it is now closed.
New construction being built near Broadway.
Dominican pride in Newark!
Houses off of Bloomfield Ave.
Street Art
Here are various pictures of a mural representing all the Latino cultures found in Newark
A street mural off of Broadway
Ethnic festivals
A poster for the St. Gerard Festival has been an Italian American tradition since 1899 during the commencement of the large influx of Italian immigrants. I should have photos of this festival when I attend one day.
However the biggest parade in the neighborhood is quite possibly the Newark Puerto Rican Parade held every September. It used to held in Branch Brook Park but they moved the parade to Broadway.
Puerto Rican Day Parade
Newark has the largest population of Puerto Ricans in the state and as such a hosts the state's annual Puerto Rican Day Parade
Poster for an Ecuadorian Independence Day event
The Feast of St. Gerard.
I love this feast in the North Ward of Newark. When I am here I feel like the North Ward is 90 percent Italian, the way it used to be. I know that the North Ward and I appreciate the diverse cultures that are here. But I really like how the North Ward feels like "Little Italy", even if it is only for about a week.
Even though, Italian Americans have left this neighborhood, they are still a proud people and retain their heritage in what was once the largest Italian enclave in the state. Other white ethnics don't do this, at least not to the extent the Italians do!
Here are some videos of how the festival looks like.
Giordano’s was once an Italian bakery where Frank Sinatra got his bread, no matter where he was in the world. Unfortunately, the bakery is now closed.
The parking lot in front of St. Lucy's Church.
As mentioned before, the church was once the cornerstone of the Italian community in the North Ward. There is a museum in church basement that showcases the city's old Italian roots.
Stand selling Italian CD's.
Italian nuts and chocolates with hats displaying the Italian flag.
-The End-
SO LONG SUCKAZZZ!!!! SOY BORICUA PA' QUE LO SEPAS!
My chicken and rice from El Merengue - the end!
