Some of the best Italian eats in the city can be found during the 11-day Feast of San Gennaro on the streets of Little Italy.
, is a Lower East Side native who grew up just blocks away from where the festival took place. For him, going to the feast is essentially going back to the old neighborhood.
Those who stroll through the 11-day festival are bound to find a lineup of Italian classics, including several pasta dishes, meatballs, rice balls and desserts such as cannoli. As time has gone on, the feast has added non-Italian cuisine into the mix, giving the festival more added layers of can’t-miss offerings.
“The sausage and peppers originated on Mulberry Street, they say it was made at the Feast,” said Lombardi. “I don’t know how true that is, but that’s what everybody tells me!”