Does New Orleans feel Italian-American to you at all? (Metairie: living in, restaurant)

[Shark tooth necklace]

Originally Posted by Jimbo_1

Most of New Orleans' Italian American population lives in the suburbs, especially Jefferson and St. Bernard Parishes, so it can be hard to tell just by visiting the city. That said the French Quarter was Little Italy back in the day and little remnants remain everywhere (Central Grocery being an obvious one) but sadly the growth of tourism has wiped out a lot of that history and population.

Italian American ancestry does make up nearly 20% of the New Orleans metro areas white population, nearly all Sicilian. Which while not being has high or well known as in the Northeast, it is still very palpable. Whether it be restaurants, broader cultural heritage, criminal history (Carlos Marcello), the unique growth of Italian Creole food over the century, or even just people with Italian surnames. St. Joseph's day alone is huge with altars spread throughout the area and at least 5 parades. And if you ever doubt the history or presence just go take a walk around Metairie cemetery or one of the downtown cemeteries, and seemingly half the names are Italian.

I’m just here for the French quarter.
And there’s nothing Italian-like about it.
Or really any Italian people in it.
The tombstones in St.Louis cemetery are mostly French.

So I don’t think of New Orleans as being Italian in any way.

Bc to me New Orleans is the quarter.
And yes Italian immigrants passed through there but they didn’t shape the quarter in any way that I can see.
I only see the French and Spanish influence.

[Shark tooth necklace]

Originally Posted by Tyler_Jolie-Pitt

No, not to me, but it’s a great question. The first Italians who ever came to America to live came to Louisiana.

It’s a port

[Shark tooth necklace]

Originally Posted by puhnglaisoul

The Italian population in New Orleans is most definitely underrated.
Most people don’t really know such ethnic population exists in New Orleans.

Lol! That’s because no one cares if that neighborhood over there has Italian people in it lol.
It’s not 1908.

[Jimbo_1]

Originally Posted by Shark tooth necklace

I’m just here for the French quarter.
And there’s nothing Italian-like about it.
Or really any Italian people in it.
The tombstones in St.Louis cemetery are mostly French.

So I don’t think of New Orleans as being Italian in any way.

Bc to me New Orleans is the quarter.
And yes Italian immigrants passed through there but they didn’t shape the quarter in any way that I can see.
I only see the French and Spanish influence.

There is a lot more to New Orleans than the French quarter.

There is plenty of Italian history and places in the quarter, it's not hard to find if you look. I find most visitors have very little grasp on the actual culture of New Orleans outside of some cliches or misrepresented information. The city has an equally large history of German and Irish immigrant history that people are probably unaware of too.

There is a large Italian Society tomb in the middle of St. Louis Cemetery, hard to miss, but most of those tombs do predate Italian immigration. But if you go to other cemeteries you'll find plenty.

[Suesbal]

I stand corrected about the public festival.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPAaexkN62g

[joe from dayton]

Here is a book about it if anyone is interested.

https://www.amazon.com/Italians-New-.../dp/0738516929

[Shark tooth necklace]

Originally Posted by Jimbo_1

There is a lot more to New Orleans than the French quarter.

There is plenty of Italian history and places in the quarter, it's not hard to find if you look. I find most visitors have very little grasp on the actual culture of New Orleans outside of some cliches or misrepresented information. The city has an equally large history of German and Irish immigrant history that people are probably unaware of too.

There is a large Italian Society tomb in the middle of St. Louis Cemetery, hard to miss, but most of those tombs do predate Italian immigration. But if you go to other cemeteries you'll find plenty.

The original New Orleans is the French quarter.
That’s my New Orleans.

There’s all kinds of history in the French quarter.
But the question was “does New Orleans feel Italian-American to you” and my answer was “not one bit.”
Bc it doesn’t.
I don’t see any influence that any Italian immigrants had on the quarter.
I don’t hear anyone speaking Italian. Just English and French.
I don’t see any accordion players.
I see jazz musicians and so on.
And when I’m in little Italy New York I don’t see tons of art galleries, antique stores, saloons, brothels, and the fler de lis on everything including the city’s garbage cans.
I just see meatballs everywhere.

And why would I go to cemeteries to search for deceased Italian people?

“It’s not hard to find if you look”
I’m not looking.
But I can find an Irish Pub in Jamaica if I look.
So I guess that’s kind of like your Italian thing in the quarter.

[Jimbo_1]

Originally Posted by Shark tooth necklace

The original New Orleans is the French quarter.
That’s my New Orleans.

There’s all kinds of history in the French quarter.
But the question was “does New Orleans feel Italian-American to you” and my answer was “not one bit.”
Bc it doesn’t.
I don’t see any influence that any Italian immigrants had on the quarter.
I don’t hear anyone speaking Italian. Just English and French.
I don’t see any accordion players.
I see jazz musicians and so on.
And when I’m in little Italy New York I don’t see tons of art galleries, antique stores, saloons, brothels, and the fler de lis on everything including the city’s garbage cans.
I just see meatballs everywhere.

And why would I go to cemeteries to search for deceased Italian people?

“It’s not hard to find if you look”
I’m not looking.
But I can find an Irish Pub in Jamaica if I look.
So I guess that’s kind of like your Italian thing in the quarter.

Yeah, I think I'll refer to my previous statement of "most visitors have very little grasp on the actual culture of New Orleans outside of some cliches or misrepresented information."

Little Italy in Manhattan is basically a 3 block long tourist trap. Most Little Italy's in the U.S. are just a few Italian restaurants, groceries, or pastry/coffee shops that are located near each other. Throw up some Italian flags and Voila, Little Italy. It's hardly some authentic immersive cultural experience.

[North Beach Person]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGjOuHhwMFY

[Shark tooth necklace]

Originally Posted by Jimbo_1

Yeah, I think I'll refer to my previous statement of "most visitors have very little grasp on the actual culture of New Orleans outside of some cliches or misrepresented information."

Little Italy in Manhattan is basically a 3 block long tourist trap. Most Little Italy's in the U.S. are just a few Italian restaurants, groceries, or pastry/coffee shops that are located near each other. Throw up some Italian flags and Voila, Little Italy. It's hardly some authentic immersive cultural experience.

I’m aware that there were Italian immigrants in New Orleans.
(As well as other immigrants.)
I don’t see Italian culture being represented in the French quarter.
Again the question was “does New Orleans feel Italian-American to you” and my answer is no.
It doesn’t feel that way to anyone.

I know what little Italy is.
But thanks.