Will the Phoenix metro area ever have a Little Italy? (mall, eat)

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Pink Jazz

Now, if we do get a contrived Little Italy, I wonder if it would more likely be within the City of Phoenix, in the East Valley, or in the West Valley?

I assume that the "contrived little Italy" in San Diego is just a concentration of restaurants and has nothing to do with a "significant Italian population" as you mentioned in the initial post. I don't know why there would or should be something like that here, so I don't care where it might be built. What would be the point-- people have their favorite Italian places all over the Valley now, and I have never heard of any actual suggestion or proposal that the Valley should have a contrived little Italy (or little India or little China). I'm sorry you don't have several choices concentrated in a small area to satisfy your cravings, but you'll just have to have your favorite spots here and there like everyone else.

[asufan]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

Pink Jazz is not completely wrong. San Diego has a contrived Little Italy so Phoenix could definitely put something similar together.

It's not really contrived, it was an Italian fishing village that was kind of a slum and now is a bit improved with Italian restaurants and little Italy signage. I guess in a way it was sort of contrived as it got away from it's roots at some point and I believe San Diego came up with this plan to resurrect the Italian theme due to the horrible location wedged between the 5 freeway, extremely busy train tracks and also the airport approach. It has helped that area's gentrification. I don't see Arizona ever having a Little Italy or anything else,

[imagineAA]

I WISH! It's about ambiance. It's not the same thing to have a standalone restaurant here and there.

It would be nice to have an area to stroll through that had more cultural stuff than just restaurants. A grocery, arts, etc. would be great.

[Java Jolt]

Is it really all that important to have a little Italy, little Mexico, little Havana, little Guatemala, little Ethiopia, little ________ fill in the blank?

Those kinds of urban neighborhoods might be quaint but they are highly segregated and are throwbacks to darker, harsher times for immigrants.

There are plenty of great mom and pop ethnic restaurants around the valley, less so in the suburban areas, but just as unique as anything in a little ______ kind of district.

[DetroitN8V]

Originally Posted by imagineAA

I WISH! It's about ambiance. It's not the same thing to have a standalone restaurant here and there.

It would be nice to have an area to stroll through that had more cultural stuff than just restaurants. A grocery, arts, etc. would be great.

We do. Old Town Scottsdale. Restaurants, galleries, ice cream shops, toy stores, bars, museums, a weekly farmers market. Stroll away!

[observer53]

Originally Posted by DetroitN8V

We do. Old Town Scottsdale. Restaurants, galleries, ice cream shops, toy stores, bars, museums, a weekly farmers market. Stroll away!

Exactly.

[Voebe]

No, seems to me the great Italian migration is over.

We may, however, end up with a Little Syria, the way things are going at present.

[imagineAA]

Originally Posted by DetroitN8V

We do. Old Town Scottsdale. Restaurants, galleries, ice cream shops, toy stores, bars, museums, a weekly farmers market. Stroll away!

I mean an Italian cultural area.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by imagineAA

I mean an Italian cultural area.

As I stated previously, there usually has to be an established population of a certain ethnic group (often which immigrated here from another country) in order to have neighborhoods or districts such as Little Italy, etc. I'd think there would be more of a need for a Chinatown, and in a way we have that in the form of the Chinese Cultural Center ... however, it's still not a true Chinatown like you'd find in San Francisco or New York.

[SuffolkIntellect]

I don't think there will ever be a ethnic, vibrant neighborhood in Phoenix ever.