Italian Neighborhoods - metro Denver (Arvada, Pueblo: appointed, schools, live)

[BlueWillowPlate]

I second all of Sockeye's suggestions, especially the Bagel. Zaidy's is good too, it is the real thing. The Greek Festival is a lot of fun (it's less crowded if you go the first night.) Also, there is a nice Greek market at 10th and Lincoln. It used to be the Economy Market (begun by the Economy family) then it was bought by the Katsaros family and now a third Greek family runs it.
Greek Market and Deli

[EastSideMKE]

Originally Posted by Sockeye

You've got two pretty good Jewish delis fairly close by. The New York Deli News on E. Hampden, and The Bagel at Monaco and Hampden. There's also Helgas German Deli at 6th and Peoria. No Vietnamese community or grocery stores, eh? Well head to S. Federal Blvd. and you'll find them everywhere. Many in Aurora as well. Denver is also home to a good sized Greek community. Visit the Greek Festival sometime. Held every June at the Greek Orthodox Church on E. Alameda Ave., smack dab in the middle of a predominently Jewish neighborhood!
Yeah, for Polish Bakeries and Turkish butchers, you pretty much need to be east of the big rivers. I would prefer my butcher over a Turkish one anyway. Worth the drive. Edward's Meats in Wheat Ridge at 44th and Ward Rd.

I live right by New York Deli News and it isn't a real Jewish deli, they serve pork and shellfish. When most people say Jewish deli they mean a kosher deli that serves traditional Jewish fare. I can get bagels and lox at Einstein Bros. that doesn't make it authentic.

The Far East Market at Alameda & Federal is mainly Chinese and Japanese businesses. As for Vietnamese I would hardly say they are everywhere. I live near Havana and those are mainly Korean owned, not all Asians are the same.

Denver may have some ethnic stores sprinkled throughout the metro but they do not constitute ethnic neighborhoods. Denver lost its ethnic flavor decades ago. Hopefully the large Ethiopian, Morroccan, and Russian populations can change that.

[Sockeye]

Originally Posted by jjacobeclark

I live right by New York Deli News and it isn't a real Jewish deli, they serve pork and shellfish. When most people say Jewish deli they mean a kosher deli that serves traditional Jewish fare. I can get bagels and lox at Einstein Bros. that doesn't make it authentic.

The Far East Market at Alameda & Federal is mainly Chinese and Japanese businesses. As for Vietnamese I would hardly say they are everywhere. I live near Havana and those are mainly Korean owned, not all Asians are the same.

Denver may have some ethnic stores sprinkled throughout the metro but they do not constitute ethnic neighborhoods. Denver lost its ethnic flavor decades ago. Hopefully the large Ethiopian, Morroccan, and Russian populations can change that.

Old, ethnic neighborhoods all across the country have changed. Thats because those ethnic groups assimilated to the U.S., but thats a topic for a whole other thread. Cultural traditions, however, are important and will always live on. BTW, you will find Vietnamese restaurants and markets on S. Federal Blvd.
I vuz taught as young child to beware of da Turk vith knife!!

[EastSideMKE]

Originally Posted by Sockeye

Old, ethnic neighborhoods all across the country have changed. Thats because those ethnic groups assimilated to the U.S., but thats a topic for a whole other thread. Cultural traditions, however, are important and will always live on. BTW, you will find Vietnamese restaurants and markets on S. Federal Blvd.
I vuz taught as young child to beware of da Turk vith knife!!

Not everywhere has changed. As I mentioned in my first post on here. Places like Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago, Philadelphia, Cincinatti, and probably some others I'm forgetting, like maybe Buffalo too, still have large ethnic communities steeped in tradition. To this day in Milwaukee you can still see babushka wearing old ladies shopping at the West Allis Farmers Market. Friday night fish fries are still mandatory for the city's Catholic population. To put it bluntly the white people there still have a sense of cultural identity that I think has either been lost or never existed in places like Colorado, California, Florida, Arizona, and others that have experienced rapid growth in the last few decades.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by jjacobeclark

Not everywhere has changed. As I mentioned in my first post on here. Places like Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago, Philadelphia, Cincinatti, and probably some others I'm forgetting, like maybe Buffalo too, still have large ethnic communities steeped in tradition. To this day in Milwaukee you can still see babushka wearing old ladies shopping at the West Allis Farmers Market. Friday night fish fries are still mandatory for the city's Catholic population. To put it bluntly the white people there still have a sense of cultural identity that I think has either been lost or never existed in places like Colorado, California, Florida, Arizona, and others that have experienced rapid growth in the last few decades.

First, Pittsburgh, my hometown, has changed since I was a kid there. And even when I was a kid, it was no longer mandatory for Italians to live in "Little Italy", Poles to live in the Polish section of town (Pittsburgh's south side, the east side of Beaver Falls, my acutal hometown, etc), the Jews in Squirrel Hill, and so forth. When I was a kid, there were still parents who didn't want their kids to date people from other ethnic groups. The kids, like kids of every generation, didn't listen, and there has been a lot of "intermarriage".

Secondly, while I don't know about Arizona and Florida, I do know that Colorado had a sizeable Italian community as has been discussed above.

[SheridanL]

Dang...I THOUGHT that Northwest Denver was Italian and Mexican.

I grew up there and, it was both of those.

Carls Pizzaria,...countless mexican food places! I was the only 6ft blonde around!HA!! Stood out like a banana in a bowl of grapes, I did!!

I promise that I will be visiting in the next few months. I will probably be in shock!! Sometimes change is scary but,....I'm ready!!!!!!

[Katarina Witt]

Northwest Denver is becoming "Yuppie". We lived there pre-gentrification. It was largely Hispanic with a few remaining Italian families in the early 80s.

[Spincycle]

Originally Posted by Katiana

Northwest Denver is becoming "Yuppie". We lived there pre-gentrification. It was largely Hispanic with a few remaining Italian families in the early 80s.

Do you mean just the Highlands or also Lakewood too?
Other?

[Katarina Witt]

Principally the Highlands. Lakewood is trying, with Bel Mar.

[Spincycle]

Originally Posted by Katiana

Principally the Highlands. Lakewood is trying, with Bel Mar.

For someone living in either place is it easy to 'frequent and enjoy' LoDo? Or are they are the wrong side of the tracks (i.e. I-70) for convenience sake? Comments?