In Ottawa, the heart of Little Italy lies along Preston Street, in the area known as “Corso Italia”. Like in Chinatown, the entrance on Carling is marked by a metal arch in the colours of the Italian flag. Even the electrical lockers are painted in the colours of the flag!
There are tons of Italian restaurants for all budgets on Preston, as well as a few coffee shops, a bodega and a soccer club. Every year, the neighbourhood hosts the Settimana Italiana di Ottawa and other events such as a Farmer Market.
Yet, as pleasant as strolling down Preston is, I can’t help thinking the area isn’t as lively as it should be, and most restaurants are rather cliché. Perhaps it is because there hasn’t been a wave of immigrants from Italy in a long time (the first one was around 1900, and the second after WWII), and because most people of Italian descent don’t celebrate their roots as much.
Even though I have one of these hard-to-spell Italian last names, I’d rather party in Chinatown, a few blocks away. Sign of times?
Haven’t been to Little Italy in Toronto for awhile. Wonder if the same thing has happened here due to the immigration situation and a decrease in celebrating “roots”?
I was there for an Italian festival on Labour Day WE last year, and it was pretty lively. But you could tell most people were second- or third-generation immigrants.
Simply because you’re very very chinese despite your italian name!
Must be that 😆
haha yes, your italian last name! that always got me curious (because one part of my brain tells me you’re as french as you get and that you don’t seem to have a hint of italian in you!). 😀
i guess new york’s little italy is the liveliest in north america? but i like that italian flag painted on the electrical locker! so vibrant. 🙂
Meh… Italian, French, that’s the same 😉