After a fun visit to the New York Botanical Gardens to see their Van Gogh Exhibit, we headed over to Arthur Avenue in Belmont, a neighborhood in the west Bronx known as the “Bronx’s Little Italy” to eat.

Our first stop was at Cosenza’s Fish Market’s street fish bar, where we enjoyed fresh oysters ($2.99-$3.99 each) and shrimp ($2 each). Those whet our appetite for more. The friendly owners suggested a trattoria up the street for us to sit down for lunch.

We arrived at Trattoria Zero Otto Nove as the kitchen was closing, yet we were lucky enough to still be able to order.

We selected and shared lots, including some sautéed fava beans with artichokes and cacio cheese ($16.95), a fra diavola pizza with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella & spicy sopressata ($20.95), grilled octopus with sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and capers ($20.95),  arugula salad with shaved parmigiano reggiano ($11.95), broccoloi di rabe ($10.95), sautéed cauliflower with breadcrumbs ($9.95) and baked rigatoni with meatballs, sopressata, ricotta, mozzarella and a sliced egg in tomato sauce ($23.95).

Trattoria Zero Otto Nove
2357 Arthur Ave,
The Bronx, NY 10458
718-220-1028
zeroottonove.com/bronx/#menu-bronx

Cosenza’s Fish Market
2354 Arthur Ave
Bronx, NY 10458
bronxlittleitaly.com/merchants/fish-markets/cosenzas-fish-market/