Little Italy

The obvious answer?  Italians.  This is perhaps the longest lasting ethnic neighborhood in Baltimore City.  Many older folks have stayed here late in life, and you'll also find a significant number of families in Little Italy.  This is one of the most sought-after housing markets in Baltimore City. 

While the demographic does typically slant a bit older, there are some younger folks moving into the newly constructed condo towers on the south end, near Harbor East.  Between the retail and new restaurants in this area, and the iconic local haunts in the central blocks of Little Italy, there is plenty to do for residents of any age. 

Regardless of who they are, residents of Little Italy are very community minded, and work hard to maintain the high quality of life that this neighborhood provides.  The community hosts many events throughout the year, and it seems that everyone here knows everyone else.

It's all about the restaurants in Little Italy, which are the defining feature of this neighborhood.  Many of them are converted rowhomes, and it often feels like you're having dinner in a local family's dining room.  Local old-school favorites include Sabotino's, Chiapperelli's, Ciao Bella, Della Note, and many others, but really you would be hard pressed to find someone with a negative dining experience in this neighborhood.  Aldo's is a highly rated spot here too, but tends to be a bit more costly than most.  Pick one, but make sure to make reservations.  Almost all of these neighborhood places have a bar area, but these are usually occupied by a few old locals or former Old Baltimore power players and aren't exactly known as hot spots.  But if all you want is a glass of red and a quiet place to sip it, any one of these places works.

On the southern end of the neighborhood, the theme moves away from Italian, except for Cinghiale which earns consistently high marks.  Charleston is one of the city's finest restaurants, located in the Harbor East area.  Also worth a look are Roy's, Fleming's Steakhouse, and Lebanese Taverna for intriguing Middle Eastern food and a good bar.  Try James Joyce Pub for the standard chain outlet psuedo-Irish bar experience. 

If you're looking in the old section of Little Italy for rentals, the prices will largely depend upon the homeowners you're renting from.  Just keep in mind that this is one of the hottest housing markets in Baltimore City, and the rental rates will largely reflect that. 

If you're looking in the newly condo-fied south end on the waterfront, be prepared to shell out in a major way.  These are some of the most prestigious addresses in Baltimore City, and even though vacancy rates are something of an issue, the rents at these apartments haven't dropped.

That said, the quality of life in Little Italy is very high.  A strong sense of history, combined with new retail and endless dining options make for a enviable place to live, and its all just a five minute walk from Downtown.  You'd be hard pressed to find a better all-around neighborhood anywhere in the city.  Houses don't stay on the market very long here, and the same is true for rentals. 

For public transportation options, Little Italy is definitely within walking distance to bus and metro stops that are located Downtown, across President Street.  The narrow streets in Little Italy pretty much forbid any buses or trolleys from trying to service this area.

Parking in Little Italy is definitely a challenge.  If you are renting here, you'll face a daily battle for a parking spot.  However, if you'e only stopping here to eat, many restaurants do offer valet service, for a fee.  There is also a large parking garage on the corner of President and Pratt Streets.  Otherwise, your best bet to find a spot relatively quickly is to stick to the edges of the neighborhood, especially the northern end where there are newly built townhomes.  The streets across from this development tend to have open spots pretty frequently.   

Little Italy is not your stereotypical gentrified hot urban neighborhood.  Here, you get ahead based on who, not what, you know.  My recommendation?  Set aside a Saturday.  Find a spot to park, stroll around the neighborhood, taking note of the rental signs you see.  Have lunch at one of the old restaurants here.  Talk to the owner, chances are very good that he's been in this neighborhood a long time.  Explain that you're looking to rent here, and ask who you should talk to.  The locals are very friendly. 

The condos along the waterfront are more straightforward.  Just head into their offices and see about their rates. 

There are occasional ads on Craigslist for rentals in Little Italy, but they are very occasional, because of the tight market.  It's best to show your face, and go old-school in your search, to match the old-school feel of this old-world enclave.

This neighborhood isn't the best for pets, due to the small size of the typical rowhouses here and the lack of large green space.  However, you can take a quick walk to the waterfront promenade to give your dog a chance to stretch their legs.  If you have a small dog, you'll probably be fine to walk them through Little Italy's diminutive sidewalks. 

Despite the relatively small size of this neighborhood, there is plenty going on.  The neighborhood association sponsors several festivals throughout the year, with highlights including the feasts of Saint Anthony, Saint Gabriel, and the taste of Little Italy.  Another fun event is the al fresco cinema offered in the summertime, with movies projected onto the side of a building in a small square in the heart of the neighborhood.  And there's always the Italian pasttime of bocce, which is played seemingly year round here by a gang of elderly guys on the concrete court.

On the southern end of the neighborhood, the newly opened Landmark Theaters on President Street is one of the finest places to see a film in the city.  There are also many shops nearby on Aliceanna Street, with a variety of clothing, home furnishing, and other shopping options.  And of course, there's also the Downtown/Inner Harbor area a few blocks away. 

Fawn Street cuts through the heart of the neighborhood, and most offshooting streets are a good bet.  President Street is home to many of the condos that border the area, as well as Aliceanna on the southern border.  Try to stay away from the northeastern area of the neighborhood, as this is closer to the Perkins Homes; project housing that has frequent issues with crime. 

On the whole, almost any street in this neighborhood is safe and retains high property values.  But, as was mentioned earlier, get out there and take a walk around.  The entire neighborhood can be seen in an hour or two.  Walk it yourself and see which blocks really grab you.  The closer you are to the restaurants, the better off you are.

Whole Foods is open on Fleet Street, and is usually bustling with affluent Harbor East residents.  There's also a CVS on Eastern Avenue.  MAC at Harbor East is your only gym option nearby, and just opened this year.  There's an Office Space under the Little Italy parking garage on President Street.

Most of your commercial options in Little Italy are on the southern Harbor East side, or on President Street.

If you're raising kids, and you're determined to stay in the city, you can't do much better than Little Italy.  Folks look out for each other here, and a little of the old days live on here.  It's not uncommon for neighbors to look after each other's kids, which was a much more common practice in days gone by. 

There aren't any kids schools in the neighborhood, but there is the Rev. Oreste Pandola Adult Learning Center at the St. Leo's School on Stiles Street.  The center acts as an agent of Italian culture preservation, offering adult classes on opera, the Italian language, and how to bake things like panettone and biscotti.