It’s easy to understand the allure of Little Italys in New York City and beyond. With the simple turn of a corner, bustling metropolitan streets transform into age-worn neighborhoods, ones in which the Italian history and tradition of a nation thrive. Along the well-loved sidewalks, scents of freshly made bread fill the air, mingling with cornerstone coffee shops that dole out espresso and sfogliatelle to passersby in need of a midday pick-me-up.

That same Italian spirit echoes in the Hudson Valley, too. It thrives inside the region’s specialty markets, where families share time-tested recipes alongside imported ingredients and locals in the know head for stacked panini and freshly stuffed cannoli. From Albany to Congers, the aura of old-world Italy lives on strong in a way that honors the flavor of tradition while adapting to the communities of the present.