South Bronx Bonanza
What this foodstroll is
The ultimate day trip to the South Bronx.
Why this foodstroll works
The South Bronx has a history much like NYC itself. Initially rural in the 1800’s, major projects like interstate railroads and the Croton Aqueduct brought jobs and people from all over the world. In the early 1900’s, elaborate residences along Grand Concourse attracted celebrity guests like Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle. Urban flight reeked havoc on the neighborhood post 1960, leading Howard Cosell to proclaim “The Bronx is Burning” during Game 2 of the 1977 World Series at Yankee Stadium. Today the area is on the up and up, with a majority Hispanic population and revitalized housing. Its rich history, vibrant Puerto Rican and Dominican community, and one of the best Central American restaurants in the city make it ideal for a day trip.
Strolling
The Bronx has a long history of street art, and possibly the most well known example today is the Big Pun mural on the corner of Rodgers Place and Westchester Ave. Christopher Rios, aka Big Punisher, was a South Bronx native.
The old Hunt’s Point Rail Station at 910 Hunts Point Ave is a great analogue to the Bronx’s history. It was built during boom times in 1908 by Cass Gilbert, a famous proponent of skyscrapers and architect of The Woolworth Building. It closed in 1937 and was largely abandoned for long periods of time, until recently, when renovations began to convert it into an events and retail space.
Grand Concourse is the main thoroughfare in South Bronx, running 4.5 miles from the southern tip to Van Courtland Park. Completed in 1909, the boulevard quickly became home to buildings like the Concourse Plaza Hotel, one of NYC’s grandest luxury hotels from 1922 until the 1960s. It was the in-season residence for Hall of Fame Yankees players like Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, and Frank Gifford of the NY Giants. JFK held a massive campaign rally here in 1960. Today it’s a municipal senior citizens home, but the structure is still reminiscent of the neighborhood’s glorious past.
The Lorelei Fountain (1899) at the intersection of 161st St is a memorial of the famous German Jewish poet Heinrich Heine. It was brought to the neighborhood in part thanks to the large Jewish community formerly centered along the Concourse, which at its peak in 1930 constituted 57% of all residents in the South Bronx.
The Bronx Museum of the Arts is a small but very well known institution dating back to 1971. They mostly feature art and media from Latin American or African American artists, or anyone with a connection to the Bronx. Exhibitions are always changing, and you can see what’s currently on display here. The building is right on Grand Concourse, inside the Grand Concourse Historic District, which runs from 153rd to 167th Street. You need to reserve tickets in advance and they are free of charge.
The Andrew Freedman Home on Grand Concourse was built in 1924 with funds bequeathed by the self made millionaire former owner of the New York Giants baseball franchise. Having nearly lost his wealth during the panic of 1907, he intended the home for formerly wealth persons who had fallen on hard times. Like many places in the neighborhood, it had its fair share of notable residents in the 1920s and 30s, but gradually went bankrupt in the 1960s. A New York City Designated Landmark since 1992, today it serves as an artist’s residency, event space, and day care center.
The High Bridge is NYC’s oldest bridge (1848) and connects the Bronx to Manhattan’s Washington Heights. It was built as part of the Old Croton Aqueduct, NYC’s first sophisticated water delivery system that funneled water from the Croton River 41 miles north of NYC, to reservoirs in Manhattan. There is historical information at both ends of the bridge, and crossing it is one of our favorite activities. You get fantastic views of the Harlem River and High Bridge Water Tower, the historic site of an old NYC reservoir.
On the Bronx side of the bridge are the “Joker Steps”. The now famous filming location of the stairs dance scene in Joker (2019) is a popular place to take photos. Too popular in fact, according to some locals who have complained of the transitory nature of tourists. But so long as you take time to appreciate the culture and history of South Bronx, there’s no reason you shouldn’t pay the location a visit. Pro tip: around the corner are these steps, far less crowded and more colorful.
A bit nearer the restaurant, there are several Historic Districts dating back the the 19th century. The Mott Haven Historic District (pictured) contains perhaps the oldest row of houses in all of the Bronx, dating back to 1864. The Longwood Historic District, just two blocks from Seis Vecinos, is full of 1890s neo-classical and Romanesque architecture that would not be out of place in more fancified neighborhoods of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The scarcity of these districts in the Bronx makes them that much more interesting, set against the far newer backdrop of high-rise apartment buildings and urban decay, leftover from the 1970s.
Food Spots
Seis Vecinos
Seis Vecinos is our favorite restaurant in the South Bronx. They specialize in Central American food, with traditional dishes from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua to name a few. If visiting with kids, Licuados, or smoothies, can be ordered non-alcoholic.
The Ceviche Sei Vecinos is classically Central American, loaded with corvina and shellfish, and served with plantain chips.
Tacos Hondureños are our favorite way to start. They’re shredded chicken, rolled and deep fried, and covered in radish, queso blanco, and chimol, a Honduran pico de gallo.
The Paella Seis Vecinos is excellent, and one of our favorite things to eat, full stop. Classic Valencian Paella de Marisco is pretty standardized throughout Central America. This version gets high marks for gratuitous amounts of seafood, and we like how they serve the rice separately.
Yuca con Chicharrón is a popular Honduran and Salvadoran dish where crispy pork belly is served over boiled and fried cassava, topped with tomato, onion, cilantro, and lime.
All Cenas, or dinners, come with refried beans, cheese, crema, and avocado. Churrasco, or marinated skirt steak, is a beloved cut in Central America.
Tajadas, literally “slices”, are anything you can pile onto a foundation of plantains, or fried green bananas. You can’t go wrong, but Pollo Frito is always a good choice. You’ll need to dig a little to find it in there!
We can’t forget to mention how friendly and warm the staff are. The term “Family Friendly” just means a little more in the Bronx than the other four boroughs!
Transportation
The 2 and 5 trains stop several times in the South Bronx, including five blocks from Seis Vecinos at Jackson Ave. The 4 train stops at Yankee Stadium and near the High Bridge, the surrounds of which you may recognize from Joker scenes.
Streetside parking is generally doable in the Bronx, but we don’t recommend it during Yankees games.
The South Bronx is a big neighborhood, and an Uber/Lyft between Grand Concourse and Seis Vecinos is a good idea.
