One thing that struck me on a recent trip to St. Louis was how many different communities make up the metro area. Brentwood, Maplewood, Kirkwood, Des Peres, Creve Coeur … the list goes on. Then there are the city neighborhoods, like Soulard and the Central West End. It’s a real patchwork quilt, and it took me a while to get my bearings. But there was one place I knew I was going to check out—the Hill.  Anyone who knows me knows I’m into food. I’m not necessarily a foodie; I’m just into eating. And The Hill, St. Louis’ Italian neighborhood, is prized for its groceries, meat markets, bakeries and—big surprise—Italian restaurants.
The Hill is an unassuming neighborhood; if you were an out-of-towner you might pass through it without blinking. The two giveaways are street banners and fire hydrants painted red, green and white, the colors of the Italian flag. The Hill also has well-defined parameters: Shaw Avenue on the north, Kingshighway on the east, Arsenal Street on the south and Hampton Avenue on the west. And it’s not really hilly; the name comes from the city’s highest point (located within a pleasant patch of green called Sublette Park).

There are no imposing brick mansions here (those are in Clayton). Instead, the residential streets are lined with “shotgun” houses—narrow, rectangular dwellings lined up front to back rather than side to side, and so close to each other that there usually aren’t windows on either side. Practically every yard is small but impeccably tidy, with close-cropped grass and lovingly tended flower gardens.

Here’s a suggested walking tour that hits The Hill’s high points. Find a place to park on Shaw Avenue (depending on the time of day you may have to hunt down a street space). Start whetting your appetite by wandering the aisles of J. Viviano & Sons (5139 Shaw Ave.), one of a gaggle of neighborhood grocers. It’s a classic Italian market filled with stuff like salsiccia, a homemade Italian sausage, limonata (sparkling lemon water), freshly made breadcrumbs and hunks of Parmigiano Reggiano, the “crown jewel of cheeses.”

Just down the street is Shaw’s Coffee (corner of Shaw and Marconi Avenue). This place has wood paneling, big windows and a high ceiling (it’s a former bank building), with chairs, tables and couches scattered about. Shaw’s is an independent roaster, and the small coffee of the day I tried was primo. You’ll want to linger awhile here.

Walk two blocks south on Marconi Avenue and you come to St. Ambrose Catholic Church. It was dedicated in 1926, and for many longtime Hill residents it’s the center of neighborhood life. The Italian Immigrants statue in front of the church (symbolizing the families who came to St. Louis looking to start a new life) has a quiet dignity.

Across the street is Amighetti’s (5141 Wilson Ave.), a bakery and cafe and home of the “Special,” a sandwich some St. Louisans swear is the city’s best (ham, roast beef, Genoa salami, brick cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, pepperocini and a special dressing). Yum. And their gelato looked tempting as well. I wasn’t quite ready to succumb to an eating orgy yet, however.

Walk down Marconi two more blocks to Elizabeth Avenue, a typical Hill residential street with modest, well-kept houses. One short block of this street (between Sublette and Macklind avenues) produced three members of the Baseball Hall of Fame: players Yogi Berra and Joe Garagiola and broadcaster Jack Buck. Look for the granite plaques that mark the location of each home.

Volpi Foods (corner of Edwards Street and Daggett Avenue; look for the turquoise awning) is another market, actually a salumeria—which means lotsa Italian salami and other goodies. It’s been around for more than a century and has quite a local reputation. Just gazing at everything on display here made my mouth water. One of their specialties is rotola (it means “small wheel”), a spiral roll of prosciutto, salami, mozzarella and herbs.

Okay, by now my friend and I were getting seriously hungry, so we headed back toward our car and ducked into Adriana’s (5101 Shaw Ave.), a highly regarded hangout that’s open for lunch only. Regulars rave about sandwiches like the Faz (Genoa salami on hot garlic cheese bread with black olives and onions) and the caponata salad (eggplant with capers and olives). It’s crowded, it’s noisy and it’s just one room packed with tables, so my friend and I ordered to go. There was a line, which is the case more often than not, but that gave me time to take a look at the menu. After much deliberation I went classic with the meatball sandwich (slathered in house-made red sauce with melted Provel, the mild, creamy processed cheese that’s a real St. Louis thing). My one-word review? “Fahgeddaboutit” (translates as very, very good).

The next time you’re in the Gateway City, definitely hit The Hill—and bring your appetite.

Click on the map to find Adriana's and other restaurants in The Hill.