Ciao! There is no other place in St. Louis that’s more Italian than The Hill. From the emblematic red, white and green fire hydrants to the most concentrated cluster of honest-to-goodness Italian eateries, bakeries and grocers within its 620 acres, the neighborhood is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike.

The neighborhood’s beginnings can be traced back to the early 1900s, when St. Louis’ expanding Italian immigrant population outgrew an area downtown known as Little Italy, and set their sights—quite literally—on higher ground just southwest of the city center. By mid-century, most Italians had moved to The Hill, making it the center of Italian-American culture in St. Louis.