The Feast of San Gennaro is an Italian extravaganza in honor of San Gennaro– the patron saint of Naples. For 11 days, Mulberry Street in Little Italy is transformed into an Italian wonderland with jewelry, games, live performances, and, of course, tons and tons of food.
It’s estimated that more than a million people, locals and tourists alike, visit the celebration each year. So of course I had to be one of them….
But first… a brief History of San Gennaro…
Saint Gennaro was the Bishop of Benevento during the late 2nd and early 3rd century. During this time, Diocletian began persecuting Christians. The bishop would not renounce his faith, and he died as a martyr on September 19th, 305 AD via decapitation. Eusebia, a nurse, was near-by, and she collected two vials of his blood.
Fast forward 10 or so years. San Gennaro’s body was being moved through Rome. They stopped for rest, and Eusebia placed the vials near his head. The blood started to melt, and everyone erupted in joy at the miracle. The blood has melted throughout important events in history. Notably when people called on him to stop Vesuvius from erupting. Some prayers were said in his name, and the lava began to slow down. A miracle! Today, the Miracle of San Gennaro’s blood melting happens three times a year on September 19th, December 16th, and the first Saturday in May.
(I dedicated 30 minutes to combing through various websites on San Gennaro. And nearly everyone had different variations on the story and dates— although all agree on the date of the beheading and how the blood was collected. Also note that Catholic Church does not officially recognize the blood melting as a miracle. Read more HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.)
From Italy to NYC: The Feast of San Gennaro in NYC Today
The history of the Feast of San Gennaro in NYC goes back to 1926. Neapolitan immigrants who had settled on Mulberry Street decided to throw a one-day block party for the patron saint. It got bigger and bigger each year, culminating into what it is today.
For me, the big draw card is the food. Cannolis, sausages, pizza, pasta…. does it get better than that?!
But there’s a huge qualm: the prices. The food is getting more and more expensive each year. We’re talking $20 for a small to-go container of gnocchi and $12 for a cannoli doughnut folks. As a Frugal Foodie, I set my budget to $25 to see just how far it would go.
Here’s how far $25 went at Feast of San Gennaro in NYC….
Slice of Pizza from The Original Square, $6
There were dozens of pizza spots to choose from. And I’m sad to report that we choose wrong. The Original Square stall was at the southern tip of the Feast of San Gennaro in NYC, and rising hanger tripped the buy trigger. While the sauces were fresh and flavorful, the base was far too bready with no chew or crunch. To give them the benefit of the doubt, I’d imagine it’s better fresh from a proper pizza oven rather the small one to used to accommodate the space.
Sausage from Lucy’s Sausage, $12
Getting a sausage was Jeremy’s main mission. We choose Lucy’s Sausage due to the long(ish) line and drool-inducing aromas. Somehow the sausage was $12 when I thought it’d be $15, and oh man was it good! The sausage had a nice heat and perfect outer crunch. It was loaded with grilled onions and peppers. And the bun was the ideal size to hold all the toppings and sauces without leaving you with mouthfuls of nothing but bread.
Cannoli from Figo, $7.00
There’s always stomach space (and somehow budget space) for dessert. Figo serves authentic Italian gelato, desserts, and coffee, and I’ve admittedly been more than once. (Get my scoop on the gelato and other not-so-frugal but #worthit desserts HERE.)
We sprung for the large cannoli with a pistachio dusting, and it was my favorite bite of the day. The cannoli cream was thick and creamy with subtle notes of cheese while not being too sweet. Between you and me, I’m not sure what the ideal cannoli shell texture is meant to be like. This one had a bit of crunch while still being slightly soft.
For $7, this cannoli certainly wasn’t frugal. But it sure was tasty.
We merely touched the surface of the eats the Feast of San Gennaro in NYC has to offer.
But let’s be honest… the food is overpriced and, in many cases, the quality is sacrificed for volume. However, the atmosphere is lively and you’re bound to have a good time strolling along Mulberry Street.
