In our first foray to combine Baltimore’s great history with equally great food, please join us at Little Italy’s Chiapparelli’s Restaurant for an evening of Italian food and history about the Little Italy neighborhood shared by life-long residents. The evening will include a buffet of antipasto, calamari, salad, bread, and, of course, wine. We will end the evening with a short walk through the neighborhood to learn a little more about this wonderful Baltimore community.
Tour Information
Chiapparelli’s Restaurant | 237 S. High Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 | 5:30 – 7:00 PM
$35 for members, $50 for non-members
Price includes antipasto, calamari, salad, bread, and wine.
RSVP Today!
Confirmations will be sent by email, and payment will be due upon confirmation. Free on street parking and paid off street parking are both available in the area. Valet service available at the restaurant for an additional fee. For additional information and questions, call Baltimore Heritage’s tour coordinator, Marsha Wise, at 443-306-3369 or email her at wise@baltimoreheritage.org.
In 1925, at the age of 26, Pasquale Chiaparelli arrived in the United States aboard the Conte Rosso from Naples, Italy. A tailor by trade, he came to Baltimore to join other family members who had immigrated here before him. In the early 1940’s he opened a pizza place with his brother that would later become Chiaparelli’s restaurant. He married Anna Mary Pizza (yes, this was her last name!), better known as Miss Nellie. She made fresh ravioli for the restaurant daily until well into her 80s. Miss Nellie died in 2004, just a few months shy of her 101st birthday. Pasquale preceded her in 2002. Today, the restaurant remains in the family with daughter-in-law Kit and grandson Brian at the helm.
Perhaps surprising to many, the Little Italy community was originally home to German and Russian Jewish immigrants. The 1850s Gold Rush brought Italian immigrants to Fells Point, who rented rooms from Jewish homeowners and made plans to continue west. Many Italians never left. As Baltimore’s Jewish community migrated north and west in the city, the Italian community flourished in places throughout East Baltimore. In 1904, the Baltimore Fire threatened to destroy the community but stayed on the west side of the Jones Falls River and spared Little Italy. Today St. Anthony is honored with annual dinners around the neighborhood as people give thanks to him for answering the prayers of their predecessors in 1904 to keep the fire at bay. Please join us at Chiaparelli’s restaurant as we hear about the history of Little Italy and its strong community from restaurant owner Kit Chiaparelli and a number of long-standing residents. Come hungry!