The Hill: A Look at Life Inside One of St. Louis' Most Storied Neighborhoods

Few things in St. Louis are more iconic than the fire hydrants that dot The Hill. Bedecked in the colors of the Italian flag, they’re fitting for a neighborhood with such a colorful past and present.

Matt Vitale prepares to toss a bocce ball down the court as Vince DiPiazza, Rio Vitale, and Andrew Vitale look on. Rio currently serves as president of the Italia-America Bocce Club, which hosted the U.S. Bocce Championships in 2010.

Hannah Hildebrand packages cookies at Missouri Baking Company, where pastries abound: biscotti, torte, tiramisu, cannoli, baklava, zeppole…plus pizza dough. Just remember to bring cash.

Maria Cuccia-Brand sits behind the counter at Girasole Gifts & Imports, where you can find all things Italian: bomboniere, soccer items, specialty foods, and many other small surprises.

At the heart of the community, historic St. Ambrose Roman Catholic Church hosts Italian Mass at 11 a.m. on the first Sunday of each month.

Chris Moritz cuts soap at Herbaria, where visitors can watch as workers create soap the old-fashioned way—using lye to convert fatty acids in vegetable oils to soap—and meet Soapy the dog.

Mat Bertarelli sharpens knives at Bertarelli Cutlery. Founded in 1967 by Felice Bertarelli, a native of Carisolo, Italy, the store has become a favorite of restaurant chefs throughout the region.

Baseball Hall of Famers Yogi Berra and Joe Garagiola grew up on the same block of Elizabeth Avenue—more recently dubbed Hall of Fame Place. Today, plaques on the sidewalks outside their former stomping grounds commemorate the one-time catchers.

The Italian flag flies alongside the stars and stripes outside Di Gregorio’s Market, at the intersection of Marconi and Daggett avenues.

The menu at J. Viviano & Sons has expanded significantly since John Viviano Sr. began selling cheeses and other products to supplement his income at a downtown macaroni factory.

Culatello hangs to dry on racks at Volpi Foods. Celebrating its 110th anniversary this year, the family business has grown to sell cured Italian meats in St. Louis and around the world.

Besnik Petritaj makes sausages at Di Gregorio’s Market. The corner grocery store is known for its Italian meats, including salsiccia and entrées like braciole and spiedini.

In a neighborhood known for its Italian restaurants, Rigazzi’s is the oldest. Lou Aiazzi founded it in 1957, and today, Mark Aiazzi carries on the family biz. Your trip isn’t complete until you’ve consumed one of its famous frozen fishbowls of beer.

Sonia Bucio makes that quintessential St. Louis food—ravioli—in the kitchen at Mama Toscano’s. It’s a process that takes three days, with workers making the ravioli by hand, the same way the Toscano family’s Nana Kate first did it so many decades ago.

Zia’s is only one among many favorite Italian establishments—from Cunetto House of Pasta to Guido’s, Favazza’s to Lou Boccardi’s, Milo’s Bocce Garden to Joey B’s—where customers frequently leave full.