Alleva Dairy

Absolutely phenomenal. The prosciutto and cheese sandwich I ordered was simply delicious and the staff there went out of their way to make sure I was satisfied. This is a must stop for anyone going to Little Italy. I HIGHLY recommend it, you won’t regret it. The rice balls I took home were scrumptious also!

The gentlemen at this iconic establishment were kind enough to guide me to great selections. I ordered a prosciutto and fresh mozzarella sandwich, which wasn’t the best only due to the bread. The sausage, a spicy sopressata which didn’t last much past my walk home, cheeses, and kind conversation in the heart of Little Italy, where you can hop over to Parisi and get the best bread, make Alleva a 5 star visit for all cheese fans.

Seriously, the BEST CANOLI ever!!! I come here every time I visit NYC just to eat their canolis.

Loved this place. We were just wandering around Little Italy and this spot looked interesting to me and I’m happy I followed my instinct. Food was delicious, we grabbed some spicy dried Italian sausage too and I have no doubt that it’ll be fantastic.
The mozzarella sticks were really good if you’re looking for a quick snack. Friendly folks too.

My boyfriend and I found ourselves here after a trip to DiPalo’s down the street had us reeling at prices. We were looking for ingredients to make a muffaleta shooter style sandwich and they had all the meats and cheeses we needed. They even had the dried porcini mushrooms we needed for another recipe at the cheapest prices we had seen after searching several other stores throughout various neighborhoods in Manhattan.
The people who helped us were incredibly nice, taking us around the store and showing us all of their selection. With the deli meats and cheeses, the man slicing for us gave us a generous sample of each meat & cheese and checked to make sure we were really satisfied before cutting up our order. All in all, this fulfills all my fantasies of a cute neighborhood deli where the people working really try their best to make sure you’re happy with your purchase.

Canoli World is the best we have had in little italy, the stand is right out front of Alleva and it’s awesome.

It pains me to give a negative review because I know this place is historic in the area and honestly the sandwich I had there was delicious. Unfortunately I feel I have no choice because of the awful treatment I received when I was in there. I’m not sure if they had something against me because they thought I was a tourist (though I lived in the area), or maybe had something against the Chinatown crowd (though I’m Korean), or were just in a bad mood — I’m not in a position to hypothesize. But the guy behind the counter was so mean and rude to me that my husband wanted to storm out. Sadly, my sandwich craving was too strong so I stuck it out.
As soon as I walked in, he gave me attitude, pretty much yelling at me. I can handle gruff New Yorkers just fine, but this guy had it out for me. When I asked if I could have a hot deli item listed on the menu (I think maybe it was a meatball or something), he huffed and puffed and said there’s no way they had anything hot left that late in the day. Fine, so I went with a cold deli sandwich and he tore into me again: «WHAT KIND OF SANDWICH? WHAT KIND OF CHEESE? YOU WANT AMERICAN? COME ON SPEAK THE HELL UP!» The insult of assuming I wanted American cheese in an authentic Italian cheese shop didn’t escape me.
I felt almost guilty as I enjoyed my huge turkey and cheese sandwich that I sacrificed my pride and high standard of customer service just because I love cheese and sandwiches that much. I vowed to only go to DiPalo’s from now on, where the cheese is awesome AND they’re super nice.

Fantastic mozerrela sticks with tomato sauce to eat, sat outside and watched the world go by. Very helpful young man.

I used to love this place. One sandwich every week. I always order the same. Italian combo, mozzarella instead of provolone, balsamic vinegar.
About 3 months ago I started noticing that they were either not putting in provolone or not putting in balsamic vinegar.
So I started tracking.
In the last 3 months, they screwed up 7 of the last 8 sandwiches.
Today’s sandwich did not have either.
I’m done.
never going back there again.
Its too bad. The younger staff are really nice while the older ones are mailing it in.

I had their cheesecake in a cone and I loved it!

This is truly a hidden gem in Little Italy. If you’re on a diet, you will surely be tempted to break it here. The freshness of the cheese leaves you wanting to consume it by the mouthful. I opted for the aricini balls and fresh mozzarella. Oh my! My friend had to hold me back from running back inside and buying up the whole place! If you are a cheese-​lover, you must come in here.

Why does this store have a strange smell? Every time I have come in here. Ick.
I have walked in & out more than once with no one asking me if I needed help. They keep the fresh moz in the fridge, which I find disturbing. Tried rice balls a few years back and they tasted like the inside of the cooler. I actually threw mine away. The gelato wasn’t horrific, but I won’t purchase again… the cone tasted like styrofoam. They DO have a little gem of a dessert in the gelato case… a «cone» made from caramelized almonds that is stuffed with cheesecake filling (sort of the texture of a thick frosting with the taste of a cheesecake). It looks like a cross between a small ice cream cone and a cannoli. It is $ 6, but worth every penny. Terrific find and VERY well done… that cone doesn’t just happen. I will come back for that, but nothing more.

So glad we stumbled across this random ‘best kept secret’.
Established in 1892. This shop is dedicated to cheeses, meats and sandwiches/​subs.
We decided on the Italian sub, we added mozzarella and balsamic vinaigrette. I have never had balsamic Vincente on my subs but now I can’t imagine it any other way. This sub was absolutely delicious. Full of scrumptious flavor. Took a second for the sun to be made, the gentleman sliced the meat and cheese fresh to order, I don’t care because it was well worth the wait. The meat was savory and salty, we were given a slice of prosciutto prior to our order being complete. Any ingredient that tastes delicious on its own tastes even better on a sub and this was no exception.
The gentleman behind the counter told us of several restaurants that we needed to try before going home. He also informed us that Lombartis pizza was one of the better/​best pizza places in the area and that this shop delivers 300 lbs of mozzarella to this place daily!
Very happy with our choosing and you can tell the employees love working here and have a passion for what they do!

I view Alleva Dairy as the overshadowed little brother to Di Palo’s, though the two shops are unrelated. Alleva Dairy has both a smaller space and selection compared to Di Palo’s, but the quality of the products they do offer is, in my opinion, nearly as good. You also will likely have a much shorter line at Alleva Dairy, though the employees are not the most amiable people and take their time to assist you.
My favorite thing to do at Alleva Dairy is to buy one of the large, fresh-​made unsalted mozzarella balls from the back of the store, and then pick up some prosciutto from the counter (di Parma is excellent, but if you want to splurge go for the San Daniele). I also grab salami ends pretty often, because they’re considered scraps and only cost a couple bucks a pound but are still pretty tasty. Whenever I’m near Little Italy this is basically my substitute for an actual meal. I’ve also had their rice balls and stuffed peppers which are solid. The stuffed peppers have quite a kick to them, which I love.
The one aspect of Alleva Dairy I don’t like is that the employees tend to seem uninterested, continuing conversations while customers like myself patiently wait to be helped. Furthermore, some of the older gentlemen can be terse and aren’t much for pleasantries or smiles. Bear in mind, the service isn’t bad, but it certainly isn’t the customer service for which one would hope.

Hmmm, I’m little less enamored with Alleva. Prices are up, but the cost for everything is up these days, so I would not hold that against them. That said, it is really not good to serve food and count cash wearing the same plastic gloves.

I put this between 3 and 4 stars.
The hubby originally went to Di Palo’s for our Christmas Eve/​Day antipasto but after waiting 90 minutes and not being served any time soon, he did a Unilocal search and found Alleva Dairy.
The line was much shorter and the service was very friendly. He came home excited to sample our holiday charcuterie.
The cheeses were great. The burrata was terrific. The fresh mozzarella was delicious.
The cold cuts weren’t so great. The salami was greasy. The mortadella wasn’t especially flavorful. Di Palo or any Italian Deli in Howard Beach (Queens) or Brooklyn, will give you better quality italian cold cuts.
I don’t know if we would come back.

I love parmesan cheese, and knew I had to visit here on my trip. It was worth the visit. The shop was small, but they had a large selection of meats and cheeses. The man working behind the counter helped me select a parmesan and romano blend, and packed it carefully so it would be safe in my carry-​on while on the plane. I shared some with my family a couple days later, and we all agreed it was the best cheese we’ve had. I will definitely try a sandwich on my next trip, as they looked delicious.

As good as it gets. This Bensonhurst Brooklyn born Italian boy knows italian Salumeria, and you won’t find many to compare with this Little Italy institution.
The meats and cheeses are top notch. The sandwiches are a steal for around ten bucks. You can easily eat half and take the rest home or share.
I am so glad to be back in Soho so I can walk there again for lunch, its a happy heart attack in the making if you visit daily, but a few times a month shouldn’t kill you, only make you.stronger.

Alleva is a Little Italy institution that I’ve always visited over the years but for some reason, never Unilocaled. Maybe I’ve never felt the need to Unilocal about a place famous for its strombolis and breads and cheeses (and meats, which I’ve never bought). The food here is handmade in the old Italian tradition and like an experienced Italian grandma’s cooking, absolutely delicious. The broccoli rabe bread I picked up recently was large, cheap and so packed with garlic you can scare off a legion of vampires. Same goes for the garlic ratio in the strombolis, which by the way, are huge and definitely make up two meals for me. There is high turnover here, especially on the weekends, so you can be guaranteed to get fresh in anything you buy. A nostalgic favorite of mine, giving you a taste of what «old» New York must have been like.

Fresh, Local, Smoked Mozzarella Daily — «Oldest Cheese Shop in America»
REAL 100% Fruit — home made — Italian Ice (no artificial flavoring)
Don’t have time to sit down for a 1.5 hour meal in Little Italy??? Well, you’re in luck, this is a GREAT quick option for high quality authentic Italian food, snacks, and people watching. Just look for the gigantic hanging sausages, and benches on the corner of Mulberry and Grand.
On a sunny day when Mulberry Street is bustling with people, and your tummy is grumbling, you’ll be glad you stopped in.
Plus, this little shop has some pretty cool ties to some of New York’s Finest Restaurants.
History — Yes, this is the Oldest Cheese Store in America, take a look at all of the photos in the front window, and snap a picture of yourself outside. You’ll be glad you did when you come back in a decade and Alleva Dairy is still here. Established in 1892 Alleva has been a gem in Little Itali for over 100 years. They have supplied fresh mozzarella and dairy products to supply many of NYC finest restaurants, including Lombardi’s Pizza, and Angelo’s.
People Watching — Classic Italian characters pass by, you may even recognize some of them. To be honest, this is one of the best corners in Little Italy for people watching.
Reasonable Prices — I was pleasantly surprised, great fresh + local items, and not too crazy on your wallet. Well done.
Quick bites — Whether you’ve come here for a gigantic sandwich, cold cuts, focaccia bread, broccoli Rabe bread (I know, cool idea right?), or something else Italian to stock your fridge… Everything is delicious. I regularly pick up spicy salami, their cold cuts, fresh prosciutto, and goat milk yogurt drinks. The line is usually not bad, and they have so many customers that I know their food is fresh.
Quality Products — Most Italian ice’s have sugar and flavoring, but Alleva offers up the real deal with REAL Fruit in their Italian Ices. They also source many of their products from local organic farms. Which, if you read my reviews you know I am a fan of and they do not put chemicals on their mozzarella to make it taste smoked. They actually smoke the cheese on site.
Friendly Staff — the chef here, and the workers have been in the neighborhood for decades. They know what good quality is, and they want you to experience it just the way their Italian heritage has allowed them to. Awesome and authentic.
The Scene: Old School, Italian Market
Destination Rating: 8
Date Rating: 7
Hob Nob Potential: 2
Strong Suggestion: Stop in if you’re in little Italy. There’s something here for everyone.
Seating Options: There are some nice parks nearby, If you walk down Mulberry or Grand you can enjoy your goodies with some greenery.

On a mangé a leur stand lors de la fête de San Gennaro, ravioles excellentes, arrancini excellentes aussi et surtout c’est des italiens !