Kingsbridge, a Little-Known Bronx Jewel

When I tell other New Yorkers that I live in Kingsbridge, the usual reaction I get is, "Kingsbridge? Where is that?"

"Well, it's in the northwest Bronx, just east of Riverdale."

"Oh yeah, Riverdale! I know where that is."

Kingsbridge has the feel of the poor relation who lives nearby but who nobody ever talks about. Riverdale, which borders Kingsbridge to the northwest, is an upscale neighborhood. It has big yards and mansion-like houses, sometimes set back in small wooded areas. Aside from the cars on the streets, few signs of life are apparent to the person who is simply driving through the area. In fact, it can seem deathly quiet.

Kingsbridge, on the other hand, is a working-class area, pulsating with life. The No. 1 IRT subway train runs right through the heart of the neighborhood, along Broadway, on an elevated track. The joke is that the good thing about the No. 1 train is that it runs very often, and the bad thing about it is that it runs very often! It makes a lot of noise. But it's there, and it is a direct, nonstop line right into the heart of Manhattan.

The main street of the neighborhood is Broadway. This is the famous Broadway that begins on the southern tip of Manhattan, runs the length of Manhattan Island and then juts into The Bronx. We get the tail end of it here. It is bordered on both sides with shops, restaurants and offices. Almost anything that anyone needs can be found there, or on 231^st Street, and when the stores are open it is bustling and busy. The hub of the neighborhood is the area around the junction of Broadway and 231^st Street. Not only does the No. 1 train stop there, but several busses as well. There is easy access to places like the Bronx Botanical Garden, Wave Hill, Lincoln Center, and other popular places.

The ethnic makeup of the neighborhood has changed in recent decades. Kingsbridge used to be an Irish neighborhood. Many of the Irish are still here, but the neighborhood is now largely Hispanic, mostly Dominican. English and Spanish vie for equal attention on the street and in the churches. I have found the people of Kingsbridge to be warm and lively, even when there is a language barrier.

Speaking of churches, on Kingsbridge Avenue we have two very beautiful churches, the Roman Catholic Church of St. John and the Episcopalian Church of the Mediator. They are located on the same block, separated from each other by a small pre-school. I am Catholic, and I attend St. John's (and sing as their regular cantor), but I confess that I especially love the beauty of the architecture of the Church of the Mediator. Because of the ethnic makeup of the neighborhood, St. John's has an overflow of parishioners, while the Church of the Mediator's congregation is small and they struggle to keep afloat financially. The Church of the Mediator serves as a polling place during elections, and many cultural events take place there.

Kingsbridge is not lacking in restaurants. Although our restaurants are not fancy or super-elegant, we have some good ones. A special favorite is the Tibbett Diner, on Tibbett Avenue. If you like really good basic diner food and ambience, with generous portions, this is the place. Recently, the Tibbett Diner was damaged by a fire and had to close. It took them a while to get everything repaired and open again, but when they finally did re-open there was general rejoicing in Kingsbridge. Another popular diner is Louie's Dale Diner, on 231^st Street.

If you prefer a nice family-type restaurant, Land and Sea, on Broadway, will be happy to serve you. I am especially fond of their seafood, but they have a good menu and they are reasonably priced.

There are also some good Caribbean restaurants on Broadway. Unfortunately, my stomach can no longer handle spicy food, so I can't comment on the Caribbean restaurants, but perhaps I will ask some of my Dominican friends for recommendations, for another article in the future.

One of my favorite little hangouts is the Kingsbridge Donut Shop, on the corner of 231^st Street and Kingsbridge Avenue. This is a tiny, very friendly, family-run place and it is popular with the local people. Unlike our two Dunkin Donuts shops, one of them just up the street, the Kingsbridge Donut Shop also offers a small menu of good basic diner food, including homemade soups. They make a mean grilled chicken salad, too, in my opinion. My friend Michelle can testify that they also make a fine milkshake. The place is tiny, and everybody has to sit on bar stools at the counter, but that's a minor inconvenience.
The residential streets of Kingsbridge range from quiet, tree-lined, small avenues to busy streets with large apartment buildings. One street doesn't look like the next one, which is part of the area's charm.

Needless to say, I am happy to live here.