La Dolce Vita! Celebrate the 2026 Winter Olympics in These Italian-American Neighborhoods

I worked at the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics as a college student. I was lucky enough for the official food service company of the Olympics to offer me a job selling hot buttered rums and warm-you-up snacks at events including the luge, the bobsled, and the ski jump. I also sold hot chocolate at the Opening Ceremonies, carrying an enormous vat of the sweet, wintery beverage through the stands. It was cold, it was exhilarating, and it was game-changing.

After my shift ended each day, I met up with friends to hang out in one of a handful of darling restaurants and bars in postcard-perfect Lake Placid, New York — the mountains and trees frosted in white, with smiles at every turn. Everyone gathered in the village: the athletes, their families, spectators, media, and Olympic officials. We shared memories of the day’s events, good food, and hellos in dozens of languages. Global warming of the heart.

I loved watching Eric Heiden speed skate in Lake Placid (what a thrill!) and, of course, the moment when the U.S. pulled off the Miracle on Ice. But my best memories of the 1980s games are not watching the athletes win medals but watching people from all over the globe win respect for each other. And the games are a wonderful learning opportunity to share with kids.

Winter Olympics 2026: Italian Festivities in the U.S.

The Olympic Winter Games 2026 in Italy will offer an antipasto of events spread across Northern Italy in Milan, Cortina, Bormio, and other wintry Italian spots. Olympic coverage often includes titillating stories and photos of the destination’s culture and cuisine. Italy, no doubt, will be especially drool-worthy thanks to its rich food, wine, and espresso café culture. But you don’t have to travel to Italy to enjoy the riches of the region and tap into the spirit of the culture during the Winter Olympics, spanning February 6 to 22. You can experience some of the flavors of Italian culture right here in the United States. 

The USA’s Italian neighborhoods will have all the vibes you’re after. They’re always festive and lively — the Olympics will only make them more engaging. 

While cheering on Team USA, experience Italy’s la dolce vita culture and recipes passed down through the generations at these medal-worthy American spots.

Boston

This New England town is one of the most European U.S. cities, blending old with new seamlessly. Boston is for mitten-in-mitten strolls on snow-kissed cobblestoned streets, wood-burning fireplace glows, snowball throws at Boston Public Garden (the country’s oldest park), and much more.

Boston’s North End is like New York’s Little Italy. It’s a uniquely close-knit neighborhood, and Italian pride will be on full display during the Olympics. Boston pride will be a major theme, too: Three of Boston Skating Club members are competing in the Games. 

Narrow streets flanked with authentic Italian restaurants and bakeries define the North End. Expect lines out the door at Mike’s Pastry, Modern Pastry, and Bova, three of the most popular spots for cannoli and cappuccinos. 

Note: Bova is open 24 hours.

Order “The Milan,” an Olympics-theme sandwich at Bricco Salumeria & Pasta Shop, and you’ll be rewarded with a chicken Milanese on focaccia with arugula. And sister Bricco Ristorante features everything you’d expect from a traditional Italian restaurant. You’ll find veal ossobuco, a popular dish in Northern Italy where the games are being held. A swanky enoteca here is a popular late-night spot with Italian dishes and sips, fun for teens to experience. 

Regina Pizzeria is also celebrating a birthday; the old school pizza spot turns 100 this year and is the oldest restaurant in the North End. 

Note: The North End is also where you’ll find Paul Revere’s House and the Old North Church for history lovers.

Boston skates circles around other cities when it comes to outdoor winter sports. Lace up and go skating on the Boston Common Frog Pond and curling at the Liberty Hotel. And experience the much-anticipated Frostival Lodge in the heart of Copley Square: a partnership between Meet Boston, Eataly, Wayfair, and NBC Boston. Expect a cozy winter lodge with cabin décor reminiscent of the Italian Alps, warming nooks, heated outdoor patios, kids’ movies. Eataly will offer Olympic-inspired food and sips, along with pasta-making classes. And NBC Boston will provide coverage of the Olympics for visitors to support the U.S. during Olympic watch parties.

New York City

In the late 1800s, Italian immigrants moved into New York City’s downtown Manhattan in a neighborhood that became known as Little Italy. The neighborhood is distinguished by white and green decorations that hang across small streets. As you traverse many of the family-run markets and restaurants, you’ll hear many employees and regulars conversing in Italian. It’s also home to the annual San Gennaro festival in September. Next month, Little Italy will surely be passionate about everything Italian for the Olympics.

Ferrara Bakery & Café opened in 1892 and is a traditional favorite for lobster tails and sfogliatella enjoyed in the café. The oldest restaurant in Little Italy is Puglia, and it’s been the spot for live music and rigatoni alla vodka since opening in 1919 by the Garofalo family (who still own it). Lombardi’s is on the map here as America’s first pizzeria. It opened in 1905 as a grocery store and is known for its classic pies as well as clam pies. In the spirit of the Olympics held in fashion-forward Milan, the Chicken Milanese is a win.

NYC will also celebrate the Olympics in Bryant Park. Kids can channel their Olympic spirit with curling and ice skating here. There’s a winter lodge for warm-ups, Olympic viewing parties, and a bobsled from Team USA for photo ops.

Make a stop at Rosetta Bakery. Founded by lifelong friends from Milan, the bakery has several locations including Bryant Park. The café has undeniable “Milanese energy.” Don’t miss the bombolini, focaccia, and tiramisu: all signature items with ingredients imported from Italy. 

Note: Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, lesser known to tourists, is another popular Italian neighborhood that locals in-the-know can’t get enough of and where the spirit during the Olympics will be on display in the shops and restaurants.

Providence

Federal Hill in Providence, Rhode Island, is akin to Manhattan’s Little Italy and Boston’s North End. At the heart is DePasquale Square’s fountain, where you’ll celebrate the games with camaraderie with others braving the chilly winter nights.

And because Rhode Island produces the most squid in the country, calamari is the official state appetizer. Prepared the Rhode Island way with banana peppers and hot cherry peppers, you’re sure to warm up. 

Al Forno is a James Beard award-winning restaurant that opened in 1980. Its signature dish is grilled pizza on a hardwood charcoal-fired grill, and the grilled pizza calamari is a regional hit. 

Angelo’s Civita Farnese — named for Farnese, a small medieval town northwest of Rome — opened in 1924. Today, there are still cozy booths sitting on black and white checkered floors. The menu signature pastina soup, aka Italian penicillin, transports families to the motherland. They have homemade tiramisu, too, which is a Northern Italy specialty.

Posters of Frank Sinatra and the cast of “The Godfather” hang on the walls of the bar at Andino’s, where you can count on some Rat Pack music. This is another calamari spot, but consider the veal and chicken saltimbocca, the house specialty.

San Francisco

While the Northeast is home to many “Little Italy’s” around the country, the West Coast has North Beach, San Francisco’s Italian haven. The neighborhood, located just north of Chinatown, became home to many Italian immigrants following the 1906 earthquake. Italian pride is always on display with the country’s red, green, and white flag colors hanging across narrow streets. Baseball great Joe DiMaggio grew up here on his favorite spaghetti and meatballs. North Beach is also celebrated as the home of the Beat Generation with a rich literary history vibe; novelist and poet Jack Kerouac lived here as well. 

The oldest Italian restaurant in the country is Fior d’Italia dating to 1886, operating in several different locations and ultimately landing in North Beach’s San Remo Hotel. Classic Northern Italian dishes that are popular in the same spots the Italian games are being held include risotto alla Milanese and osso buco con polenta.

Tony’s Pizza Napoletana (inspired by a small pizzeria in Naples, Italy), Molinari Delicatessen (San Fran’s oldest Italian deli dating to 1896), and Caffe Greco and Caffe Trieste (espresso!) are other special places to visit for a little taste of Italy. As a bonus option, Vesuvio Café is a nod to both Italy and the neighborhood’s storied literary legacy.

It Takes an Olympic Village

The Olympic Games are much more than a sporting event. They are about the best in sports — and the best in people. The Olympics are about coming together. To enjoy the sweet life. La dolce vita!

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About the Author: Laurie Bain Wilson’s work has appeared in Real Simple, Working Mother, OpenTable, PBS/Next Avenue, Travel Channel, CNN Travel, Travel Market Report, Eat This, Chowhound, Parents, Salon, Wine Enthusiast, VinePair, and New York Times. She is also a longtime correspondent at The Boston Globe. Find more from Laurie at weekendsandcupcakes.com and her Muckrack profile.