Throgs Neck-Edgewater Park - Bronx, NY

Throgs Neck's name comes from from John Throckmorton, one of America's original settlers in the 1600s. Many families whose roots date back to the first Irish and Italian immigrants who came to America years later still call parts of this timeless neighborhood home.

Because of the tight-knit culture of Throgs Neck, neighborhood block parties and community events (especially during holidays) are quite common. You won't find museums or art galleries in town, but you'll certainly find a parade for St. Patrick's Day every year, as well as interesting structures, like an old fort, on the campus on SUNY Martime College, which sits beneath the Throgs Neck Bridge that connects the Bronx to Queens.

The neighborhood's St. Theresa Feast that has run every summer for almost two decades rivals the world-famous San Gennaro Italian feast in Manhattan's Little Italy.

East Tremont Avenue (or "Tremont," to locals) is the lifeline of Throgs Neck, and it's where you'll find the most — and best — restaurants and bars in the neighborhood.

The street is lined with old-fashioned pizzerias, many of which have been owned and run by the same family since great-grandpa came over from the Old Country (don't be surprised to hear the guys behind the counter chatting in Italian). Three legendary neighborhood joints — Frank's, Emilio's and Tommy's — sit within three blocks of one another along Tremont, and it's a toss-up as to which one has the best-tasting pizza. However, Louie and Ernie's on Crosby Avenue in nearby Schuylerville might just serve the best slice in the area.

For more upscale fare, Tremont Avenue is also home to Tosca Cafe, where you can order classy dishes such as saffron risotto with seafood and beef carpaccio, as well as ornate, overstuffed sushi rolls and fancy pizza pies baked in a coal-fired oven. Tosca also serves brunch on weekends with a killer eggs Benedict.

For nightlife, you can stay in the neighborhood and hit up local bars like PJ Brady's Tavern (on Philip Avenue, away from the main strip), head to Paddy's on the Bay or go back to Tosca for cocktails (or a bottle of Cristal). Many residents take advantage of their proximity to Manhattan and drive, ride the express bus, or take the 6 train in from Westchester Square or Middletown Road for a wild night in the city.

While public transportation is plentiful in Throgs Neck, yellow cabs are sparse and Uber drivers are typically unfamiliar with the area, so you're going to prefer owning a car if you live here — especially if you don't live close to East Tremont Avenue. That said, the streets are rarely congested, so you can safely walk to the store or bike around for kicks on a sunny day, despite there being no designated bike lanes. Street parking is usually plentiful, and most is free (except on Tremont and other popular thoroughfares — it's NYC, after all).

Many roads conveniently pass through Throgs Neck, two of which traverse major bridges that connect the Bronx to the borough of Queens — the Whitestone Bridge and the Throgs Beck Bridge (each of which has a toll of around $8 in each direction). I-95 (aka the Cross Bronx Expressway) takes you west to Manhattan in about 40 minutes with minimial traffic, or up to Connecticut in the same amount of time.

You can also find the 6 subway train (which runs above-ground in most of the Bronx and will take you to Manhattan in about 30 minutes) by heading a couple of miles north on East Tremont Avenue up to Westchester Avenue. The Q44, a local bus that runs north to the Bronx Zoo and south over the Whitestone Bridge and deep into Queens, including major transfer hubs in Flushing and Jamaica, can also be picked up in Throgs Neck on Lafayette Avenue and the service road heading to and from the bridge.

You'll also have easy access to the Hutchinson River Parkway, Bronx River Parkway, I-295, I-678, and I-278, all of which connect you to other parts of NYC/Long Island or to Westchester/Southern Connecticut.

Throgs Neck has plenty of open green space for residents to relish with two kid-friendly parks.

Bicentennial Veterans Memorial Park on the Throgs Neck Expressway is a free, dog-friendly park with a baseball field that borders Edgewater Park on the west.

Ferry Point Park, which sits under the Whitestone Bridge, is much more expansive, and it has undergone development in recent years to transform it into a great place for families, sports-enthusiasts and dog-owners. Cyclists and runners love the 1.5 miles of shoreline with city views, and golfers can practice on its public course.

The median rent in Thogs Neck is $1375 for a one-bedroom residence, gas costs 13 percent more than the national average, and a beer will cost you between $4 and $7, depending on how "local" the vibe at the bar you're frequenting and whether you opt for craft draught or generic light stuff.

Public transportation in the form of local and express buses is convenient and available across the neighborhood for those who don't drive. Local bus rides cost $2.75 and express bus rides (which shuttle you directly into Manhattan) cost $6.

East Tremont Avenue has much of what Throgs Neck residents need day-to-day, including Fine Fare Supermarket (at Dill Pl.), several banks, a post office, florist, and the legendary Frank Bee's costume shop (open since 1957) that features live bands performing out on the sidewalk by its entrance during certain holidays.

Target on Lafayette Avenue (near the Whitestone Bridge) has been a game-changer for Throgs Neck residents, but if you're willing to travel a bit further (or cross a bridge or two), you can find anything you can ever dream of buying throughout New York City.

Farmers markets have been known to spring up in Throgs Neck during warmer months, but they don't last. Residents can drive a short distance to Morris Park, Hunts Point, or Mott Haven, in addition to several other Bronx farmers markets, when weather permits.