Customers Wait In Long Lines For Fresh Cheese, Fish & Pasta In The Bronx

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- One section of the city that may seem as busy as Times Square is Arthur Avenue in the Bronx.

People were in line for hours Friday, waiting to buy fresh mozzarella, fish and pasta for their holiday meals.

The line outside Teitel Brothers extended down the block.

Among the customers was Natalina Pellicano, also known as "nonna," who came all the way from Stamford, Connecticut.

"It's something we do it every year," said Pellicano, who stood in line with her family for about two hours before finally getting inside.

Customer Julie Torre-Mosiello came prepared with a list.

"We do it all, I'm cooking both days," she said.

Down the block, there were huge crowds inside Arthur Avenue Retail Market.

"We'll go through the clock tonight," said David Greco of Mike's Deli. "Some people will be here at 2 o'clock in the morning picking up orders, but that's what it's about."

At Borgatti's Egg Noodles, Chris Borgatti was busy making pasta.

"This is what Christmas is all about, enjoying a beautiful meal, beautiful times, beautiful memories," he said.

Business was also bumping at a nearby fish market. The Italian tradition is to eat seven different kinds of fish on Christmas Eve, and no meat at all.

"It's the best stuff here," customer Nino Vincitori of Westchester said. "Seven fishes in Italy, it's a big tradition. We're going to go with 12 this year for a little extra."

On Long Island, Artie Hoerning, owner of Artie's South Shore Fish Market in Island Park, said he sells 400 orders of fish for Christmas Eve every year, including 1,000 pounds of shrimp and 1,800 baked clams.

Customer Carmella Borrelli spends about $350 every year buying fish.

"We wouldn't change the tradition for anything," Borelli said.