Umbertos roots reach back to 1972, when Ianniellos father first opened the restaurants doors. Speaking of pesto, if the gnocchi pesto is on the specials menu, you must try. The majority of the two dozen New York City Little Italy Italian restaurants, bakeries, and specialty shops in the neighborhood are located along the three blocks of Mulberry Street between Canal and Broome. Gennaro Lombardi opened this pizzeria in 1905 (the original was further down Spring Street), using a coal oven to bake his large, profusely topped pies, leagues different from the tinier, barer, and damper pizzas back in Napoli. This is the rare Little Italy restaurant that doesnt also serve pizza, and offers a tad more elegance, which makes it a not-bad date spot though the over-the-top decor may disturb some. This 1939 gem really hits its stride in summer, when the outdoor tables throng, but winter is the time to sit indoors in the restaurant and enjoy huge servings of pasta and heroes perfectly executed. Got room for more? Consider the clam pie, every bit as good as those at Frank Pepes in New Haven. Former cast member Steve Schirripia used to live on the buildings fourth floor. Weve yet to go wrong with the no-frills vodka rendition, which boasts a layer of creamy, booze-spiked tomato sauce and a gooey patchwork of fresh mozzarella. 1. Next to the numerous landmarks of American history that occurred inside, the fact that the restaurant also serves a great brunch and specializes in fine beer and whiskey is just a bonus. From it fly. Ashamed of his disfigurement, the couple and their children moved to Cairo, Egypt, where they opened an Italian restaurant. Italian for grandmother, La Nonna aims to remind patrons of grandmas cooking. That might be due to Reynoldss graciously priced wine list or to the actual glow emanating from a pair of wood-burning ovens in the open kitchen, promising pizza within. Since 1905 Gennaro Lombardi crafted pizza in the United States using his bakers trade he learned from Naples. newsletter, classic spot favored by NYU staff and students. Inside, the walls and tablecloth are as red as the marinara sauce that you cant leave Benito One without trying. See our, By submitting your email, you agree to our, Where to Actually Eat Well in Manhattans Little Italy, Sign up for the Rossana Russo took over ownership of Lunella -- a restaurant with beaming yellow walls thats planted between Broome and Grand -- from her parents two years ago. Its a topic Ianniello would rather not discuss, certainly not like its just a scene from a gangster flick, and he gives a knowing nod when the subjects broached. Oops. Boccio recommends the Sunday Sauce -- a tomato sauce loaded with short rib, sausage, and veal. The answer was simple: time. This upscale white tablecloth Southern Italian restaurant has been on the block for thirty years. Side-by-side, it was easy to imagine what Joe looked like at Damians age, as they share the same profile and gentle demeanour. Something went wrong. While Da Nico is classy, Criscitelli does not want to be seen as too stuffy. Read about our approach to external linking. Subscribe for exclusive city guides, travel videos, trip giveaways and more! Alternatively, you may use, There are newer reviews for Casa D'Angelo. Some of the best place to get Italian American dishes like Chicken Parmigiana or veal parmigiana. Founded in 1999, Peasant was one of the first Italian restaurants in town to prepare most of its menu in a wood-fired oven, which is a magnificent sight to behold in the restaurant. Please enter a valid email and try again. The interior design is very clean, swoon-worthy songs by Sam Cooke and Ella Fitzgerald play over the speakers, and fresh pasta is made by hand every day. Italian-Americans living in the suburbs drive in each week to do their shopping here, and when tourists from Italy arrive on sightseeing buses each day, they marvel at foods they havent seen since their grandmothers made them. Another part of Umbertos draw, no doubt, is its role in mafia folklore. "Great Italian food in the oldest restaurant in Little Italy, NYC" Review of Casa D'Angelo 168 photos Casa D'Angelo 146 Mulberry St, Between Hester & Grand Sts, New York City, NY 10013-4708 (Little Italy) +1 212-804-8656 Website E-mail Improve this listing Get food delivered Order online Ranked #644 of 13,857 Restaurants in New York City Of course, the ubiquitous jarred pasta sauce line gives a taste to outsiders of the red-sauce joint dishes such as meatballs or lemon chicken. This thoroughly old-school Italian joint, open since 1956, has been a celebrity fixture for years, feeding the likes of Rihanna, David Bowie, and Barack Obama. Puglia is still in the Garofalo family, with Joe II, Gregorio's grandson, in charge. This is the kind of place where tourists mix with locals, and you can easily tell the former from the latter. This . The 16-inch pizza arrives blanketed in tiny bellies, with a lemon propped at its center. The restaurant soon grew into one of New Yorks most celebrated, attracting mayors, governors and celebrities like Joe DiMaggio, Frank Sinatra and Elizabeth Taylor. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. Youll often find owner James Bari seated outside this small eight-table restaurant which dates back to 1968. Weve rounded up the absolute best restaurants in Little Italy so you can find sandwiches piled high with capicola, heaping plates of old-world pasta and the best bakeries for cannoli and pignolis. Tuxedoed waiters are all old-timers, and will gladly talk diners through the menus complicated list of selections. "Forlini's . Family owned since 1910, this gastronamia represents all 20 regions of Italy with imports such as handmade cheeses, cured meats, olive oil and vinegar. In 1971, director Francis Ford Coppola wanted to shoot a scene from his new film The Godfather in Marios dining room. Founded in 1892, Alleva claims to be Americas oldest cheese shop. And the main wall is painted ocean blue. From it fly chickens, whole fish, lamb merguez, and even a whole pig, which must be ordered in advance. Sure, you could grab your gabagool at Whole Foods, but there, they pronounce it capocollo. Remarkably, neither she nor her father have ever visited Naples, or anywhere in Italy, for that matter. I grew up shopping here, Aquilino says of the cheese store, in between ringing up customers. When I asked why, she and Joe looked at each other and laughed. We sent the Italian member of our group up who speaks Italian and he was immediately acknowledged by the host in Italian. The menu calls itself Neapolitan, but has a wider geographical span with dishes such as linguine with red clam sauce and Roman spiedini, as well as Italian-American hits like chicken giambotta and veal marsala. Heeding my great-grandparents advise, I, of course, ordered the pizza. I have been going to this restaurant for over 30 years. Not if I can help it.. David Rentas; Tamara Beckwith; Stefano Giovannini. Torrisi and Carbone unspooled theirs in two parts, turning their original venue into a serious restaurant (all tasting menus) and moving its casual half into Parm. Where Nightlife-Loving Mayor Eric Adams Eats, The 16 Best Restaurants to Order Pasta in NYC. Join more than three million BBC Travel fans by liking us onFacebook, or follow us onTwitterandInstagram. When its streets are crowded with tourists, can feel a little overwhelming. When they were finally driven out on November 25th of 1783, General George Clinton held an honorary banquet there for George Washington, whose tooth is now on display in the upstairs museum. Shes right. Marios epitomises the neighbourhoods time-capsule feel, and is perhaps the most authentic place to taste the culinary traditions of New Yorks early Italian community. Named after the hero of Saturday Night Fever, Tony Manero (John Travolta), Maneros is only a couple of years old, but its already developed a reputation for some of the best brick-oven pizzas in the neighborhood, with a puffy and nicely browned crust. Pizza at Mario's has been made the same way since 1919 a culinary artefact showing how the dish was introduced to Americans by immigrant chefs (Credit: Danielle Oteri). Ranked #35 of 1,717 Restaurants in Cleveland. My family and I had a wonderful dinner at Angelo's. One week is used to deep clean the restaurant, and the second is theirs to rest but the two have always opted for easy getaways to the Caribbean. Regardless, the cheap prices, succulent pork preparations and crispy-chewy bread thats baked in-house are worth taking a walk for. Marios is their lifes work and Regina and Joe both work six days a week, cover for other staff members and even help out in the kitchen. Those are really the number-one attraction.. But when Mario heard the pitch that Al Pacinos character would hide a gun in the restaurants bathroom and then use it to kill the two men at the table he declined, saying that it didnt sound like a family film, so Coppola shot it at another nearby restaurant instead. Its the sort of restaurant where groups of twenty-somethings exchange HBO Now passwords over plates of pasta. (1979) Greco's New York Pizzeria 6814 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Truly, the fact that Fraunces Tavern still stands is a miracle of endurance. You cant go wrong with the pasta verdi fruiti di mare, lobster ravioli, or spaghetti pescatore. A good choice if your in little Italy. I had to walk over and lean down to her ear to hear what she was saying. In fact, Gennaro Lombardi is credited with creating "New York Style Pizza." Marianne W. Elite 2023. Please resist the temptation to ask for marinara. But the best tables in the house are in the covered, skylit garden, which you enter from the rear dining room. After entering Da Nico, youll see the bar and brick oven from which 14 different pizzas are prepared. 1. The current 100-capacity location is just a stones throw from the original one at the intersection of Hester and Mulberry. Founded in 1919 as a pizza parlor,Mariosis the oldest restaurant in the Bronxs Belmont neighborhood (aka Arthur Avenue, or the Bronxs Little Italy). Buona Notte is where a tempting menu, a welcoming ambience and Italian tradition converge in a superb culinary experience that will awaken all your senses prepared by Executive Chef Salvatore Fichera. Because what happens, happens.. The modern venture represents Italian food for the next generation, as owner Nick Boccio puts it. Other time-capsule dishes at Marios include braciole (rolled beef) with peppers and escarole in broth, and tripe cooked with tomatoes and onions. Benito One is the definition of a New York City old-school Italian restaurant. And while most menus in the area can feel overwhelming as if to say, we have everything here, the two-sided menu at Lunella plays all the hits. When customers straggle in between the lunch and dinner rushes, she smooths back her thick chestnut hair and greets them with menus. Untapped New York unearths New York Citys secrets and hidden gems. The price of the meal was expensive but again not overly ridiculous for NYC. Besides the wayward cannonball, it has survived three different fires and a bombing in 1975 by a Puerto Rican paramilitary group, which killed four people inside. 5000. When Joe said hed like to work in the family business, Mario insisted Joe go to college. The goal, obviously, is to help preserve Little Italys past, and keep that story alive into the future. But this is our history., Arthur Avenue in the Bronx is one of the largest and most intact Little Italy's in the US (Credit: Simon Leigh/Alamy). May be that I should change, but it is difficult to find other restaurant with the quality of the food and "Italian My husband, 2 kids, and I went to Angelo's on Friday night. The year after, the British captured the restaurant and forced the staff to feed their soldiers. . Little Italy, once a sprawling immigrant neighborhood, now technically only occupies three blocks of Mulberry Street, but the history and reach of its red sauce joints can be found in nearby Nolita, Soho and Chinatown. My TOP 5 Things to Do in Little Italy. You'll often find owner James Bari seated outside this small eight-table restaurant which dates back to 1968. Forlinis has been open since 1943, mainly catering to the judge-and-jury crowd from the nearby courthouse as well as to Italian-American regulars. Fettuccine rossana was named in honor of current second-generation owner Rossana Russo because of her love of shrimp and asparagus. After a bit of Italian, the host asked us to hold on just one second. The Broken Meatball option is lazy-Sunday worthy, too, made with the same lush tomato base, a sprinkling of fresh basil, and chunks of, well, broken meatballs. Originally, the Little Italy institution had announced a March 5 shutdown, but the New York Post reports that . The epicenter is Grand and Mulberry, and thats still there. Whether youre in the neighborhood for The Feast of San Gennaro or the nearby New Museum, this is your no-fail guide to Little Italy dining. An irresistible entre is the casserole of baked cheese ravioli mantled in mozzarella and nicely browned, with an extra tableside sprinkle of parmesan cheese. We uncover the best of the city and put it all in an email for you. And while its now de rigueur for New York pizzerias to build or even import wood-fired pizza ovens from Italy, Marios has stuck with its gas oven so that the pizza crust is perfectly crisp. We were seated in the back of the restaurant and were We made reservations at Angelo's for a party of 4 a week in advance and they just took our name, time and party size and hung up the phone. This is the hardest reservation to score in New York City, because regulars have. Bari has added to the menu quite a bit since purchasing Benito One in 2010. If youre not from the area and only know one Little Italy restaurant, its probably Umbertos. Youre going to want to recreate some of Little Italys goodies at home -- even if all youre capable of is putting together a charcuterie board. The walk-down premises shows every year of its age, and the menu is a tad too ambitious, so stick with the Italian-American standards. CESARINA IS HANDS DOWN THE BEST HIGH QUALITY ITALIAN RESTAURANT IN." more. Right now, the space where the museum was, on the southwest corner of Grand and Mulberry, is an empty lot, but Dr. Scelsa hopes the revamped museum will debut in its brand-new building around the spring of 2020. Tomino - Taberna Gallega 236 reviews Closed Now Spanish, Wine Bar $$ - $$$ Menu ". The compact spot retains a dash of vintage decor left over from Mr. Donahues (the owners former restaurant), with a wood-paneled counter, an exposed-brick wall and throwback posters. The place was completely crowded and poorly managed and we were happy not to be rushed and crammed through dinner. Puglia native and 29-year Il Cortile veteran Angelo is a common request. While Lower Manhattan's Little Italy is popular with tourists, true New Yorkers know that the 'real Little Italy' is in the Bronx (Credit: zodebala/Getty Images). Russos folks emigrated from Italy separately in the 60s, met in Little Italy, and opened a few restaurants over the years before establishing Lunella in 2001. Little Italy's oldest cheese shop closes, moves to New Jersey. Founded in 1902, it shows every year of its venerable age and is the setting for numerous TV episodes and films. The antipaso was great and we enjoyed all the other dishes as well. All were terrible. The sidewalk clam bar was located at the corner of Mott and Hester street in Little Italy, New York City, Where it still flourishes today, serving succulent varieties of Italian Seafood. Each room has a different vibe at Il Cortile. The dreamy, brush-stroked Bay of Naples enshrined inside Marios is now filled with luxury hotels, cranes and busy cruise ships not that shed know that. Most are named after a region of Italy or begin with La or Da. Little Italy has been receding over the years, but it is still a cool place to see Italian American culture and food. The classic capozzelli was served until about 1980, when trends, and the area, changed. Little Italy is next door to Chinatown, Manhattan, NYC. But your snacking and snapping tour might not last as long as youd like, and not just because of geographical limitations. Still, Lombardis continues to bake a hot contender for best pie. Theyve been killing Little Italy for 30 years, says Robert Ianniello Jr., owner of local institution Umbertos Clam House. Open since 1891, this Little Italy institution offers pignoli cookies and cannolis with a side of history, seen through details like wire heart-shaped stools, quaint floor tiles and chocolatey. Even some of the areas recent additions feel like theyve got old souls, attracting locals who mightve once dismissed Little Italy as Olive Garden writ large. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Where to Actually Eat Well in Manhattans Little Italy. Angelo's restaurant, an old-school favorite mentioned by nearly everyone interviewed for this article, had to close following a 2018 fire, but it's scheduled to return once renovations are. Unlike most New York slices today, which often come topped with a heavy layer of grated mozzarella and provolone that overwhelm the tomatoes, Marios places a perfect blend of tomatoes and fresh basil leaves alongside dollops of fresh hand-sliced mozzarella. The men were so loud and so noisy, we could not hear ourselves at all and whilst we debated whether we were going to sit down or not, a woman from a tiny table for 2, tucked between the 3 other tables, leaned across and shouted 'hopefully they will quieten down when the food arrives.' The sea-to-table bowls on offer include goma-shoyu tuna with garlic chips, spicy hamachi with chili chutney and a sushi-grade Scottish salmon with Szechuan-spiced mayonnaise and daikon. Since 1918, this classic spot favored by NYU staff and students has been feeding Villagers abundant servings of minestrone, bread-crumbed baked artichokes, stuffed manicotti, and veal pizzaiola (with mushrooms and peppers). The purported oldest cheese shop resides in Little Italy where they have been serving dairy ingredients since Pina Alleva opened it more than a century ago. You can identify both by the framed 810 photos of the actors above in the courtyard room. He mastered all the dishes that Marios is famous for: the spiedini; octopus salad; meatballs slow simmered in tomato sauce. Cacio e pepe with house-made fettuccine will be on the specials menu from time to time, as will lobster fra diavolo. We're sorry, hotels cannot be booked for more than 30 days. Gluten-free diners and large groups are especially pandered to here, and the place has some pedigree: The pies were at least partly inspired by the super thin crusts at Joe & Pats in Staten Island, with a branch in the East Village. There are some great apps, too, including chopped salads and hamachi crudo, which double as drinking snacks for a wine list more expensive and adventuresome than is usual for a pizzeria, making this as much a wine bar as a restaurant. In 2021, Rossana became the first female president of the Little Italy Merchants Association. The baked clams and chicken francese are dont-miss dishes. I have been going to this restaurant for over 30 years. Both are made in-house. The carre dagnello is a rack of oven-roasted lamb in a Cabernet sauce. was a hundred years ago when Italian immigrants first settled here. Now it specializes in all manner of imported Italian products, especially cheeses and cold cuts. The Michelin-starred Thai restaurant Uncle Boons has opened a, well, sister restaurant with this takeout spin-off. Every day from noon to midnight, gregarious hosts stand at their posts outside restaurant doors, often with menus in hand, looking to lure in gawkers. Here are our recommended locations that you should check out in Little Italy: Take photos of the famous Audrey Hepburn Graffiti; Former Police HQ Building - This building used to house the police headquarters from 1909-1973 and is a true piece of NYC history; Gelso and Grand - This restaurant offers homemade pasta with a great ambiance. Use the next and previous buttons to see all of the slides. They are calling it a "miracle on Mulberry Street.". "Oldest restaurant in Little Italy- est. Nobody makes that better than me -- in the country, Ianniello says. Casa D'Angelo - Authentic Italian Restaurant in New York Welcome to Reserve Now Order Food Prix Fixe Menu Presidential $130 / person Appetizers: Beef Carpaccio, Caprese, Seafood Salad Pasta: Linguini Vongole, Paccheri crab meat Main Courses: Branzino, Lamb Chops, Surf and Turf Desserts: Tiramisu, Cannoli Drinks: Wine and beer unlimited. Da Nico is the one Little Italy restaurant where you should insist on sitting inside. The chicken valdastano is one of his personal recommendations. When its streets are crowded with tourists, Little Italy can feel a little overwhelming. Anything featuring clams is recommended, and all the stand-bys are on the menu such as rigatoni in meat sauce, veal marsala, and filet of sole. La Mela is famous as a staple of Mulberry Street in New York's Little Italy. Italy's practically perfect food. That heritage remains evident todayLittle Italy's streets are lined with restaurants serving Italian staples on red-and-white checkered tablecloths. America's First Family of Pizza Est. Located in the heart of Little Italy, NYC, Buona Notte is the perfect place to discover the exqui. Get the schiacciata, a garlicky mozzarella tart dotted with sausage and artichoke, then finish off the meal with the ricotta cheese pie, which is admirably moist and flavorful. " LITTLE ITALY PALES IN COMPARISON. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Souvenir shops are as much a part of the scenery as the outdoor dining pods that have stayed in place since COVID. For dessert, try the tiramisu or cannoli. Please enter a valid email and try again. Barbusa. T here are almost 75,000 pizzerias in the US, and the granddaddy of them all is Lombardi's, an unassuming place opened more than a century ago at 32 Spring Street, in New York's Little Italy . Some of the old establishments have survived.. That makes it the oldest continuously family-owned Restaurant in Little Italy. Recent additions arent just in the neighborhood, but of it, too. 3. Michaelsis a youngster in Italian-American restaurant years, having been founded in 1964 in Marine Park. Then, prepare to bid no grazie to the restaurant hawkers pitching prix fixe menus and free house chianti outside the penne alla vodka tourist traps. Pink banquettes make for a distinctive look alongside a menu of old-school favorites, from chicken marsala to baked ziti. If you liked this story,sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newslettercalled "The Essential List". THE SAUCE One of the seasoned establishments Dr. Scelsa speaks of is Alleva Dairy, the self-proclaimed oldest cheese shop in America that opened in 1892 next door to its current location at the corner of Grand and Mulberry. At one time, the restaurant consisted of four rooms, but is now down to one. Visit any number of local businesses -- some of which have been slinging mozzarella and powdered pastries for decades -- and youll get a taste of the areas once-bustling immigrant community. Visitors come to the neighborhood to see where The Irishman was filmed and then sit down for pizza, pastries, or pasta. Sure, this spot hasnt been around for a hundred years, but the service is friendly and the food comes out fast. The menu is the perfect evocation of Italian-American cuisine, including a spaghetti with meat sauceand meatballs and a pork chop with sweet or hot peppers.