Intimate Italian - Sauces and Artichokes

[cleantheplate]

Any suggestions for a quiet, delicious Italian place - yummy but not fancy? We love Florentine steaks, and great sauces, also artichokes.

[bfry]

we must have ordered the wrong thing at Perbacco, we highly reccomend Max or Supper over that place. also in east village.

[vintage ricecake]

Really try Perbacco, 4th b/w A-B. The sauce is unbelievable - the meatballs, lasagne and the bologense are ridiculous and very authentic.

Otherwise, you should definately go to Luna on 70th and Lex. Became friends with chef, who is Italian but trained in Paris and catered my best (little Italian) friend's wedding.

[kenito799]

Yes Perbacco is my favorite E Vill Italian! Actually, looking back at the OP they asked for intimate, not quiet, and Perbacco certainly is intimate, usually packed, but it's not too loud.

[bobby06877]

Bianca is a solid recommendation based on the quality of its food but it is not quiet. (unless you consider eating early at 6:00 when it is not full)It is a cramped place. You might want to consider Teodora, owned by the same people that run Bianca. It is larger but the upstairs sitting area, especially in the back, can be quiet and intimate. They have a great but simple artichoke salad and some other dishes which include artichokes. They also have a very good steak dish on their menu.

[cleantheplate]

Thanks everyone, we're going to try them all.

[kenito799]

Col Legno does great artichokes (fried crisp baby ones), a very low-key tuscan spot on E 9th. Although small, the surfaces are hard and it can get a bit loud if people are being loud.
Also check out Crispo, the garden (enclosed and heated in winter) is quiet.

[KTinNYC]

Second Col Legno, this place is dead solid and doesn't get enough play on this board.

[Michele4466]

Although I am a fan of Crispo, I have to disagree about the garden being quiet. It is a rather large garden for a restaurant and it is quite loud and rather, what is the word...bustling.

The food is great, especially the pasta carbonara but quiet, no!

Still a great rec!

[kenito799]

I guess I have been there when it wasn't full and found it quiet...early reservations are always better for quiet.

[Todd]

Bianca on Bleecker St at Bowery

[NAtiveNewYorker]

Second Bianca. This places lives up to the hype.

[KTinNYC]

The fried artichokes at Bianca are fried to the point of burnt and the tables are so close together there is no way the room is ever quiet. The pastas are fantastic and last Monday they had a great calves liver special. Nice place but not what the OP is looking for.