Italian Restaurant???
Small town girl coming to the big city wants to have authentic Italian feast (and good wine!). Hotel is close to Little Italy, but will travel all over the city for the perfect setting/wine list/meal. No tourist traps or chain restaurants. Do I need reservations?
Suggestions?
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Being Italian I feel the need to reply. Is it too late?
Anyway, me and all of my italian friends agree that the best real italian food is either Del Posto and Cipriani Downtown.
A little more "rustic" italian feeling and good (but not excellent) food could be found at Quinto Quarto on Bedford street. Wood table, dark, nice and cozy italian ambient.
Aurora and Trattoria Cinque are solid everyday spots for many of us too (better food than Quinto Quarto, less of an authentic italian ambience)
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re: foodwhisperer
I found Bar Pitti way overpriced for the quality of the food... Went there once or twice, nice vibe, but I'm not going back... Da Silvano was actually pretty good a few years ago, I found it went downhill recently...
I really enjoyed Osteria Morini, I forgot to put it on the list...
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Authentic Italian food and good wine would be had at I Sodi on Christopher Street, which would easily fit your budget. If you are alone you might enjoy eating at the bar. Small, friendly, unique place with excellent food, not red-sauce or checked tablecloths.
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I Sodi
105 Christopher St, New York, NY 10014 -
My sense is that sarah is looking for old school italian american rather than the best authentic italian meal the city has to offer. I have not been in a long time and it doesn't seem to get any love here, but I suggest Ecco on Chambers St. Dark wood, big antipasti spread on display. No red checked tablecloths or candles in empty wicker chianti bottles but lots of atmosphere and the food is old standbys competently prepared. I know that doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement, but I've had some fun meals there. Should fit the budget.
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Ecco
124 Chambers St, New York, NY 10007›10 Replies-
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re: Barcelonian
Just tried Emilio's Ballato. Was looking for basic Italian-American because some of my family are not adventurous. Took some Chowhound suggestions and Emilio's was much better than I expected! The interior is really... peculiar, but everyone was friendly and service was excellent. All the food was a step above what I anticipated--great foccacia, fresh salads, al dente pastas, really well-made food--like someone actually cares. And the bartender knows what a Negroni is. A little pricey for the style of food, but a cut above the usual "red-sauce" place. Even my relatives liked it!
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TrishUntrapped
Dec 7, 2011 12:07 PM
If it's just you, you could eat at the bar at Scarpetta. If you love Italian food, which I do too, it's great to try something fresh and exciting.
That said, I also really like Pepolino. The homemade pastas are quite good, the boar entree is excellent... Just downright good food.
http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/...
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Pepolino
281 W Broadway, New York, NY 10013Scarpetta
355 West 14th Street, New York, NY 10014 -
FWIW, the places in Little Italy are by and large tourist traps with undistinguished food.
These are currently the best and may or may not have the tablecloth's you're after
Del Posto
Babbo (eat at the bar)
Torrisi's dinner
Ai Fiori
Barbone
Dell'Anima
Felidia
il Mulino
Locanda Verde
Scarpetta-----
Babbo
110 Waverly Pl, New York, NY 10011Del Posto
85 10th Avenue, New York, NY 10011Il Mulino
86 W 3rd St, New York, NY 10012Felidia
243 E 58th St, New York, NY 10022Barbone
186 Avenue B, New York, NY 10009Dell'Anima
38 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10003Scarpetta
355 West 14th Street, New York, NY 10014Locanda Verde
377 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10013Torrisi Italian Specialties
250 Mulberry St, New York, NY 10012Ai Fiori
400 5th Ave, New York, NY 10018›3 Replies-
re: dyrewolf
Cheeryvisage
Dec 7, 2011 11:10 AM
Adding Marea, if only for the fusilli with octopus and bone marrow. Heaven on a plate! :)
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Marea
240 Central Park South, New York, NY 10019 -
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re: dyrewolf
sgordon
Dec 7, 2011 11:56 AM
Many of the above would stretch the OP's budget, I think - Del Posto for sure would be $150 after tax/tip, before they'd even ordered a sip of wine. Ai Fiori, Marea, Scarpetta would all break $115 for a standard "true Italian" four-courser (antipasti, pasta, secondi, dolci) - and Il Mulino, fuggedaboudit. A staggeringly overpriced tourist trap if there ever was one. Is their food better than, say, the average Little Italy "red-sauce" joint? Sure. But it's vastly inferior to any of the other above listed places, all of which would be cheaper - many of them half the price. There's a reason Il Mulino doesn't list prices on their website. They're one of those "we charge what we do because we can" places that rely on diners who last read reviews 30 years ago.
I'd avoid places with set prix fixes, as well - the OP might want to do two pasta courses instead of pasta/secondi.
Locanda Verde could be a good call. Also in the same price range, and maybe a better option (though I personally prefer LV) would be Osteria Morini. The flavors are BIG & hearty, the scene boisterous and bustling. Both are at a decent enough price point (apps around $15, pastas all under $20, most entrees mid-to-high 20s) that they'd have significantly more wiggle room for wine. With tax & tip it's unlikely they'd spend more than $85 on the food portion of their evening, leaving a good $65 for wine if they're to push their $150 limit.
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Del Posto
85 10th Avenue, New York, NY 10011Il Mulino
86 W 3rd St, New York, NY 10012Scarpetta
355 West 14th Street, New York, NY 10014Marea
240 Central Park South, New York, NY 10019Locanda Verde
377 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10013Osteria Morini
218 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012Ai Fiori
400 5th Ave, New York, NY 10018
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When are you coming (dates?) to NYC? I always recommend reservations, especially during the holiday season.
How large is your party?
How much are you willing to spend for your perfect setting/wine list/meal? It's best to give a per person dollar figure for food only. So $75 per person for food? $100 per person? $125pp before wine/tax/tip?
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