Your Top 5 Italian Restaurants Below 50th Street?

[elskin]

Your Top 5 Italian Restaurants Below 50th Street?

Thank you in advance.

[alepenazzi]

Yesterday I went with some friends for brunch at the newly opened Giovanni Rana restaurant at Chelsea Market.

We had one of the most delicious authentic, simple, true italian meals of the last few months.

We shared a few appetizers and then we ordered the pumpkin ravioli, the ravioli al brasato and the cappelletti al prosciutto. They were all perfect and just really good.
The desserts were even better, a simple tiramisu and a trio of panna cottas, both amazing.

I know it sounds like an advertisement and I can't comment about the secondi (meats, fish, etc) but I honestly just found my new place for an authentic, reasonably priced, good italian fix.

PS they carry what I personally think is the best prosecco from italy: Valdo. Give it a try.

[foodwhisperer]

Sounds interesting, Although I am not a fan of prosecco, I surely am a fan of authentic italian food, in a "below midtown" area. Thanks.

[Ziggy41]

Scarpetta
Del posto
Marea (rule break worthy - just a few blocks)
Da Andrea
Rubirosa (not in the same league as the others but we had a fun dinner there)

Between del posto and Scarpetta I'd choose Scarpetta as well

[atlantic]

Locanda verde, Torrisi Italian Specialties , Perla, Del Posto, Scarpetta.

[DavyTheFatBoy]

I Sodi
Bar Pitti
Inoteca
Pizza Roma
Babbo

[ttoommyy]

In no particular order:

Otto
Manzo
Maialino
Del Posto
'inoteca

[Wilfrid]

SD26 is missing from the lists, as usual.

[Spiritchaser]

Good point, love thier salumi and cheese selections

[alepenazzi]

Del Posto
Manzo
Lupa
Cipriani Downtown

[Spiritchaser]

A Voce
Ai Fiori
Ciano
Maialino

[Hey19]

50th seems like a very arbitrary street to choose, but for me, in no order:
Hearth
Dell'anima
Locanda Verde
Torrisi
so many, Ill flip a coin and say Rubirosa?

[Pan]

I don't think I've seen any mention of Ai Fiori so far. That's my favorite to date. Scarpetta is also excellent and I liked my one trip to Babbo but it was a few years ago.

I like Crispo fine as a mid-priced Italian restaurant that's dependable and has some decent wine and good grappas, but it is not in a comparable category. I go there now and then to enjoy myself with friends or relatives, but I wouldn't go there for a really special occasion. Similarly, I like Inoteca as a place to go to (usually late at night) for a good snack or meal with my girlfriend, before or after hitting some bars on the Lower East Side. I could imagine going there for someone's birthday, but their food, while nearly always quite good, does not have the level of complexity or the "wow" factor a great dish at a place like Ai Fiori or Scarpetta has.

There are restaurants that are excellent for what they are. I don't have the money to eat out at expensive restaurants every day, even if I wanted to (and I don't think I'd want to). But there's a reason they are more expensive, in these cases.

[mla19]

Perla
Osterini Morini
Maialino
Torrisi
Del Posto

[plafield]

I'll jump on here with a question: For a special birthday, looking for more upscale/refined but delicious would you choose Del Posto or Scarpetta and why?

[arepo]

To me Scarpetta is more innovative.

[NYJewboy]

I never understood why innovation was a virtue. Different can be terrible too, you know. I guess I am a traditional type of guy.

[ttoommyy]

Of the two, I've only been to Del Posto and can only speak to that restaurant. For "upscale/refined" you can't do much better than Del Posto. Absolutely beautiful space with wonderful service. You get what you pay for. I've been to Del Posto 5 or six times: for dinner, for the prix fixe lunch and for Easter afternoon dinner. Each time I have been blown away by the food. I am not putting down Scarpetta at all, as I have not been there. It is on my short list though and hope to get there soon.

[foodwhisperer]

Babbo
Da Andrea
Bar Pitti
Da Silvano
Osteria Morini

[NYJewboy]

There's Da Andrea again. Have to try it. Any recs there?

[Ziggy41]

Tigelle, pappardelle with sausage and truffle oil

[Motosport]

If you don't need the glitz:
DaCiro
I Trulli
and Marcony all rock our world for nice neighborhood restaurants.

[peter j]

Del Posto
Perla
Manzo
Babbo
Scarpetta

[thegforceny]

In order of preference:
Del Posto
Perla
dell'anima
Scarpetta
'inoteca

[arepo]

Price friendly fabulous food Crispos at 14th.

[thegforceny]

I find Crispo's food ham-fisted and the space crazy loud. The times I've frequented it was full of loud, overly raucous people, of the type usually travelling via a B or T.

[Sneakeater]

Just piling on because this is probably the first time I've ever read anything on this board about Crispo that I agreed with.

[tgseaver]

What is ham -fisted? We have reservations for Sat. night, should I cancel?

[thegforceny]

Lacks finesse. Sacrifices top ingredients and sophistication for excess which certain people think means 'delicious": tons of oil, cheese, frying, salt, cream, butter.

[RCC]

Didn't know what "ham-fisted" is until now. But completely agree. But, I'll be blunt ... Crispo is jsut OK , but not that good.

[arepo]

I'll be there Saturday night too. I simply love the way they do food. It is a loud, noisy place but well worth every penny because it is not over the top -- it is reasonable and really good Italian food. It is not an upscale dining venue. It is more for a youthful crowd (not that I am!!)
If you decide not to cancel, try their Hanger steak and brussel sprouts. Yum!

[tgseaver]

I'm going! Sounds like this is just what we are looking for,thanks.

[lewinters]

Went there once, enjoyed the food, have not been back but look forward to the opportunity.

[arepo]

I'll probably be sitting in that middle room that holds six people, across from the kitchen. If you feel like it, stick your head in and say hi and tell me how you liked it.
(expect noise, it is a happening kind of place)

[tgseaver]

Went last night and loved it! So I guess I am ham-fisted lover lol.

[arepo]

Yippee! I am glad you saw what I saw in the place despite some off-putting comments.
Good Italian food with a decent "sticker price" doesn't come around that often in NY so grab it, says I, despite the noise factor.

[arturusthorne]

Scarpetta
Ciano
Maialino
Piccolo Angelo
Torrisi

Depends what you're looking for, though, as certain of those places are quite different from the others in terms of pricing, formality and style of cooking...