New York City excels at many things, but one of its finest achievements? Italian food. As the birthplace of red-sauce, Italian American cooking, there are plenty of top-notch options in the five boroughs, and these days, it can feel as is if all of Italy is represented here. From rustic Tuscan dishes to saucy Sicilian specialties, this list of restaurants captures the best of the best — both new and old — in New York City right now. For our guide to the city’s best pizza parlors, click on over.
The Top Italian Restaurants in New York City
Saucy pasta, tender meatballs, and old-school charm
Roberto's
Roberto’s modern Italian fare, served on a side street tucked away from the hubbub of the Bronx’s Little Italy, is a welcome contrast to the red-sauced Italian American food common in the neighborhood. The wine list is more sophisticated, too, backed up by a menu that trumpets dishes like seasonal vegetables steamed “in cartoccio” (in a foil pouch) and a rabbit stewed with potatoes. Roberto Paciullo, a native of Salerno, Italy, is behind Roberto’s, where there’s not a meatball in sight.
Fresco by Scotto
This family-run Midtown spot from the Scottos — Marion, the matriarch; Rosanna, co-host of Good Day New York on Fox 5 NY; and Elaina — evokes the Amalfi Coast inside and out in the decor with a crowd pleasing Italian American menu. Post-COVID, the family made a decision to up the fun — yet still attract the power set, from Mayor Eric Adams to various celebrities. As the night progresses, you’re sure to witness moments of impromptu dancing tableside in between courses and after dinner as a DJ turns up the tunes.
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Rezdôra
When Rezdôra set out to push the envelope on the classic Italian menu, it caused a sensation. The menu is anchored in Emilia-Romagna, and thus we have the gnocco frito of the region — thin cool slices of prosciutto matched with puffy warm fritters — and cappelletti verde, little pasta hats stuffed with leeks and peas that the menu rather poetically calls, “grandma walking through a forest in Emilia.”
Don Angie
Angie Rito and Scott Tacinelli have ushered in a new era for red sauce cooking at this West Village restaurant. The duo’s creative take on Italian American fare has included caramelle pasta with pickled cantaloupe and buffalo milk mozzarella, and the garlic bread — sesame-seeded flatbread stuffed with stracchino and Parmesan — is a consistent hit. Conclude with a glass of the couple’s amaro, made in-house from sarsaparilla and tasting vaguely of root beer. Be sure to make a reservation: It’s no secret that this is one of Manhattan’s top Italian restaurants.
Alice
Step into the cozy bar that leads to the cavernous dining area for this Italian seafood restaurant named for the anchovy. Owned by Emanuele Nigro, Riccardo Orfino and Wael Deek, the restaurant is a lively spot for a snack and an Italian cocktail or a full-fledged meal with salads, crudo, seafood pastas, and a daily catch.
I Sodi
The new location for I Sodi feels like the old one, thankfully, but there’s a whole other back room and a stylish outdoor garden that’s the place to be. Get the meat and cheeses and some sort of salad to start, the rabbit porchetta, and the artichoke lasagna with what seems like one hundred layers.
Carbone
Carbone is the peak for reinvented Italian American restaurants in NYC. Is the Caesar alla ZZ really a standout? Have you ever paid $89 for veal Parm? Does it matter? Chances are, you’ll have a story to tell by the night’s end and probably leftovers for tomorrow.
Roscioli
Roscioli, a restaurant and wine bar, took over a townhouse in Soho that used to be home to the tasting menu spot Niche Niche. It’s the restaurant group’s first location outside of Rome and has quite a wait for tables. Downstairs, the wine cellar serves a $130 per person tasting menu, while an upstairs salumeria with a sit-down restaurant offers a la carte options.
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Fiaschetteria Pistoia
Petite Tuscan restaurant Fiaschetteria Pistoia makes up for its size with charm — the servers are brusque yet friendly, known to slam down a wooden crate of wine when asked for the list. Still, their recommendations for affordable bottles rarely miss, and everything from the salads and pork cheek to the cacio e pepe and spaghetti con bottarga are celebrations of the genre. For dessert, the creamy tiramisu is so ethereally light, it’s a a must-order. The West Village location is walk-in only and this East Village spot takes reservations.
Emilio's Ballato
It’s no reservations at Emilio’s Ballato and start-to-finish, it’s a scene, where you’re bound to see someone famous. Start with a glass of house red or white. Make sure you try that focaccia (Emilio started as a baker). Order a plate of red peppers. Consider the tripe. Move on to linguine with white clam sauce. Share a plate of fennel sausage and broccoli rabe. The veal Milanese is pretty great, too.
Torrisi
Major Food Group has opened Torrisi Bar and Restaurant in the landmarked, 19th-century Puck Building: It’s a revival of sorts of the team’s first restaurant, Torrisi Italian Specialties, which closed in 2015, growing from a counter-service sandwich shop that started in 2009 with coffee and lunch, and later, adding a set menu. The new iteration has earned three stars from the New York Times for its take on Italian American dishes like linguine with a pink clam sauce or chicken alla griglia, as well as tributes to New York restaurant favorites, like an octopus nha trang. It’s a great dining room for theater and general people-watching.
Lilia
If Spiaggia in Chicago is what put chef Missy Robbins on the map, Lilia in Williamsburg is what rocketed her to stardom. Lucky diners might encounter Robbins hovering over the flame-spitting wood grill, the device responsible for singing Lilia’s succulent lamb steaks. Others might stop short at the host stand, quoted a two-hour wait for walk-ins.
Bamonte's
Over a century in Williamsburg has made old-school, red-sauce restaurant Bamonte’s a local legend. (Appearing in an episode of the Sopranos along the way didn’t hurt, either.) Opened in 1900, the restaurant is still owned by its founding family, who serves up classic Italian American dishes via servers in suits. Must orders include briny clams oreganata, spaghetti and meatballs, and the famous pork chops with pickled peppers. Don’t miss the cannoli, an off-menu dessert.
Misipasta
If you’re looking for casual, consider Misipasta, the new cafe from Missy Robbins and Sean Feeney, who own Brooklyn’s popular Italian restaurants Lilia and Misi. It’s really a pasta shop — there are fresh noodles, sauces, and cheeses on display — but there are seats at two counters and more tables in the backyard. The changing menu has grilled artichoke sandwiches and pasta, plus cocktails and wine.
Cafe Spaghetti
Cafe Spaghetti from Salvatore Lamboglia features an eclectic interior and a charming outdoor space. Consider dishes like the updated spiedini alla Romana, sluiced in a light lemony sauce sparsely dotted with tomatoes and anchovies, with mozzarella made in house. The restaurant serves some of the best pastas our critic has had around NYC, including fusilli grosso in a playfully large portion and orecchiette dressed with broccoli rabe and pork sausage.
Frankies 457 Spuntino
A picturesque backyard and a neighborhood vibe are the cherries on top at Frankies 457 Spuntino, which launched a small empire of restaurants on well-executed Italian American classics. The restaurant is as known for its sandwiches — the meatball Parm and the eggplant marinara are both worth trying — along with its pastas, particularly the cavatelli with hot sausage and browned sage butter. Wines are affordable, and it’s a great restaurant for groups. Reservations are recommended, but it’s usually possible to snag a seat at the wine bar, where the restaurant’s full menu is served.
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Al Di La Trattoria
The dark, cozy space of Al Di La has been a Park Slope favorite since 1998, both as a dining destination for Anna Klinger’s northern Italian pastas and as a go-to for locals around dinner. Go for the spaghetti neri all chitarra (black spaghetti with octopus confit, basil, and hot chile peppers) and tagliatelle if it’s a first-time visit, but know that there is plenty to explore. Listen for the specials, and prepare to wait for a table at peak hours.
Fatta Mano
Get the calamari, the mozzarella in carrozza, fettuccine Bolognese, or the chicken Milanese at this halal Italian spot from Abdul Elenani and Akram Nassir, behind Palestinian restaurants, Ayat and Al Badawi. Inside, an old gas-fired oven hulks behind the bar, while tight round tables in the dining room are pushed together to accommodate extended families that can flood the place.
Joe's of Avenue U
Joe’s is the city’s quintessential Sicilian spot, straight out of the 1950s and located on the cramped streets of Gravesend, Brooklyn. Look at the glass case filled with vegetable and seafood dishes near the entrance, then sit down in a dining room decorated with a delightful mural that depicts an island landscape with century-old themes. Don’t miss the chickpea fritters called panelle, the pasta con sarde loaded with sardines and sweetened with fennel, or the octopus salad.
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Randazzo's Clam Bar
This Sheepshead Bay establishment has been a neighborhood staple for decades, serving a variety of seafood dishes and pasta in a crowded dining room a stone’s throw from the waterfront. The restaurant is known for its red sauce, which can be ordered at varying heat levels and comes served atop various seafood dishes, including its standout fried calamari. Don’t miss the shrimp fra diavolo, as well as the raw oysters and clams.
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