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I Sodi’s tagliatelle. — Tagliatelle at the new location of I Sodi.

The Top Italian Restaurants in New York City

Saucy pasta, tender meatballs, and old-school charm

by Eater Staff Updated Sep 14, 2023, 3:08pm EDT

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Tagliatelle at the new location of I Sodi.

| Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

by Eater Staff Updated Sep 14, 2023, 3:08pm EDT

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 sit-down 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.

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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.

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603 Crescent Ave, The Bronx, NY 10458

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A glistening heap of browned rabbit with greens and potatoes. — Roberto’s fabled braised rabbit.

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Rezdôra

Let’s face it: The menus of most upscale Italian restaurants have fairly predictable menus, and you can visit them confident that you’ll find, say, an al dente cacio e pepe or a decent veal Milanese. When Rezdora set out to push the envelope on the classic Italian menu, it caused a sensation three years ago. 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.”

27 E 20th St, New York, NY 10003

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The tagliolini al ragu, held up by a fork, at Rezdora — The tagliolini al ragu at Rezdôra.

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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.

103 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10014

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A green salad showered in cheese shavings with a fork placed to the side of the dish sits on a table. — Parmesan with a side of salad at Don Angie.

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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.

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126 W 13th St, New York, NY 10011

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Anchovies and butter on bread. — Anchovies with butter on bread at Alice, the namesake of the restaurant.

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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 outdoorgarden 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.

314 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014

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A meat and cheese plate. — Meat and cheeses at I Sodi.

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Monte's Trattoria

This Italian American classic has been a MacDougal Street staple since 1918; housed in a basement, though the average passer-by may not know it, it’s often packed with diners here for the history, conviviality, good food, and fair prices. Our critic Robert Sietsema says the mains are better than the starters and recommends the baked clams, cannelloni, and beef short ribs, with zabaglione for dessert.

97 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012

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A red walk down premises with some rather crude hand lettering. — The exterior of Monte’s Trattoria.

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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.

181 Thompson St, New York, NY 10012

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Waiters attend to groups of diners sitting at outdoor tables on a tree-lined street. To the left, a neon illuminated sign “Wines Liquors Carbone” shines. — Carbone, photographed in the early days of the pandemic.

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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.

647 E 11th St, New York, NY 10009

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Bottles with price tags on a metal rack. — Fiaschetteria’s “wine list” comes in a milk delivery rack.

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Emilio's Ballato

From the doorbell where you’re greeted, to the interior sign allegedly painted by Andy Warhol, to the front right table where Emilio sits with friends, to the back room that’s bound to seat someone famous: Emilio’s is a scene — and we haven’t even gotten to the food. 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

55 E Houston St, New York, NY 10012

A bottle of house white wine on a table. — House Vermentino at Emilio’s Ballato.

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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.

567 Union Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222

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A yellow pasta with garnishes sits in a shallow grey bowl. — Ricotta agnolotti in a pool of saffron honey sauce.

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Bamonte's

Over a century in Williamsburg has made old-school, red-sauce Italian 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.

32 Withers St, Brooklyn, NY 11211

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A red frame house is the setting for Bamonte’s, and an old man sits on a bench in front. — A red frame house is the setting for Bamonte’s.

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Joe's Restaurant

The family-owned dining room with its large Sicilian menu, open since 1982, is a bounty of classics: a chicken Francese swimming in lemon-butter sauce, calamari doused in fra diavolo, and fettuccine alfredo bathed in creamy sauce. The are six kinds of spaghetti alone (get the one with eggplant), and don’t miss the anchovy appetizer or the baked clams oreganata. A meal here feels like you’re sitting in someone’s living room.

6611 Forest Ave, Queens, NY 11385

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Three meatballs in red sauce with spaghetti peeping out.

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Ferdinando's Focacceria

One of the city’s oldest Sicilian restaurants, dating to 1904, is Ferdinando’s Focacceria in Carroll Gardens. The “focacceria” part of the name doesn’t refer to the familiar southern Italian bread, but to a type of snack shop often found in the island’s capital of Palermo. The menu here, once limited to small sandwiches of cow spleen or chickpeas and composed plates of seafood and vegetables, now serves a full-blown Italian American bill of fare. Depend on baked clams, fried squid or shrimp, and tomato sauce-soaked rice balls, along with squid ink linguine that’s best washed down with a coffee soda.

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151 Union St, Brooklyn, NY 11231

A bowl of long strands of pasta with a red sauce. — Pasta con sarde at Ferdinando’s.

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 well-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.

457 Court St, Brooklyn, NY 11231

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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’s plenty else to explore. Listen for the specials, and prepare to wait for a table at peak hours.

248 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215

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A restaurant with a yellow audience and patrons seen through windows in the night. — Al Di La is a convivial nighttime spot.

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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 restaurant 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.

8501 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11209

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A squarish black oven with a chimney on the right, the name of the restaurant in gilded letters on the left. — The gas oven at Fatta Mano in Bay Ridge.

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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, noting which ones appeal, 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.

287 Avenue U, Brooklyn, NY 11223

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A pile of oiled octopus tentacles points in all directions. — A pile of tentacles at Joe’s of Avenue U.

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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.

2017 Emmons Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11235

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A gingham place mat is topped with a plate teeming with fried calamari, with a white paper napkin with a silver fork on the left, and a small dish with marinara sauce to the right. — A mound of fried calamari at Randazzo’s.

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Roberto's

603 Crescent Ave, The Bronx, NY 10458

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.

Open in Google Maps

603 Crescent Ave, The Bronx, NY 10458

Visit Website

A glistening heap of browned rabbit with greens and potatoes. — Roberto’s fabled braised rabbit.

Rezdôra

27 E 20th St, New York, NY 10003

Let’s face it: The menus of most upscale Italian restaurants have fairly predictable menus, and you can visit them confident that you’ll find, say, an al dente cacio e pepe or a decent veal Milanese. When Rezdora set out to push the envelope on the classic Italian menu, it caused a sensation three years ago. 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.”

27 E 20th St, New York, NY 10003

Visit Website

The tagliolini al ragu, held up by a fork, at Rezdora — The tagliolini al ragu at Rezdôra.

Don Angie

103 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10014

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.

103 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10014

Visit Website

A green salad showered in cheese shavings with a fork placed to the side of the dish sits on a table. — Parmesan with a side of salad at Don Angie.

Alice

126 W 13th St, New York, NY 10011

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.

Open in Google Maps

126 W 13th St, New York, NY 10011

Visit Website

Anchovies and butter on bread. — Anchovies with butter on bread at Alice, the namesake of the restaurant.

I Sodi

314 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014

The new location for I Sodi feels like the old one, thankfully, but there’s a whole other back room and a stylish outdoorgarden 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.

314 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014

Visit Website

A meat and cheese plate. — Meat and cheeses at I Sodi.

Monte's Trattoria

97 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012

This Italian American classic has been a MacDougal Street staple since 1918; housed in a basement, though the average passer-by may not know it, it’s often packed with diners here for the history, conviviality, good food, and fair prices. Our critic Robert Sietsema says the mains are better than the starters and recommends the baked clams, cannelloni, and beef short ribs, with zabaglione for dessert.

97 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012

Visit Website

A red walk down premises with some rather crude hand lettering. — The exterior of Monte’s Trattoria.

Carbone

181 Thompson St, New York, NY 10012

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.

181 Thompson St, New York, NY 10012

Visit Website

Waiters attend to groups of diners sitting at outdoor tables on a tree-lined street. To the left, a neon illuminated sign “Wines Liquors Carbone” shines. — Carbone, photographed in the early days of the pandemic.

Fiaschetteria Pistoia

647 E 11th St, New York, NY 10009

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.

647 E 11th St, New York, NY 10009

Visit Website

Bottles with price tags on a metal rack. — Fiaschetteria’s “wine list” comes in a milk delivery rack.

Emilio's Ballato

55 E Houston St, New York, NY 10012

From the doorbell where you’re greeted, to the interior sign allegedly painted by Andy Warhol, to the front right table where Emilio sits with friends, to the back room that’s bound to seat someone famous: Emilio’s is a scene — and we haven’t even gotten to the food. 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

55 E Houston St, New York, NY 10012

A bottle of house white wine on a table. — House Vermentino at Emilio’s Ballato.

Lilia

567 Union Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222

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.

567 Union Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222

Visit Website

A yellow pasta with garnishes sits in a shallow grey bowl. — Ricotta agnolotti in a pool of saffron honey sauce.

Bamonte's

32 Withers St, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Over a century in Williamsburg has made old-school, red-sauce Italian 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.

32 Withers St, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Visit Website

A red frame house is the setting for Bamonte’s, and an old man sits on a bench in front. — A red frame house is the setting for Bamonte’s.

Joe's Restaurant

6611 Forest Ave, Queens, NY 11385

The family-owned dining room with its large Sicilian menu, open since 1982, is a bounty of classics: a chicken Francese swimming in lemon-butter sauce, calamari doused in fra diavolo, and fettuccine alfredo bathed in creamy sauce. The are six kinds of spaghetti alone (get the one with eggplant), and don’t miss the anchovy appetizer or the baked clams oreganata. A meal here feels like you’re sitting in someone’s living room.

6611 Forest Ave, Queens, NY 11385

Visit Website

Three meatballs in red sauce with spaghetti peeping out.

Ferdinando's Focacceria

151 Union St, Brooklyn, NY 11231

One of the city’s oldest Sicilian restaurants, dating to 1904, is Ferdinando’s Focacceria in Carroll Gardens. The “focacceria” part of the name doesn’t refer to the familiar southern Italian bread, but to a type of snack shop often found in the island’s capital of Palermo. The menu here, once limited to small sandwiches of cow spleen or chickpeas and composed plates of seafood and vegetables, now serves a full-blown Italian American bill of fare. Depend on baked clams, fried squid or shrimp, and tomato sauce-soaked rice balls, along with squid ink linguine that’s best washed down with a coffee soda.

Open in Google Maps

151 Union St, Brooklyn, NY 11231

A bowl of long strands of pasta with a red sauce. — Pasta con sarde at Ferdinando’s.

Frankies 457 Spuntino

457 Court St, Brooklyn, NY 11231

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 well-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.

457 Court St, Brooklyn, NY 11231

Visit Website

Al Di La Trattoria

248 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215

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’s plenty else to explore. Listen for the specials, and prepare to wait for a table at peak hours.

248 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215

Visit Website

A restaurant with a yellow audience and patrons seen through windows in the night. — Al Di La is a convivial nighttime spot.

Related Maps

Fatta Mano

8501 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11209

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 restaurant 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.

8501 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11209

Visit Website

A squarish black oven with a chimney on the right, the name of the restaurant in gilded letters on the left. — The gas oven at Fatta Mano in Bay Ridge.

Joe's of Avenue U

287 Avenue U, Brooklyn, NY 11223

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, noting which ones appeal, 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.

287 Avenue U, Brooklyn, NY 11223

Visit Website

A pile of oiled octopus tentacles points in all directions. — A pile of tentacles at Joe’s of Avenue U.

Randazzo's Clam Bar

2017 Emmons Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11235

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.

2017 Emmons Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11235

Visit Website

A gingham place mat is topped with a plate teeming with fried calamari, with a white paper napkin with a silver fork on the left, and a small dish with marinara sauce to the right. — A mound of fried calamari at Randazzo’s.

Related Maps