Gone are the days of huddling by the microwave and reading the directions for frozen pizza and pasta dishes! New York is up and running and nearly as over-saturated in delicious Italian food as it was a few years ago.
Therefore, foodies have an overflowing list of restaurants to visit, and a majority of them are providing top-rated dishes and exceptional service fit to compete with 5-star restaurants minus the price tag.
New Yorkers will save some coins for their next self-love endeavor by reserving a table at restaurants like Porto Salvo and Bamonte’s, which earn chart-topping ratings across the city.
Dig into this guide, highlighting some of the most delicious Italian eats in New York City.
Il Corallo Trattoria (176 Prince St, New York)
The historic SOHO district of downtown Manhattan welcomed Il Corallo Trattoria in 1992. For 28 years they’ve served guests fresh pasta, wood-fired pizzas, antipasti, and deals like their $11.95 lunch special. Signature dishes like the Taglierini Sorrento, featuring fresh thin black squid ink noodles with shrimp, crab meat, scallops, clams, fresh chopped tomato, parsley, olive oil, white wine, and garlic sauce, offer bang-for-your-buck flavor.
Piccola Cucina Osteria Siciliana (196 Spring St, New York)
On the corner of Thompson Street, Soho’s Piccola Cucina Osteria Siciliana provides Sicilian food with Greek influences. Menu staples such as the Grilled Sardines with kalamata olives and fresh herbs leave diners impressed and satisfied. The $11 lunch special featuring options like wild boar and lobster has earned an excellent reception.
Rezdôra (27 E 20th St, New York)
Rezdôra, a rustic eatery serving regional—and seasonal—favorites, brings Northern Emilia Romagna flavor to New York City. The restaurant specializes in housemade pasta, with meals ranging from Ragu Tagliolini to more sophisticated flavors like Nuovo Dolcetto Scherzetto, which incorporates Zucca ripieno, brown butter, sage, and amaretti. There's also a section dedicated to appetizer-style cheeses, with delicacies like truffle burrata and fresh buffalo mozzarella on the menu.
Olio e Più (3 Greenwich Ave, New York)
Chef Pedro Cruz's 74-seat restaurant, Olio é Piu brings Italian history to the lively junction of Sixth and Greenwich avenues. Since opening their flower surrounded location in the heart of Greenwich Village, Olio é Piu has focused on house-made pasta, hand-stretched pizza, and entrees like Branzino and Steak Fiorentina. The open eating area, classic wood-fired oven, rustic décor, thin-crust Neapolitan-style pizza, and expertly curated wine selection offer a taste of old-world Italy.
Antonio's Trattoria (2370 Belmont Ave, Bronx)
Antonio's Trattoria in the Bronx provides diners with old-school New York vibes and family-owned comfort. It's no surprise that the meals at this Little Italy establishment are gut-filling and simplistic. They offer an extensive selection of fresh pasta, such as the Lasagna di Casa with ricotta, mozzarella, Romano cheeses, and plum tomato sauce. Signature meals like the Linguine with Clam Sauce use fresh shell clams sautéed in a garlic and white wine sauce.
Porto Salvo (424 E 161 St, Bronx)
Executive Chef Luigi Ghidetti of Porto Salvo evokes the beach enchantment of his hometown of Terracina, Italy. Traditional dishes are reinvented like Tagliata Alla Fiorentina, which includes Tuscan style skirt steak, arugula, and cherry tomato with roasted potatoes, and Frittura Mista, which includes Roman style Fried calamari, zucchini, green apples, and cauliflowers. For weekenders, their Brunch menu offers up delicious omelets for $15 and $12 cocktails.
Bamonte's (32 Withers St, Brooklyn)
Bamonte's, an old-time red-sauce Italian restaurant in Williamsburg, has been the subject of mounting fame for over a century. Founded in 1900, the family-owned eatery has offered visitors outstanding service and delicious dishes for generations. The fresh Clams Oreganata, spaghetti and meatballs, and the famous pork chops with pickled peppers are all must-try items. If you dine in, remember to order their off-menu airy cannolis.
Montesacro Brooklyn (432 Union Ave, Brooklyn)
Montesacro Brooklyn treats visitors to an intimate environment, inspired by the original "Frechette" of Lazio”. The historic taverns only served the region's famous wine, generally poured straight from the barrel to guests who sat on benches. The menu includes seasonal products from local farms and small producers in Italy. Order the pinsa, an ancient flatbread once cooked by those living outside Rome's imperial walls.
Il Poeta (98-04 Metropolitan Ave, Queens)
Chef Mario Di Chiara launched Il Poeta after years of experience as a Chef in restaurants such as Harry's Bar, Cipriani, and Il Corso. The renovated design is modest yet classy. Dishes like the must-try Cannelloni Gratinati al Profumo di Tartufo, treat diners to handmade pasta stuffed with veal and carrots, cooked in a buttery bechamel, and topped with truffles.
Piccolo Sogno (195-14 47th Ave, Flushing)
Executive Chef Maurizio owns Piccolo Sogno and uses his culinary skills to make each dish both affordable and intriguing. The Salmone e Radicchio pizza, which comprises a Margherit pizza topped with thin slices of fresh salmon and radicchio Rosso, is one of the restaurant's signature dishes. If you're in the mood for pasta, try their Linguine al Nero di Seppia Salmone Pesto, which consists of black squid linguine with fresh salmon and cherry tomatoes in a pesto sauce.
Giuliana’s Ristorante (4105 Hylan Blvd, Staten Island)
Giuliana's Ristorante is an authentic Italian eatery that offers live entertainment, three sweeping dining rooms, and an outdoor patio. Pork Chops Piccante, grilled pork chops with cherry peppers and mushrooms in a white wine sauce, is one of Giuliana's Ristorante, popular dishes. Other mains include their Zuppa Pesce, clams, shrimps, mussels, calamari, and scallops in a red or white sauce.