The Most Scrumptious Restaurants in New York

"Went for Valentine's Day dinner and it was great! The ambience was cozy the wine and drinks were amazing! The food, I got the 30ft long made in house spaghetti while my husband got the lobster risotto, both were delicious! Our waiter Ben was great and very knowledgeable service was impeccable. Would definitely recommend!"

"This place is a neighborhood gem! Tucked away on a Greenwich Village side street it, this fine Italian eatery was found to be cozy, warm, and welcoming on a recent cold night while visiting the city with a group of friends. We sat at a table in the front room, near to the bar where we could watch the buzz of cool New Yorkers file in the establishment. Our server was very helpful in helping to choose from too many good looking options from the menu. We started with crispy artichokes and the antipasti - all of it delicious. The mushroom stuffed gnocchi the size of golf balls in a savory buttery truffle sauce was a hit at the table, as was the tortellini in broth and the mouth watering ravioli Cacio e Pepe. All of it was finished off with a big bold Italian red wine. This place is amazing in vibe, food, and service."

"My son suggested that we meet him here while we were both visiting NYC. We were told to meet at 2:05 pm and then were seated in this tiny establishment. As soon as I walked in I knew the food was good from the smells alone. The arancini was prepared perfectly -- crisp on the outside and moist and tasty on the inside. The tomato soup was rich and interestingly enough had a cheese pull. My husband wouldn't eat it because although he likes soup tomato is not his favorite. All 4 of us had a taste but ultimately I finished it off. I had the lasagna and oh was it rich. It was also enough for 3 meals so 3/4s left me. The cannoli was excellent-- crisp and filling not too sweet. My son had the tiramisu-- a table side preparation. I loved this placed and would return to try other delicious food."

"Disclosure of bias: I'm first generation American with an Italian parent, and have lived for a couple years in Italy. With that bias in mind this is the best Italian (as distinct from Italian-American) food I've ever had in NYC. A beautiful mix of straight forward techniques applied to great ingredients that still knows where to get elaborate, where to keep it simple, and how to deliver an authentic Italian meal without feeling reductive or uninspired. Combine this with great service and some very nice flatware designs and I highly recommend giving this restaurant a visit. Acoustics aren't bad but it can feel a bit loud."

"I've been living in Manhattan for the last 10 years and Emporio has become my ALL TIME FAVORITE restaurant in the city. My wife and I frequent this location 2-3 times per month, usually on our sole date night each week and no matter how many times we come, the food always hits, the service is consistently excellent and the experience is spectacular. By now we've tried pretty much everything on the menu and it's refreshing to see that they keep changing up the specials based on seasonal availability of ingredients. We've seen so many delicious additions like lamb loin carpaccio, seared diver scallops, lobster risotto, clam pasta (similar to vongole) and even boar chops. We also noticed certain menu items might get tweaked, for example the crab on the squid ink spaghetti may get switched with shrimp. Or the charred octopus once was switched for jumbo shrimp in garlic and chili. No matter what though, every dish is very well balanced, seasoned perfectly and made with high quality ingredients. I don't have a gluten intolerance, but it's worth noting that this restaurant also offers gluten free pizza and pasta. Appetizers: Our go-to here is the Tuscan Kale salad - now I don't even like kale, but this salad is shredded and dressed in a delicious blend of pistachio pesto you can barely tell it's made of kale and brussels. I taste some acid from either mustard or vinegar and it's finished with pecorino shavings. My wife is obsessed with this dish. We also always get the Charred Octopus which comes with an earthy eggplant puree, made like a hummus and paired with grilled peppers - incredible flavor. I would also recommend the Focaccia & Ricotta, it's simple but tastes super fresh with a nice drizzle of honey.Pasta: The Pappardelle Bolognese is second to none in the city. It is hands down my single favorite dish on the menu. The ragu is made with pork and veal and has a deep richness from the fat that complements the light tomato flavor of the sauce. The Spaghetti Squid Ink is probably my second favorite. It has a really pleasant seafood flavor that gets cut by the acidity of the cherry tomatoes and chili. We eat these two pastas often. Pizza: Emporio's pizzas are absolutely sublime. They have an open kitchen concept with the oven facing the dining room. I don't know how they do it, but you get this perfect light char on the outside of the crust and the bottom is crispy without drying out the toppings. Their dough is rolled out super thin, even thinner than your typical NY slice - and the toppings are generous with a narrow crust. This is a Roman-style pizza and is usually what I prefer vs thick doughy pizzas or even Neapolitans. I'm a sucker for sopressata, so the Spicy Sopressata is an obvious winner for me. They also use a very mild mozzarella that doesn't impart so much cheesiness that it overpowers the ingredients or the sauce. Mains: While not the same as what you would find at a NY steakhouse, the NY Strip Tagliata is a well-executed dish on its own. It comes with roasted garlic and caramelized onion and is sliced for sharing. I demolish this even after crushing apps, pizza and pasta, it's that good. The Branzino Fillet was also nice, but a smaller portion than the steak. Dessert: Finally, I always have room for dessert given my sweet tooth. The Nutella Calzone is a pastry of the gods, just decadent and chocolatey with a chewy dough covering. Meanwhile the Panna Cotta is also excellent if you want to lighter. And the Tiramisu is the best in the city. Generous portion with soaked lady fingers and mouthfuls of mascarpone and cocoa powder. Yes, I have a major sweet tooth. Honorable Mention: I almost exclusively drink Aperol Spritz's when I'm out for dinner (how basic I know). Emporio has a slightly different take on this classic drink. Instead of Aperol, they use Cappalletti, which is also an Italian aperitif but is slightly less sweet/drier, has more of an amber/orange color and an addictive citrus finish. It goes well with all the dishes mentioned above and I had to order my own bottles for home once I found out the name of it! All in all, Emporio is an 11 out of 10. It's the best of the best. I wake up on Mondays looking forward to eating there on the weekend and I dream about gorging on pizza and pasta from my favorite restaurant in NYC. Can't recommend this place enough!!!"

"The food was painfully dull, but service was actually warm and friendly. Our waiter was extremely friendly and engaging.There a lot of servers and cooks moving thru a very compacted space within an extremely small restaurant. It was way too busy for the dinner atmosphere I wanted in Little Italy. This place is tight.The place is family seating, however it is tight. The aisle are narrow and harrowing to maneuver, seriously. We were seated at a table with total strangers, which was negotiable until the party they were awaiting arrived. The food was dull, my chicken parmigiana arrived burnt, dry, and overcooked. Oh and overpriced, I was shocked that paid $32.00 for that parched parmigiana chicken."

"I ate at Arturo's about 5 years ago on a business trip. The food was so delicious I've been thinking about it since. On my recent visit to NYC, stopping here was a must! I made a reservation on Yelp, which was very easy. They seated us promptly. They had live jazz music, which was nice.The service is top notch! Our server was great, but there were other staff members continuously filling our waters and clearing plates. We started with a small cheese pizza. The sauce was amazing, tons of cheese and the crust had a nice crunch. I had the chicken marsala with pasta. It was SO good! A large portion of 3 chicken cutlets and pasta. The sauce had the perfect marsala taste consistency, not too winey. Their complimentary bread with oil/balsamic is very delicious. Overall if was exactly how I remembered! I'd be a regular if I was local."

"Small intimate space but spacious at the same time. It's not crammed with tables in the dining area once you walk bast the bar area. When it's warm out there is the option to sit outside in the backyard area.My server was attentive checking in etc. We had an early reservation for 5:30 and when we left a little before 7 the place was busy . The friend I was dining with has a severe allergy to tomatoes and tomato based products and her mom fresh black pepper. Our server confirmed with the kitchen on both and was proactive which was fantastic.We started with the crostini. We ordered the chicken pate, mushroom and the honey and ricotta. Each one was lovely light and flavorful. For entreesCaesar saladSpinach Tagliolini with Romanesco CauliflowerCavatelli with Hot Sausage and brown sage butter - amazing spicy and flavorful Tiramisu My friend's mom who was visiting was impressed with the experience. She was initially skeptical of the fact that I chose a restaurant that had them come from the UWS to the "wilds" of Brooklyn."

"Beautiful restaurant. Staff was friendly. Drinks were well made and the food was nicely portioned size. For 4 people dinner was around $320 with 2 appetizers, 4 drinks and 4 entrees. Not bad at all. The indoor/outdoor patio was beautifully decorated. Very romantic and cozy."

"If you're in Union Sq and need affordable eats without a reservation, Ribalta's got the space and menu to satisfy your needs.We enjoyed a quick, hearty dinner here before watching Wicked. The Madrilena was one of the better "white" 'zas I've tried, and the classic Margherita Rossa didn't skimp on sauce or basil. My Mafaldine Al Ragù Napoletano was perfectly cooked and chock full of hearty red meat. I rarely see mafaldine paired with ragu in the city, so get this dish for the novelty alone."

"Loved this place so much. Came here with one of my girlfriends on a cold night. The bartender was nice. I wasn't sure what to order because I'm a tequila girl. So he made me a tequila soda. I believe my friend just had a beer. It's a great little bar area. I did see that they have a food dining area in the back. :bathroom alert:"It's a little strange passing everyone's tables to get to the bathroom. Make sure you watch your step. But overall, it was clean. I could see myself coming back here to start the night. Not to end it. I didn't think I was going to be allowed to come in because I was dressed like a bum. The prices were really good too."

"After my best friend/roommate/USC basketball superstar got DUMPED, he hadn't stepped outside our apartment for 7 days straight. He normally gets a haircut every 3 days, so after he skipped the 2nd one of the week, I really began to worry.After a long week of hearing Drake's "Tried Our Best" on loop faintly coming from his room, I knew I had to get him outside. I thought dragging him to his favorite restaurant would be the first step in curing his crippling depression and stop our apartment from flooding with tears of what could have been. I also couldn't listen to "Tried Our Best" anymore.I recommended we go to Giano, as I knew he and his ex hadn't been there so it was a safe space and no PTSD would occur: "What if we go to Giano, Big Bro? We haven't been in forever!" ... For the first time in a week, I saw his ears perk up a bit and saw some semblance of his soul begin to re-enter his light brown eyes. "Uhmmmm, yeah. I could do that, Lil Cuzzo." After dragging his feet like a little kid mad at his mom for 4 blocks, we arrived at the promised land. We walked into the small but cozy Italian interior with no reservation. It was PACKED."No reservation?" the host asked in a thick Northern Italian accent. My voice said "No res, no worries if we can't get in I know it's a big ask" but my eyes were screaming "Please god just have a seat for us. We can't take another L this week..." She heard my eyes loud and clear, and we were seated immediately.Upon sitting down, I immediately ordered 2 bottles of Chianti which I know gives alcoholic tendencies, but I had to wean this man off the magnum handle of grey goose in any way possible and I wasn't going to let him drink alone and feel like there is not another single soul in the universe that is there for him. Plus red wine is good for you hehehehe :).He ordered the lasagna, and I of course ordered the tagliatelle alla bolognese because I'm a BEAST!He obviously didn't touch the bread that was served to start the meal off, as this man is semteem* lbs down from a week ago, but I was cool with that because it was straight HEAT. Few things like some fresh bread and olive oil.When his lasagna came, he just sat there staring at it like a sick Golden Retriever looking at its bowl of Pedigree Dog Food.After I was half way through my delicious bolognese, I saw his right paw, fork in hand, put enough pressure to FINALLY cut through his lasagna. He slices a big piece and finally takes a bite.I detailed earlier about how I saw his soul re-enter his body a bit when I mentioned Giano, but this bite really brought my brotha BACK! It must have been what Jesus felt when he saw his boy Lazarus come back to life after being dead for 4 days. Not saying I'm Jesus but..... tendencies........He HOUSED that thing. I legit had only seen this man eat the Jayson Tatum Ruffles all week, so him eating this whole piece of lasagna was damn near a miracle. Giano is really like that.After cleaning his plate, he whips out his phone, furiously types something and says "I just hit my barber I need to get a mf cut it's been a minute!"THIS GIANO LASAGNA BROUGHT MY BOY BACK TO LIFE! THANK YOU GIANO! GIANO LASAGNA THE HEARTBREAK CURE!IG @jnov_Tiktok @jnov__*semteem = 17*"

"We wanted to get a drink before our dinner reservations at 7:45 around the corner. Great little spot. Love the ambiance. Drinks were strong and great. Definitely recommend"

"La Masseria is located in Times Square on 48th St between 7th and 8th ave. It also has a cafe nextdoor and that is right next to the Walter Kerr Theatre (where Hadestown is housed). It's also sometimes patronized by Ariana Grande and her family. Service was very sparse - I rarely saw the waiter and ended up ordering less because I just couldn't find him until most of the meal was over. Fritto Misto Del Mare $32.50- fried calamari and shrimp with a marinara sauce on the side. The quality of the ingredients are excellent and the breading is very light. Can't recommend this enough, I think it's the best thing I had there. MISTICANZA ALL` ACETO BALSAMICO- bare bones salad - though affordable at $16.50 is largely bitter and unappetizing. Comes with greens and a small tomato. SPAGHETTI ALLO SPUGNITO DI POMODORO- very bare bones again, and underwhelming at $29.00. The sauce is a bit tainted by the bitter basil that they used and otherwise has very little flavor. PENNE MASSERIA $32.50- the mozzarella and bacon make for a heavy/greasy sauce that just doesn't sit well. again, underwhelming quality of the sauce. Tiramisu- large helping for I think $16.00, almost no liqueur if any and rather on the sweet side."

"Our favorite hidden gem spot in Little Italy. Service is always meraviglioso, food is always delizioso, and ambience is always rilassante. Adoriamo La Mela!"

"A great real Italian restaurant. Food is amazing (spaghetti with clams spectacular, pizza amazing, tiramisu excellent and also the tagliata very good). The place has a great vibe, the service is very attentive, genuinely caring of all the guests and well prepared. Highly recommendedPS: also the prices are very competitive for the amazing quality of the food."

"Pepe Giallo is a beautiful space from the outside to the inside to the garden in the back. I went for lunch on a Saturday as a walk in on my birthday and I'm so glad I did. It was my first time there and the waiter told us they were booked for the night so we were happy to get in for lunch. There is so much care and love put into the decor evidenced by the hanging plants and fresh flowers on each table, it really set the mood. We ordered penne a la vodka and prosciutto pizza and both dishes were delicious. Chris was our server and he was attentive and friendly and invited us to view the garden. We will definitely return with friends to experience eating in the garden and try other dishes. If I had one complaint it would be that the AC was on artic. It was 85 degrees outside so it's understandable why it was so cold inside but it prevented me from drinking my cold beverage."

"From local New Yorkers, this pizza slaps! Love the energy & service provided by the staff Don't second guess it, give it a shot, you won't regret it"

"Amazing! We stopped in after we checked into our hotel and we had some of the best pasta we've ever had. Make sure to try the Grandma Walking Through Forest & the Reginette al Ragu di Cinghiale!"

"I loved it! It was 200% busy on Wednesday snow night! The bar is cute, I got there early and had a martini then my friend arrived and we moved to the table. I love their onion soup, it's pretty heavy and I recommend to share. We had steak tartare, beef stake, salad and flies then share caramel pudding was delicious! Sorry forgot to take foods pictures."

"One of the first things I do every time I book a trip to NYC is to book a reservation at Il Buco. The food and wine are delicious and the ambiance is so sweet. Love this place"

"Overall this is a small intimate place across from Berkeley Center. Great customer service was super friendly. Husband thought the pizza had no magic dust no frills especially being across from Barkley center where most stbof the players go to get a slice service was excellent tho good conversation fun spot ."

"My friend and I snagged a last minute reservation here last Friday. I'm so glad that we did! We had to wait a bit to be seated, but they were great about transferring our bar tab to our table once we were seated. I loved the Milano cocktail! Not too sweet and full of flavorTo start, we shared the crudo, per our server's recommendation. It was delicious! So tender, light, and flavorful. I went with the cacio e pepe for my entree and it was classic and delicious! The pasta was perfectly al dente and the sauce had that intense peppery flavor you need in a good cacio e pepe. For the area and quality of the food, I found it to be very well priced. I would definitely come back here! I want to try the pizzas next time!"

"One of my favorite cafes in Nolita that has really good simple food and good service. Restaurant is small but super cute. I usually order 2 things here-the spinach goat cheese omelette is one of my favs and the vegetable panini. Both are so good and are a staple for me since I've always gotten the same 2 things off their menu. I've been meaning to try other things, but I enjoy these 2 so much (not together, separate times)."

"The Vermintino was very unique. Strong on the lemon zest/peel flavor. Went perfectly with the linguine/vongole. Great fried artichokes, too. The lemon aioli was excellent. Americano was also perfect.Third visit, and the best. Andrew is one of the best bartenders I've met as a patron or as a worker in the industry. He was very accommodating and suggestive for the best experience possible. My meal was quick, efficient, correct, and pleasurable. I am looking forward to my next visit here."

"When I come back to the old neighborhood, I love stopping by for a bite at Panino Rustico, tonight, we had, Caesar salad, fresh, Burata with tomato and The veggie wrap. We were served by Mia, who was a delight, she was very quick and efficient taking our orders. The atmosphere was very pleasant. I give panino rustico five stars, if you live in Brooklyn or visit often I suggest you come here!!"

"Got lucky and beat the line over the weekend. People began waiting about 20 minutes before open. Line does more pretty quick though.Limited seating on the inside so be prepared to scout out a seat or face eating the messy food outside.Food was out pretty quick. I did have to wait longer for the sandwich since they bake the bread there or something like that. Over all SO YUMMY I will be back!!"

"We were a party of four on Thanksgiving. We got a really nice circular table in the rear of the virtually all candle lit beautiful restaurant. Our choice was the standard turkey with multi sides for the table included Brussels sprouts, dressing, yams and something with mushrooms. All over the top delicious. After lots of wine and tons of fun we finished with apple pie ala mode. I know it sounds passé, let me tell you it was anything but. We were treated like long lost friends by everybody. Our waitstaff was very attentive and kept our wine glasses filled. We were visited tableside by the owner chef, who was friendly and welcoming. We'll go back before we leave for the summer."

"I've been wanting to try this Italian restaurant for awhile. The interior decor was elegant and beautiful with colorful flower displays, lovely looking statues, and indoor garden room area, complete with exposed brick, plenty of greenery and florals. The space also had some festive touches for the holidays.We were served a complimentary bread basket consisting of bread sticks, bread with sesame seeds, along with regular bread. The bread was soft and fluffy, and quite good with the addition of some butter. For my meal, I ordered the Pork Chop, which was grilled and served in garlic with olive oil sauce. I requested it to be served with a side of roasted potatoes. That pork chop was cooked absolutely perfectly and was a wonderful shade of brown. The meat was tender, delightfully juicy, slightly charred, and well seasoned. The potatoes were also tasty and flavorful.Dessert was spumoni gelato covered in chocolate and I also got to try the homemade Italian cheesecake. I preferred the Spumoni, which was layered pistachio, cherry, and chocolate ice cream covered in a chocolate shell. The ice cream was velvety smooth, sweet, and the chocolate surrounding it was rich and paired well with the ice cream. The Italian cheesecake was just okay. I wasn't a huge fan of the ricotta and texture, however I did enjoy the crust, which I found to be so yummy and addicting! Service was very good. Our waiter was friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. Everything came out in a timely manner and we were well taken care throughout our meal here. We were still finishing up our meal when it was closing time and everyone was so patient with us. I would like to return in order to try the Veal with prosciutto or Ragu Del Macellaio"

"A classic and unbeatable dining experience. Between their veal limone, tortellini soup, and to die for Alfredo sauce, I can't eat at other Italian restaurants. And the other chain locations don't do this original location justice. One of my all time favorite go to restaurants. And always nice to the whole family or for date night."

"If you're looking for good pizza, look no further. Their pizza is outstanding! The ingredients are fresh, the tomato sauce is delicious - not overly sour nor overly sweet, the cheese is excellent, and the crust is very good! The staff are always friendly and polite. Service is fast and regular. You can sit at their small bar near the entrance or opt for table sitting which is provided both inside and outside (covered patio area). The interior is decorated with New York memorabilia and oftentimes you'll hear Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra music playing in the background. It's a very comfortable place to relax and enjoy a great meal. I signed up to be a Rewards Member several visits ago. Once a member, then you provide your Member ID before payment with every dine-in or carry-out order to earn points towards rewards and exclusive member offers. Excellent food, exemplary service, and competitive pricing makes Grimaldi's a 5 Star dining experience."

""I don't know if this place is in a class by itself...but whatever class it's in, it doesn't take long to call the roll."That's Bum Phillips talking about Earl Campbell. It's also me talking about Da Marino. I don't even know where to begin...but I'll try. We came in right after the theater rush, so incredible GM Tom put us at the main table next to the piano. So thoughtful!!!!A perfect glass of a Pinot Noir...The owner, a lovely woman named Kay, suggested the Branzino, a mediterranean sea bass. To.....Die......For! So perfectly cooked, so tasty. My daughter struggled in her choice of the chocolate fettucine or the lobster ravioli...i cannot confirm that i might have nudged her toward the latter.....a butter sage sauce perfectly completely the pasta....some perfectly sized shrimp as well....and the shrimp was shelled, something I don't normally see. That was a very nice touch!I also asked for a small side of their carbonara, as I've tried it before and it's delicious. The portion size was as big as the flavors!GM Tom suggested the tiramisu as well, and it did not disappoint. Quite the contrary; just an extraordinary finish to an amazing meal. Da Marino should be on everyone's list when coming thru the Theater District!Fabulous experience! Thank you, Kay and Tom!"

"**CASH ONLY**The food was so delicious! We ordered octopus carpaccio, garlic bread with homemade chili oil and olives for appetizers. The olives were soaked in fragrant extra virgin olive oil. The octopus was savory and topped with chopped pistachio. I ordered the pappardelle with mushroom, spinach and a generous amount of parmesan for my entree. We ended the night with tiramisu that melted in your mouth.The staff was very friendly but service was on the slower side because of how busy the restaurant was on a Thursday night. We tried a few times to flag down the waiter. They turn off the music and sing happy birthday to the tables that were celebrating. Everyone in the restaurant participated and the moments were adorable."

"Food was Blah, not much to it. Not much food options. Nice but very dim ambiance. Very Long Seating Time, Expensive for no reason."

"Cute place in Williamsburg Awesome decor Outdoor area available Kid friendly Good and friendly service Ambiance is cool for a meet up with friends or day date Drinks could be better mixed and presented My favorite food item was the prosciutto pizza The artichoke dip was clunky and needs more seasoning A suggested addition to the menu would be French fries for the kids Happy we got to try this place"