Briscola Trattoria

Delicious food, nice space, dessert cart was cute.Cuisine seemed a bit heavy on the pork options, which eliminated a lot for my dinner companion. I'll be back.

Modern Italian restaurant with a creative menu. Many familiar dishes with interesting twists.We started with mussels in a green broth. Mussels were perfectly tender. The broth was on the lighter side allowing the briney flavor to stand out. I made sure to soak up every bit of broth with an extra basket of bread. Next came out the frittelle and the mushroom risotto. Frittelle is a squash fritter which ate more like a dessert than an appetizer. It tasted like a slightly cheesy doughnut earring heavily on the doughnut side. Risotto was a hit. Super cheesy with more of a mild and savory flavor rather than the poignant flavor of lost risottos. Similarly to the mussels, the risotto had a perfect texture as well.We shared three mains amongst the four of us for the main course. I'd say three appetizers plus three mains was plenty for four. We added a couple desserts at the end which might have been just a couple too many bites for me.My favorite main was the black squid ink spaghetti. It was one of the most polarizing dishes. Truly a hate it or love it, and I loved it. It was very clamy relying on deep ocean flavors. Based on the intensity of the dish, I suspect the clams used in it might have been canned or tinned adding to bold flavor. I'm a fan of canned and tinned seafood, so I liked the boldness. The spaghetti had a perfect texture leaning to the chewy al dente side. I suspect the spaghetti was housemade.Second favorite main was paccheri. Possibly a homage to the Italian flag, it had plumps of red sauce, fresh white cheese, and green oil. Similarly to the spaghetti, the pasta was on the doughy side which I prefer. Quite the medley of flavors.The final main that we had was the 25k tagliolini. The dish is named after the story that the chef won $25,000 from this dish. It came with a creamy, lemon sauce similar to a francese. The differentiating component is that the dish is made with sweatbreads which is supposedly a euphemism for certain animal organs. It didn't have the gamey or organ like flavor that I anticipated and was quite mild compared to the squid ink dish. I was stuffed at this point, but my friends insisted on dessert. I had a spoonful of the tiramisu and a spoonful of the pistachio cake/pie. I preferred the tiramisu. It was light and airy. Prominent coffee flavor from the dusting on top. Service was attentive. They quickly refilled our water carafe many times. Our table was promptly cleared between courses. Pacing of the food was excellent too. They have a full bar plus a couple beer options. Focus of the beverage menu is on Italian wines. Lots of affordable options by glass and by the bottle. A very approachable and unpretentious wine list. There was one restroom which was single occupancy and handicap accessible.

We were so happy to get a table Sunday night. We popped in and there happened to be a couple openings. It's a small restaurant with a few communal high tops and little two-tops along the wall with banquette seating. It is really loud inside so just a note if you're taking your parents or are noise-sensitive. Service was friendly and efficient. Listen closely because the Italian accents are strong! The food was, of course, fantastic. We started with the tomato salad: perfectly tart vinegar dressing and the bacala: crispy-fried to perfection. Our two pastas were exceptional. In particular, the paccheri was unexpected and delicious. Briscola is now on the best meals list.

Don't settle for New York faux Italian, come here instead. Briscola Trattoria has a pasta-focused menu with only two mains (a good sign). The dishes all came with generous portion, and our dining experience was great, thanks to the warm service staff and the cozy, vibrant space. The complimentary focaccia was fragrant and soft. We ordered: a barbaresco with a modest mark up, fried cod, beef carpaccio, squash ravioli, and squid ink spaghettone with clams and cuttlefish. I will come back for the sweet bread ragu and tiramisu!

This place had fun vibes and the hostess was very friendly and accommodating. We went on a Sunday night and it was surprisingly packed. I liked sitting at a communal table (and getting to peek at other people's food) but if you're not into that you may have to wait a bit to get seated. We started with the complimentary bread, which had a good texture but was a little cold, though it's complimentary so who's complaining. We also got their house red and white wines, which were only $9 each. As for mains, we ordered the ravioli and the lasagna, which was a special. The ravioli was so freaking good. It had a sage butter sauce and a nice ricotta filling. I also liked the lasagna but probably wouldn't feel the need to get it again. It had an interesting flavor that I couldn't really put my finger on (maybe carrots?) and it was a little more gloppy than saucy if that makes sense? I think it was objectively a good lasagna but just not aligned with my preferences. The dessert cart looked very pretty but we were too full to order anything. Would love to come back to try the pistachio cake and maybe some of their different pastas. Overall, I really enjoyed and would recommend checking this place out.

Great neighborhood spot. Tight interior that feels exciting when it gets a little too loud inside. Ravioli was one of the best pastas I'ever had in a while. I feel so happy to have had a pasta that felt intentional rather than just a requirement for a menu. The complimentary focaccia was good enough that we ordered it again. Feels like a comforting place that i want to come back to again. Go top chef!

Food is amazing. They make their pasta fresh. Complimentary bread is great especially the focaccia bread

Wonderful spot! I came on a Wednesday evening with a friend. The service was friendly, warm, and inviting from the moment I stepped through those doors. Ambiance gave local, cozy spot that was full of charm. We didn't have a reservation so we opted for bar seats instead of waiting and honestly, I love sitting at the bar. The energy from the bartender was just wonderful and I loved the drink that he whipped up for me. The staff also must have eyes on the back of their heads because they were that exceptional balance of leaving you alone, yet immediately making eye contact with us whenever we needed something. We went for the ragu bolognese and my friend went for the ravioli, and honestly we practically devoured our meal. It was flavorful, the pasta was perfectly cooked, and I ended up scrapping up every last bit of sauce- couldn't help myself. My friend and I ended up chatting and catching up for quite a bit and never once did we feel rushed despite the room getting busier and busier as the night progressed. Overall lovely experience. Will be back!

An awesome find. The food was delicious and the portions were appropriate size. You can't beat the service. Every staff member went above and beyond.

A lovely addition to the Crown Heights neighborhood. Super friendly and attentive service matched by mouthwateringly delicious Italian fare. We started with the fritelle (zucchini fritters) and salumi. The fritelle were lightly fried and served with a lemon wedge. They were a bit sweet for my taste but we ate them all the same. The salumi plate was fabulous. The pancetta and prosciutto were sliced paper thin and pared perfectly with the hunks of sourdough bread. We shared the two special pastas that night: lasagna verde and doppio raviolo. Both were fantastic. The pasta was so delicate for both dishes. The portions were very generous and we struggled to finish both. That lasagna will be dreamt about for nights on end. This is cuisine from Emilia Romagna for those who know. A wonderful evening.