Ovest Pizzoteca by Luzzo's

I arrived at this spot with a group of six with no reservation, and we were promptly seated--always a good start. The service here was nice too; our server was very attentive, and my water glass was never empty. I went with the Rigatoni al Ragu, and I have to say, it did not disappoint. The portion size was spot on, and the sauce was top notch. If I'm being picky, I did wish it had just a little more kick--maybe a touch of heat or seasoning to elevate it. But honestly, that's a small note in what was otherwise a great dish. All in all, this place is a solid find.

The three types of gnocchi were chewy and excessively gummy in nature. The pesto wasn't so strong. The brutta ma buona pizza was on the mushy side with a somewhat sparse smattering of sausage; it was fair. Probably the best item wer the polpetinne meatballs; flavoring was rich and parmigiano slices were sizable. However, given the price point, had higher expectations; meal was mediocre and would've been more acceptable if meal was cheaper at the given quality.

3.5 starsI met some friends at Ovest Pizzoteca the other day, and I really had mixed feelings about my experience. The restaurant was almost hidden, tucked amongst a sea of industrial buildings. I did not see a sign out front, but had a vague idea of what the place looked like, thanks to Yelp! The high-top tables, in front by the bar, were visible from the street, as the whole main façade was open to allow the beautiful evening air to enter the place. I walked through the empty forefront area to the rear dining room to find my companions. The space was super industrial, with its exposed brick walls, hanging light bulbs, and wood décor, but they made it work. The service was fine, but nothing to write home about. However, our food did arrive quickly, but that was likely because the place was rather empty. While they did not offer any bread to munch on, we proceeded to order beverages, while we decided on our food items. Since most of the menu already centered on carbs, like pizzas and pastas, I suppose the bread was unnecessary anyway. From a drink perspective, over the course of the evening, I had a glass of very sweet prosecco and a bland watermelon margarita. The summer cocktail was watery and, in fact, it had a strange taste...Aside from the drinks, I adored my food! I knew most people would order pizza or pasta there, but I tried to pick a potentially lighter combination of the Meatball appetizer and the Ovest Salad. The beef meatballs were substantially-sized, perfectly firm, slowly-cooked in an absolutely stunning tomato sauce, and topped with shaved, hard Parmigiano. I could have eaten bowls of that marinara on its own! The salad was one of the more interesting ones listed in that section of the menu, as it contained baby arugula, Hass avocado, grapes tomatoes, Parmigiano, and Gaeta olives. I had forgotten to ask for the balsamic dressing on the side, and they had used a bit of a heavy hand when they covered the greens with it, but that dressing was excellent! It certainly was better than most balsamics I have had elsewhere.So, yeah, Ovest Pizzoteca left me with a very conflicting impression that would not necessarily bring me back to that remote part of town, but would also not have me veto the place.

Stopped here for a quick lunch. Ordered the kale salad and it was delicious. The calamari wasn't anything special and over cooked. We shared the Tartufata Al 4 Formaggi pizza and it was really good. Wish I took pictures but we were in a rush.

Came here on a Friday night and there was no wait! I was in the mood for something spicy so I ordered the piccante pizza. The toppings were so good! Loved the savory, slightly spicy, and sour taste combined. The only thing I wish they could improve on is to make the crust more crispy. It is on the soft side.

It was my first weekend ever in NYC and we were near the Highline and we're just exhausted at this point and wanted a nice sitdown dinner. I was excited to find this restaurant in a nice area so I thought it would be great. And, we were seated immediately.The ambience was really pretty - nice, lighting, and noise level was fine. When we sat down a server started to open a bottle of sparkling water, and I stopped him and told him we were fine with still. What actually happened was he then went and got a bottle of mineral water with a label on it and poured that into our glasses. We were so annoyed when we realized all the other tables just had clear bottles of water , a.k.a. tapwater, and we were kind of given expensive water without asking for it. So we did end up having to pay nine dollars for a bottle of water. But, maybe he thought I said mineral.Our main server, a younger female, wasn't very friendly.We shared a Caesar salad that was a little pricey, but it was delicious, and they also gave us complementary bread, which was really good. The pizza I ordered was giant and I love oven fired pizza, but it ended up being really soggy so it was really disappointing. Not what I had hoped my first slice of a NYC pizza would taste like. My husband ordered a dish that tasted quite mediocre. He asked if he could sub the potatoes for pasta but they said no. It came with a side of mashed potatoes, and as you will see in the photo, it just looked like it was a sandbar in the middle of a river. He thought they tasted like instant. So the food was alright and we ended up paying $100 including a tip for both of us. I think we just felt especially annoyed and duped about the mineral water. The portions were generous, but it was just really disappointing. It was the only meal we regretted during our trip to New York.

We've been there two times. The second time was a result of our good experience the first. We've tried three different pasta dishes, and the pasta was perfectly al dente every time. That is impressive, The wine by the glass choices are decent and fairly priced, as are cocktails. Desserts are good enough.Our last experience was late dinner on a Saturday. We ordered appetizers and then the server rushed us to order because the kitchen closed at 10. No problem. We ordered a pasta and a pizza. The pizza crust was fine, but the olives were from a can clearly. At the end of the entree, the waiter dropped the check. Ohhh-kay. Nobody wanted dessert anyway. I put down my card and asked for an espresso. "I'm sorry, but they already cleaned the machine." Not ok. Please send the manager over, I'd like to talk to them." "I'm sorry, she's not here. She's on vacation.""Who's in charge right now?" "Nobody."Ownership, you have a management problem. As long as you have customers at the tables, you're open and serving.This night, rated one star, but the fact that your kitchen nails the pasta gives one back. You have the potential to have a fine little place, but details matter. There are too many good places in NYC to put up with mediocrity.

Enjoyed a nice plate of perfectly prepared calamari with a fine beer. Service is fast and friendly. If you are going to "sleep no more" across the street, this is a good choice for a pre show dinner.

Ovest Pizzoteca is my go to spot for brick oven in Hudson Yards. The Piccante Pizza is my go to pizza when I go and it's hard to try anything else because it's so good. The crust is soft and the peppers and Italian Sausage gives it a good flavor. I also love that they have Chilli Oil on the table (if it's not there ask for it) that adds an extra kick! It's a little on the expensive side but that's to be expected in Hudson Yards. A couple times we've gone we've gotten free appetizers as well due to an over order at other tables I'm guessing. I'll take it!

First time stop in, and we were so happy with every choice and the quality of the food. As NYers born and raised I can say it was one of the better meals I have had at a restaurant. Salad was fresh, pizza was cooked to perfection and the rigatoni was so flavorful. Very nice and honest staff as well. If you are the in area, definitely try it out!