3
9 minutes readContents
- The hottest Italian restaurants in NYC right now
- Where to stay for an Italian food-focused NYC trip
- FAQ: Italian food in NYC
How we built this list
We had many great options to choose from. Here’s what we looked for:
- Authentic cooking: Regional recipes, quality ingredients, and careful pasta-making rooted in Italian or Italian-American traditions.
- Neighborhood credibility: Places locals actually love and return to.
- That one dish: Every great restaurant has something you’d fly back for, be it a decadent dessert or perfectly roasted mushrooms.
- Value for what you’re getting: Some spots here are splurge-worthy, others are affordable.
- Vibe: Because where you eat in New York is part of the meal.
The hottest Italian restaurants in NYC right now
1. Via Carota (West Village)
- Price range: $70–$110
- Must-order: Tonnarelli cacio e pepe
Via Carota is a West Village favorite for seasonal vegetables, handmade pastas, and a warm dining room inspired by old Tuscan taverns. The dining room feels like a 17th-century Florentine farmhouse dropped into the West Village. Reclaimed wood floors, vintage chapel chairs, and soft candlelight give the room a warm, relaxed feel.
The cacio e pepe is one of the restaurant’s signature pastas, known for its simple mix of cheese, pepper, and handmade noodles.
ZenHotels insight
The wait for walk-ins can stretch past two hours on weekends. Go on a Tuesday. Or better yet, show up alone at the bar at 6 PM and order the svizzerina and a glass of natural wine.
2. L’Artusi (West Village)
- Price range: $75–$120
- Must-order: Pici cacio e pepe, olive oil cake
Roasted mushrooms are one of the restaurant’s most universally beloved antipasti.
Photo by Javier Valdes Pineda on Unsplash
L’Artusi has been one of the most sought-after Italian restaurants in Manhattan since it opened in 2008. The space spans two floors with banquette seating, a cheese bar, and a chef’s counter that looks directly into the open kitchen. Hidden from view is a private wine room surrounded by 2,000 bottles of Italian wine.
Roasted mushrooms are one of the restaurant’s most universally beloved antipasti (appetizers). For meat lovers, the wagyu carpaccio is a flavor-packed choice. To round off your meal, be sure to order L’Artusi’s signature dessert — the olive oil cake.
ZenHotels insight
The best spot in L’Artusi is to sit at the bar, order two pastas to share, drink wine, and go home happy. Nearby, Washington Square Park and Bleecker Street make the West Village easy to turn into a full evening plan.
3. Don Angie (West Village)
- Price range: $85–$130
- Must-order: Pinwheel lasagna for two
The pinwheel lasagna is the signature dish of Don Angie.
Photo by theccc on Shutterstock
Don Angie combines regional Italian and Italian-American cooking, with the pinwheel lasagna as its signature dish. The rolled shape makes it easy to share, gives each portion a crisp top, and feels lighter than a traditional layered lasagna.
The chrysanthemum salad adds a lighter option. Signature cocktails come with a creative twist, and some, including Nonna’s Little Nip, can be made non-alcoholic.
This place earned a Michelin star and James Beard nominations for a reason. It works well for a polished Italian-American dinner in the West Village.
ZenHotels insight
Bar seats are walk-in only. Reservations drop online seven days in advance at 9 AM.
4. Roscioli NYC (SoHo)
- Price range: $90–$140
- Must-order: Carbonara
The carbonara is what people come for: al dente pasta, parmesan falling into the bowl, a perfectly rich sauce.
Photo by Bernd Juergens on Shutterstock
Time Out named Roscioli the best Italian restaurant in New York in 2025. The setup feels like a fancy Roman deli, because it basically is one. Upstairs offers à la carte dining, while downstairs focuses on a tasting experience with curated wine pairings. The carbonara is what people come for: al dente pasta, parmesan falling into the bowl, a perfectly rich sauce that knows exactly what it’s doing.
Beyond its menu of authentic Roman dishes — preserved over four generations and 200 years of history — Roscioli offers artisanal classes and mozzarella-making workshops.
ZenHotels insight
The basement tasting menu is a full commitment; go in knowing you’ll be there for a while. For a more flexible night, the sunny upstairs room is excellent and feels like eating in a very chic delicatessen. Pair dinner with SoHo shopping, nearby galleries, or a walk toward Little Italy.
5. Lilia (Williamsburg, Brooklyn)
- Price range: $80–$130
- Must-order: Sheep’s milk agnolotti, mafaldine with pink peppercorn
The pastas are what people come for, specifically, the mafaldine coated in pink peppercorn and parmesan.
Photo by Sergii Koval on Shutterstock
Lilia just turned ten years old. It opened in a refurbished auto-body shop in Williamsburg, and the New York Times gave it three stars almost immediately.
The space is whitewashed and loft-like with tall firewood stacks and an open kitchen. The food is modern Italian built around wood-fired cooking. The pastas are what people come for, specifically, the agnolotti stuffed with sheep’s milk cheese in saffron and honey sauce, and the mafaldine coated in pink peppercorn and parmesan.
ZenHotels insight
Same-day bar seats open up more often than people think. Check Resy the morning of your visit. Before or after dinner, Domino Park and the Williamsburg waterfront are close enough for a relaxed walk.
6. Ci Siamo (Hudson Yards, Manhattan)
- Price range: $85–$135
- Must-order: Cavatelli with crab, caramelized onion torta
The pasta menu is a major reason travelers book Ci Siamo.
Photo by Nicholas Grande on Unsplash
Ci Siamo feels like walking into a very elegant hotel lobby in Milan. The cooking centers on live-fire technique, and the wood-fired dishes have a depth of flavor that justifies the trip to Hudson Yards. Yelp named it the number one restaurant in the United States in 2026.
The pasta menu is a major reason travelers book Ci Siamo. Whatever you end up ordering, start your meal with their signature cast iron focaccia with tomato conserva.
ZenHotels insight
The space is large but reservations still fill up fast. Book well in advance for dinner. Lunch is easier to snag. The location also works well with the High Line, Hudson Yards, and Edge.
7. Il Buco (NoHo)
- Price range: $80–$130
- Must-order: Bistecca, seasonal risotto (if you’re lucky)
The bistecca is a reliable anchor.
Photo by Sham Clicks on Shutterstock
Il Buco opened in 1994 as an antique store that started serving food. It never really stopped being both. The dining room is rustic and candlelit, filled with old wooden furniture and copper pots. It feels like a farmhouse in Umbria.
The menu changes with the seasons, which means the food is always right for the time of year. The bistecca is a reliable anchor. If the risotto happens to be on the menu, order it without thinking.
Il Buco’s menu blends Italian and Spanish influences with seasonal ingredients from local and Italian producers.
ZenHotels insight
Go in the fall or winter when the fireplace is going. The atmosphere becomes truly extraordinary.
8. Tra Di Noi (Arthur Avenue, The Bronx)
- Price range: $40–$70
- Must-order: Vongole, homemade pasta of the day
A branzino so good that strangers at other tables will tell you to order it before you’ve even opened the menu.
Photo by Nima Naseri on Unsplash
Everyone knows Little Italy in Manhattan. Fewer people make the trip to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, which is where the real old-school Italian dining scene still lives. It fits perfectly into a more local-style NYC itinerary, similar to these off-the-beaten-track New York recommendations.
Tra Di Noi opened in 2002 but feels like it’s been there since the neighborhood was built. Checkered tablecloths and regulars who know the staff by name. A branzino so good that strangers at other tables will tell you to order it before you’ve even opened the menu. Tra Di Noi’s Italian-born chef personally selects many ingredients for the rotating pasta dishes.
ZenHotels insight
Take the 6 train to Fordham Road and walk through the Arthur Avenue Retail Market before dinner. Pick up some fresh mozzarella or imported cheese to take home.
Where to stay for an Italian food-focused NYC trip
Planning to eat your way through NYC’s best Italian food? Here are some well-placed hotels in New York City to consider for different budgets:
FAQ: Italian food in NYC
Mangiamo with ZenHotels!
New York takes Italian food seriously. Whether it’s handmade pasta in the West Village, old-school red sauce spots in the Bronx, or modern Roman cooking in SoHo, the city has no shortage of restaurants worth building an itinerary around.
New York takes Italian food seriously.
Photo by foodstck on Shutterstock
If you’re planning a food-heavy trip to NYC, finding the right neighborhood to stay in makes a huge difference. With ZenHotels, you can explore hotels across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and beyond, including options within walking distance to NYC’s best Italian restaurants.
