Thanks to Billy Joel, the Olive Garden, and pop culture in general, Italian restaurants render iconic images of how Italian-Americans love to eat. The picture usually features a red-and-white-checkered clothed table with carafes of vino rosso and vino bianco flanking plates of pasta topped with a blizzard of Parmesan. Mangia!
In New York City, Rao’s in The Bronx helped put Italian red-sauce dishes on the map and a century later, there are plenty of similar spots in all five boroughs serving up pasta and pesce and more, almost as good as Nonna’s. Sure you appreciate Carbone, Arthur & Sons, and Il Mulino, but here are five lesser known standouts.
Patsy’s Italian Restaurant: Favorite of Old Blue Eyes
Founded by Pasquale “Patsy” Scognamillo, Patsy’s has been family owned and operated since 1944. Located near the Theater District and Carnegie Hall, the Midtown institution has served Neapolitan dishes to the famous faces who line the restaurant walls.
But you don’t have to be famous to eat there. Patsy’s has legions of regulars who swear the calamari, Chicken Contadina, Shrimp Parmigiana, and veal chops are the best in the city. Plus, the iconic eatery was a favorite spot of Frank Sinatra, who loved the Veal Milanese. 236 W. 56th St., Manhattan, patsys.com
Frank Restaurant: Noona Approved
For nearly 30 years, this cozy East Village red sauce mainstay has been serving fresh and simple dishes. Over the decades it’s garnered legions of devotees who line up and squeeze into cramped tables for Bufala mozzarella, housemade gnocchi and ravioli, and bottles of Barolo.
With an open kitchen and homey feel, right down to the framed family photos on the wall, courtesy of owner Frank Prisinzano, dining at Frank feels almost like being back in grandma’s kitchen. Albeit with a better meatloaf courtesy of Uncle Michael’s recipe. Just like many old school joints in town, Frank is cash-only. 88 2nd Ave., East Village, frankrestaurant.com
Monte’s Trattoria: Wine and Pasta Magic
A visit to Monte’s in Greenwich Village is like an adventure in time travel — a delicious jaunt to the land of white tablecloths, celebrity photos on the wall, and the smell of red sauce. Not only is Monte’s one of the oldest spots on a historic block peppered with iconic cafes and restaurants, like Caffe Reggio and the newer Minetta Tavern, chef Pietro Mosconi can still be found in the kitchen.
Check out the dinner-only menu of Italian dishes from the north and south, including standouts such as baked clams, veal marsala, and homemade cannelloni pasta. The food, combined with an Italian-heavy wine list, makes Monte’s the very definition of old school. 97 MacDougal St., Greenwich Village, montestrattorianyc.com
Gargiulo’s Restaurant: Classic Brooklyn Italian
For over a century Gargiulo’s has remained a classic Neopolitan restaurant in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn. Through much neighborhood change and some major storms, it’s been hosting parties and events in the space not far from the historic Coney Island Amusement Park.
Since 1907, Gargiulo’s has changed hands just once, and baker and pastry chef Matthew Cutolo keeps the Italian traditions, flavors, and recipes alive and in circulation. Among the favorite dishes (served by tuxedo-clad waiters) are the baked clams, Penne Pasqualina, Chicken Parmigiana, and of course, fresh cannoli for dessert. 2911 W. 15th St., Coney Island, Brooklyn, gargiulos.com
Emilio’s Ballato: Worth the Wait
You might spot the long lines in front of Emilio’s Ballato before actually getting inside the homey Houston Street restaurant. In fact, locals, tourists, and celebrities alike have been known to wait up to two hours for the eatery’s fried calamari, caesar salad, chicken parm, veal parm, tagliatelle pasta with bolognese sauce, and tiramisu.
Open since 1956, it’s not the easiest table to snag (they don’t take reservations) but it’s a coveted one for good reason. The Vitolo family, father and son, have been running Emilio’s for since the 1990s and everyone is treated like family, from the regulars to the VIPs like Lenny Kravitz and Taylor Swift. 55 E. Houston St., SoHo, no website
