NYC's Best Italian Food

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Of It – "NYC's Best Italian Food"

Release Date: August 4, 2025
Host: Alison Stewart
Guest: Nadia Chasseri (Eater New York)

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Introduction

In the August 4, 2025 episode of All Of It, hosted by Alison Stewart on WNYC, the spotlight shines on New York City’s vibrant Italian culinary scene. Joined by Nadia Chasseri from Eater New York, the episode delves into the city's best Italian restaurants, ranging from cherished red sauce joints to contemporary pasta establishments. Engaging listeners through live calls and texts, the discussion captures personal favorites, hidden gems, and beloved classic spots that define NYC's Italian dining landscape.

Overview of NYC’s Italian Food Scene

Alison Stewart opens the episode by setting the stage, emphasizing the role of Italian restaurants in offering a "taste of Italy" within the city. She references Netflix’s Nonnas, inspired by a Staten Island Italian restaurant run by grandmothers, highlighting the deep-rooted tradition and heart that Italian cooking brings to NYC’s diverse neighborhoods.

Notable Quote:

"[...] the city is full of Italian restaurants that are full of homemade pasta. From the simple to the refined." – Alison Stewart [00:07]

Spotlight on Roberto's Restaurant

The conversation begins with a detailed discussion of Roberto's Restaurant in Belmont, Bronx—the heart of Little Italy in the Bronx. Nadia praises Roberto's for its exceptional seafood offerings, rich red sauces, and an inviting neighborhood atmosphere where servers remember regular customers.

Notable Quote:

"Italian dining in New York is such a special thing. [...] there's something about pasta that is evergreen or seasonless." – Nadia Chasseri [01:59]

Listener-Recommended Italian Gems

Alison and Nadia engage with listeners who share their top Italian restaurant picks across New York City and beyond. Highlights include:

• Il Bocaccino (West 28th Street, Manhattan): A family-run spot known for its sausages and authentic drinks.

  Caller Denise: "They bring kids, their nieces or granddaughters to wait tables. Not very sophisticated, but it's wonderful. And they make a mean orange daiquiri." [06:11]

• Bastilio Inn (Staten Island): The oldest restaurant on Staten Island, featuring a garden-grown produce menu and a bocce court.

  Caller Patty: "The burrata with grilled zucchini is absolutely sick. They have their own bocce court that you can play while you dine." [07:08]

• Parkside (Flushing, New York): A haven for red sauce enthusiasts, renowned for eggplant rollatini and baked pastas.

  Nadia Chasseri: "The eggplant rollatini. Honestly. And baked pastas are another big one of my go-to comfort foods." [08:00]

• Risotteria Melotti: Highlighted for its gluten-free options, especially the mushroom risotto and rice bread, with locations in Italy and NYC.

  Caller Mook: "They have the most amazing mushroom risotto and rice bread because the family grows their own rice." [08:51]

• Gabriel’s (Central Park South, Manhattan): An upscale restaurant praised for its professional service and exquisite pasta dishes, favored by both locals and international guests.

  Caller Madalana: "I took cousins from Rome. The chef greeted them in Italian and provided sums up to all the choices we made." [16:47]

Expanding the Horizons: Beyond Manhattan

The discussion extends to various boroughs and nearby areas, showcasing the rich tapestry of Italian cuisine across NYC:

• Latanzi (Theater Row, New York): Celebrated for its Jewish-Italian fusion dishes like eggplant and cauliflower introduced by Italian Jews.

  Caller Joe: "Latanzi has a Jewish aspect to the cuisine. The first time I had their sauce, I got tears in my eyes because I was thinking of my grandmother." [10:47]

• Frankie Spunettino (Brooklyn): Known for meatball salads, lamb pappardelle, risotto, and osso buco.

  Text from Jenna: "Great meatball salads, lamb pappardelle, and osso buco." [19:05]

• Chicala Restaurant (Newark, New Jersey): Located in a historic hotel with a renowned pizzeria, hosting events like Neapolitan street parties.

  Caller Jerome: "They make great pizzas that are just to die for." [19:32]

Midtown’s Culinary Highlights

Nadia introduces Carmelini (Midtown) as an opulent dining venue perfect for power lunches and elegant dinners. The restaurant is lauded for its duck tortellini and bean salads, offering a refined Italian dining experience.

Notable Quote:

"The duck tortellini. I'm also a big beautiful fan of duck. And duck in anything is great." – Nadia Chasseri [15:03]

Greenwich Village and Beyond

• Roscioli: A combination restaurant and wine bar known for its tasting menus and connection to Rome, creating a feast-like experience for diners.

• Montes Trattoria (Greenwich Village): Celebrated for its longstanding presence and consistency, serving authentic Emilia Romano dishes like roasted artichokes and stuffed pastas.

  Nadia Chasseri: "It's very, you know, it's the quality done. [...] Serving what you serve instead of answering to passing trends." [17:10]

Special Mentions and Unique Offerings

• Mama Lombardi's (Holbrook, Long Island): A family-run establishment offering Neapolitan dishes, fried calamari, and a loyal following that spans decades.

• Lazier or Lizzie Die (Chelsea): Praised for its duck ravioli with sage sauce, fried calamari, and versatile dining spaces catering to various group sizes.

• John's (12th Street, Yonkers): A vegan-friendly Italian restaurant with an extensive vegan menu, featuring delectable dishes like seitan adelosa.

  Caller Jim: "They serve a whole back page vegan menu. The seitan adelosa is delicious." [25:47]

Highlights and Signature Dishes

Throughout the episode, several signature dishes emerge as must-tries:

• Fried Calamari: Universally loved, transcending seafood preferences with its crispy appeal.

• Duck Tortellini: Featured at Carmelini, blending rich duck flavors with traditional pasta.

• Burrata with Grilled Zucchini: A standout at Bastilio Inn, showcasing fresh, garden-grown ingredients.

• Pasta Fazul and Osso Buco: Classic Italian dishes that resonate with both traditionalists and modern diners.

Listener Engagement and Recommendations

Alison Stewart actively encourages listeners to share their favorite Italian dining spots via calls and texts, fostering community involvement. This interactive segment not only enriches the discussion but also brings diverse perspectives to the forefront, reflecting the multicultural essence of New York City.

Conclusion and Final Recommendations

As the show wraps up, Nadia Chasseri summarizes the best Italian dining spots tailored to various occasions:

• Romantic Dinners: Carmelini is recommended for its elegant setting and exquisite dishes.

• Solo Dining: Cafè Spaghetti in Williamsburg offers a welcoming atmosphere, especially with its hard-to-get reservations and bar seating.

• Group Dining: Theresi’s is ideal for adult-centric celebrations, while Frankie's 457 in Carroll Gardens caters to families with children.

Notable Quote:

"Solo dining is like my bread and butter. [...] Sit at the bar." – Nadia Chasseri [27:27]

The episode concludes with Alison thanking Nadia and the callers, highlighting the extensive list of recommendations that underscore the richness of NYC’s Italian culinary landscape.

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Key Takeaways:

• Diversity of Italian Cuisine: From traditional red sauce joints to modern, innovative pasta spots, NYC offers a wide range of Italian dining experiences.

• Community and Tradition: Many recommended restaurants emphasize family-run operations, authentic recipes, and a sense of community, embodying the true spirit of Italian culture.

• Regional Specialties: Various neighborhoods boast unique Italian culinary offerings, reflecting the diverse influences and regional specialties within Italian cuisine.

Listeners are encouraged to explore these recommended spots, each offering a unique slice of Italy in the heart of New York City.

Transcript

[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. As you heard early in the show, it's travel week here on all of it. Here's a preview of some of the conversations that we will be having later on. We'll talk about how to plan a group trip, everything from picking a location to splitting costs. We'll discuss quick weekend getaways. We'll talk about how to plan a memorable family trip. And we'll also share ways to save money while traveling. Now that's all in the future. Now let's get this hour started with a way to get a taste of Italy while staying in the city. Sometimes art imitates life. Take for example, Netflix's new show, Nonnas. Inspired by a real Italian restaurant on Staten Island. Run by grandmothers, it celebrates the heart and tradition of Italian cooking. And here in New York, the city is full of Italian restaurants that are full of homemade pasta. From the simple to the refined. From that cozy red sauce joint to a chic pasta spot, there is an Italian restaurant to suit almost anybody's needs. Eater New York Nadia Chasseri has put together a definitive list of the city's best Italian restaurants. Nadia, welcome back.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Hi, Alison, nice to be here.

[Alison Stewart]

Nice to have you. Listeners, we want to hear from you. What is your favorite Italian restaurant? Call in, let us know. What do you order? 2124-3396-9221-2433, wnyc. You can join me and Nadia on air or you can reach out via social media@olivet WNYC. For you, Nadia, what makes a truly great Italian dining experience?

[Nadia Chasseri]

I feel like Italian dining in New York is such a special thing. My tldr is that like, I was in Austin for 11 years previous to this, but I'm a born and raised New Yorker and the thing we miss so much in Austin was real Italian food. I feel like there's nothing New York City does Italian in such a beautiful, delicious, sumptuous way. What makes it, it's the red sauce joints, it's the wonderful pastas. It's like the Italian red wines. It's the like, atmosphere. It's the like neighborhood feel of where your servers probably know who you are and, like, will remember your regular orders. It's sort of, it's a very like, it's a little essence that's so hard to replicate anywhere else.

[Alison Stewart]

And I'm from New Jersey, so, you know, I got the double whammy.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Exactly, exactly. And we'll give it the Northeast in general, but New York is close to my heart.

[Alison Stewart]

Do you have favorite comfort food or comfort food restaurant?

[Nadia Chasseri]

It's sort of, you know, being back in New York, I'm rediscovering all of my favorites. But, like, in terms of dishes, you know, I'm a sucker for anything with seafood, with lobster ravioli. Recently, I checked out the Four Horsemen's new Italian restaurant in Brooklyn, and I had this gnocchi sardi with shrimp and these little pastas in this little brothy soup, essentially, that was so wonderful. It's like something that just feels. There's something about pasta that is. I feel, like, evergreen or, like seasonless.

[Caller]

Yeah.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Like, even in the summer, I want pasta. Even in summer, I want meatballs. Even in the summer, I want a chicken parm. There's just something so evergreen about that, I think.

[Alison Stewart]

All right, as you were going through this, this long list of Italian restaurants, did your own taste in Italian food change during the process of putting this list together?

[Nadia Chasseri]

No, I think it's sort of, you know, when it comes to putting together an Eater guide, especially this is years of work from other previous staffers as well. So this is sort of Eater New York's take on what we consider the essential Italian restaurants, regardless of, like, how I may personally feel about places, if that makes sense.

[Alison Stewart]

My guest is Nadia Chouthury. We are discussing Nadia Roundup and all of Eater's Roundup of New York City's best Italian spots, highlighting everything from old school red sauce joints to modern pasta spots. We want to know about your favorite Italian restaurant in New York City. Call us 2124-339692-21243, NYC. And you better let us know what your favorite dish is. You can call in and join us on air, or you can text to us at that number as well. All right, let's get into the list. Roberto's restaurant. It's tucked away on a side street in Belmont, just off of Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. It's in the Bronx. It's Little Italy, actually.

[Nadia Chasseri]

And. Exactly. And the Bronx is so famous for its Italian cuisines as well. And I think people sort of forget that because Little Italy in Manhattan overshines it. But go to the Bronx for really good Italian food. People.

[Alison Stewart]

What just convinced you that Roberto's deserves a spot on the list?

[Nadia Chasseri]

I mean, it's, you know, the seafoody stuff is, like, really fantastic. It's the red sauceness, it's the vibes. And no meatballs.

[Alison Stewart]

No meatballs.

[Nadia Chasseri]

No meatballs, huh? Yeah. Huh, huh.

[Alison Stewart]

I have to think about that. For a minute. You said the wine list is somewhat sophisticated.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

What do you recommend getting here?

[Nadia Chasseri]

Oh, gosh, for me, in terms of wine, I'm a horrible person to talk about this. I always ask a server for their recommendations because I feel like they. They know better than I do is what I would say. And I've never been steered wrong.

[Alison Stewart]

I feel like that's Roberto's restaurants at 6O 3 Crescent Ave. In the Bronx. All right, we've got some calls. Denise is calling in from Manhattan. Hey, Denise, thanks for making the time to call all of it.

[Caller]

Hi.

[Alison Stewart]

Hi.

[Caller]

I'm recommending Il Bocaccino on West 28th street just east of 8th Avenue. It's an old family small family run place. I think grandpa is the head chef in the kitchen. The company runs a sausage factory in New Jersey and I always order sausage as my appetizer because they deliver it all over the country. It's a wonderful thing. And they bring kids, their nieces or granddaughters in to wait the tables. Not very sophisticated, but it's wonderful. And the sausages are out of sight. They also make a mean orange daiquiri.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, all right. She got in on the drinks as well. Thanks for calling. Let's talk to Patty from Staten Island. Hey, Patty, thanks for making the time to call all of it today.

[Caller]

Thank you for taking my call. I have to give a shout out to Bastilio Inn on Staten Island. It's off of. It's off of Sand Lane and it is 104 years old. The oldest restaurant on Staten Island. They have their own garden that they get produce from. The burrata with grilled zucchini is absolutely sick. And they also have their own bocce court that you can play while you die. And I don't think it gets more Italian than that.

[Alison Stewart]

That is awesome. And I love that she described it, Nadia, as sick. The place.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Sick is a great adjective when used correctly, I think personally. And to have a bocce core on a restaurant ground is amazing and fantastic.

[Alison Stewart]

Okay. On your list you have Parkside in Flushing, New York. This is if you're a red sauce fan.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Yes, yes, for sure.

[Alison Stewart]

Tell me what I get when I go to Parkside.

[Nadia Chasseri]

The eggplant rollatini. Honestly. And baked pastas. Baked pastas are another big one of my go to comfort foods as well. Just the ooey gooeyness is just so, so good.

[Alison Stewart]

I understand. It's really good. If you have a big family, it's.

[Nadia Chasseri]

It works well. Like Italian was always growing up. Are like, go to Fans quote, unquote, fancy dinner outs and it just, it's again, Italian. I feel like it's just so crowd pleasing. There is something for everyone, for every taste, whether you're a vegetarian, whether you're not doing carbs, whether you're doing meat or seafood. It just works.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Kevin who is calling in from Denver. Oh, we lost Kevin. Kevin says he likes going to Ron's landmark in New Jersey. Thanks for calling. I can say hanging up. Let's talk to Mook. Hey, Mook, are you on the line?

[Caller]

Hi there. I just wanted to add one more to the list that the guest was talking about in terms of gluten free. So there's a restaurant called Risotteria Melotti which has locations in Italy as well as in New York City. And I've been to the one in Italy and they have the most amazing mushroom risotto and rice bread because the family grows their own rice. So I'm curious if the guests have been to the New York location of Risotteria Melotti and if it lives up to the same hype as the one in Italy. Thank you so much.

[Alison Stewart]

Have you been there, Nadia?

[Nadia Chasseri]

I have not, but now I want to make sure I go there because that sounds fantastic and gluten free is a fascinating thing to me.

[Alison Stewart]

This is a text that says, speaking of Nonnas, my favorite Nonna Doras in Murray Hill. It used to be Ils Truly and Curry Hill until the son moved back to Italy to run a winery. Nona Dora's has excellent vegetarian pasta dishes that include chickpeas. And the spaghettis and meatballs are the best in the city. They specialize in dishes from Puglia. I am glad to know that because I used to really like Il Truly in Korea quite a bit. Let's talk to Joe from Jersey. Hi, Joe.

[Caller]

Hi. I would like to submit my recommendation for Latanzi. It's in theater. It's on Theater Row in New York. We've been going there about for probably 40 years. My wife is Jewish, I'm Italian, and Latanzi has a Jewish. The cuisine of the Italian Jews. I think during theater hours when the restaurant is not so crowded and it's a wonderful experience. I never knew that eggplant and cauliflower and artichokes were introduced to Italy by the Jewish people and. But the first time I had their sauce, I literally got tears in my eyes because I was thinking of my grandmother.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, that's so sweet. I love these calls about Italian restaurants. They're really great.

[Nadia Chasseri]

It's really fun hearing this because I feel like people always talk about like your go to pizza place or go to bagel place. I feel like your go to Italian is such a core of New York dining.

[Alison Stewart]

You know, let's talk about Lenny's Clam Bar out in Howard Beach. This one. You must be a fan of it if you like seafood.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Yeah, seafood, yes. And Queens forever. And it's just, you know, very old school vibes. Very, you know, again, baked clams, fried seafood. It is wonderful and just kitschy and lovely.

[Alison Stewart]

What is a dish that people would go out to Howard Beach?

[Nadia Chasseri]

I mean, hence the clan. The name of the. The name of the restaurant. You got to do baked clams. It's right there.

[Alison Stewart]

Okay. What's one dish that even a non seafood lover would. Would head out for?

[Nadia Chasseri]

Oh, boy. I feel like fried calamari is. I mean, it's. Granted, I'm speaking as a seafood lover, but I feel like fried calamari. If you don't think about it too much, it doesn't have to be seafood in your head. I could be wrong, but it seems palpable in that way. Fried calamari is like fried, fried. You know, friedness makes everything taste yummy, I think.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Susanna from Brooklyn Online too. Hey, Susanna, thanks for calling, all of it. What's your recommendation?

[Caller]

Hi, thanks so much for taking my call. I have to get a shout out to lilo's in Brooklyn Heights on Atlantic and Henry. Lilo's is a tiny Italian place run by Lilo from Rome. He is fantastic. He just brings such a great neighborhood energy. He got me through the pandemic. His sandwiches, specifically the melena with prosciutto and mortadella and buffalo mozzarella and zucchini. It's so good. And then you got to get the affogato that he serves during the summertime.

[Alison Stewart]

Thanks for the recommendations. We are talking about your favorite Italian restaurant in New York. Is it a classic red SOT spot or our new that has wowed you? Our phone lines are open. 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. My guest is food writer Nadia Chad. We are discussing Eater's list of New York's best Italian restaurants. We'll head to Midtown after the break. You're listening to all of it on wn. I'm Alison Stewart. My guest is food writer Nadia Chad. We're discussing Eater New York's best Italian restaurants. We want to know what your favorite Italian Restaurant is in this city. Let's talk to Jerry from Manhattan. Hey, Jerry, what do you want to shout out?

[Caller]

Amo a m o. It's on East 12th street just off 5th Avenue and University Place. This is absolutely the best fish place to eat. I don't think they have meat anymore, but if you want extraordinary fish, come to Ammo.

[Alison Stewart]

Thanks for the recommendation. Nadia. We're going to move to Midtown Cafe Carmelini. Will you describe it for me?

[Nadia Chasseri]

It's this very beautiful, opulent dining room. You know, that's just like very. You feel very fanciful sitting there and it's just like very pretty. You know, it's good for power lunches. It's good for, you know, probably showing off to your in laws for dinner, things like that. If you want to show off.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Impressive is the word I should use. Yes.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah. It's in a restored like fifth Avenue hotel.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Yeah. Very decadent looking.

[Alison Stewart]

All right.

[Nadia Chasseri]

It's the perfect setting for Italian, honestly. Right.

[Alison Stewart]

What shouldn't we miss here?

[Nadia Chasseri]

What dish we shouldn't miss? The duck tortellini. I'm also a big beautiful fan of duck. And duck in anything is great. Duck tortellini. The bean salads are really fun. And what I like about it too is that, you know, there's the pre fee lunches make it easier to sort of figure out what you want to eat. And I feel like lunch is like Italian. Makes for like really good lunch options, I think, personally.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Madalana. I hope I'm saying that correctly. She's calling us from Midtown West. Hi, Madalana.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Hi.

[Caller]

It is Madeleina. Hi, good afternoon. My favorite Italian restaurant is Gabriel's on Central Park South. They used to be in Columbus circle for about 30 years and then the developers came in and they moved to Central park south before COVID and they have. It's more upscale. It's absolutely a lovely, elegant restaurant. They're very professional, they're very friendly, they're very accommodating. And we have been there for lunch and brunch and dinner and I actually took cousins from Rome. It was kind of tricky because, you know, they know all the fabulous Italian restaurants in Rome and the chef came out to greet them in Italian and they gave sums up to all the choices that we made. And one of my favorites, anything. Pasta is a fabulous choice, so I highly recommend it. And it's just a lovely setting. They have a main dining room, a semi private room and a private room for events. So that's my recommendation.

[Alison Stewart]

Thank you so Much. I endorse Gabriel's, by the way.

[Nadia Chasseri]

All right, you got the Italian endorsement as well, so that. That's high praise.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk Greenwich Village. Since we're in the area, I need a couple places to stop by. Montes Trattoria. Oh, gosh. That's been in. In the city for over a century.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Yep.

[Alison Stewart]

What makes it special enough to last that long?

[Nadia Chasseri]

I mean, it's sort of, you know, it's. I'm hoping, you know, good, good landlords right there. I hope so. That's my first, my first take. And it's just, you know, being true to, like, serving what you serve instead of, like, answering to the whims of passing trends is just really honing in on what they do. It's not a fancy dining room. It's very simp. But they. What they cook is what they cook, and it's very quality done.

[Alison Stewart]

And they also have a really beloved chef.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Right, Pietro? Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

How did his dishes show off? His. His. His roots. His roots in Italy.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Yeah. Because it's from. I know it's centered a lot in the. I'm gonna mispronounce this, and I'm so sorry. Emilia Romano. So it's, you know, a lot of. A lot of veggies, you know, roasted artichokes, a stuffed zucchini, you know, stuffed pasta. Those stuffed rolled pastas. Very delicious. Very lovely.

[Alison Stewart]

All right. This is a restaurant which is literally a four minute walk from the WNYC studios.

[Nadia Chasseri]

That means you have to go there for dinner.

[Alison Stewart]

Roscioli. Am I pronouncing it right?

[Nadia Chasseri]

Roscioli? I. I believe so. I'm a. I tend to say I'm a writer, not a speaker, so. Roscioli. It sounds right to me.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah. It's a restaurant and a wine bar. It's got long lines. I have to say what's worth the hype here?

[Nadia Chasseri]

I mean, it's also interesting that it is a company that came from Rome, and it's a beautiful spot. And I feel like what works well for this is the, like, the feast is the tasting menus. I think it's nice being able sometimes, you know, being able to just be treated. You know, you pay your. Pay your payment, and you are treated to whatever the chefs think that you should get. So that's a nice thing about it, I think.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's take some more calls. Jenna is calling us from Alphabet City. Hey, Jenna. Oh, oh, Jenna's a text. Sorry. Jenna says Frankie Spunettino in Brooklyn. Great. Meatball salads, lamb pappardelle Second is supper in the East Village. Great meatballs, pear gagazola, risotto, osso buco. Let's talk to Jerome. Jerome is calling us from the Bronx. Hi, Jerome.

[Caller]

Hey, Allison. I wanted to mention Chicala restaurant. It's in Newark, New Jersey, and it's in a historic hotel. It used to be called the Divine Lorraine Hotel. And the restaurant is attached also to a pizzeria, and it's a husband and wife. And in fact, the Pizzeria Sorrellini, they're having a Neapolitan street party this Thursday evening, and they make great pizzas there just to die for.

[Alison Stewart]

Thanks for the tip. We really appreciate it. Janet is calling in from Little Italy and has a question for you, Nadia.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Yeah, go for it.

[Caller]

Hi, Nadia. I missed the beginning of the show, and I wonder if you had discussed already restaurants in Little Italy where I've lived for 50 years and am largely disappointed in. I think they catered to the tourist trade a lot. So I wonder if you already discussed the Little Italy venues. And if you didn't, I'll keep listening. And if you did, can somebody send me a list of the places that people really liked a lot?

[Alison Stewart]

You got a recommendation for Nolita? Yeah, yeah.

[Nadia Chasseri]

And it's also just so you know, we do have a map on iter New York for Best Italy. The Best Little Italy restaurants written by our former critic Robert Seistema. That is worth looking into. I believe we link to it in the intro of our Best Italian Restaurants. There's some overlap, but it's. I, I agree with you. It's hard finding it's. Little Italy is very crowded, very touristy. So I would honestly be curious to know what you think.

[Alison Stewart]

What about Theresi doesn't.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Theresa is good Teresa's. But Teresa is hard to get into.

[Alison Stewart]

That's true.

[Nadia Chasseri]

You know, like, and it's. And it is like, it's that, like, Teresa's I think is really good for, you know, birthday parties, celebrations. But it's something that I feel like you have to plan ahead of time. And I feel like it's hard to have this, like, walk passing by and being like, I want to go to this Italian restaurant. I don't think Teresa's that answer, personally.

[Alison Stewart]

What about Emilio Balatos? That's been there forever.

[Nadia Chasseri]

And that's such an old school, beautiful place. And I know that's somewhat. It's. And you know, I know it's celebrity studied, celebrity approved, but it's one of those. That would be my recommendation, actually. That's a Great one, Allison.

[Alison Stewart]

What's a campus?

[Nadia Chasseri]

It's not literally proper too, but like that's. It's better to step outside the neighborhood.

[Alison Stewart]

Just a little bit.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Just a little outside, just a little block away. It's fine. Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Anthony in Brooklyn. Hey, Anthony, thanks for calling, all of it.

[Caller]

Thanks, Allison. Hey, my recommendation is Mama Lombardi's in Holbrook on Long island calling from Brooklyn, but we go out to Long Island a lot and on the way out, we are on the way back, we stop at Mama Lombardi's. Great, great Neapolitan dishes. Seafood, fried calamari, pasta fazul. You have to wait for it because they make it when you order it. Meat dishes, pizzas of all kind. It's so good. It's a family run restaurant and it's the same as it was 30 years ago.

[Alison Stewart]

You're getting the thumbs up from our engineer Juliana. She says that place is excellent. Thanks for calling in. Let's talk to Sandra on the Upper west side. Hi Sandra.

[Caller]

Hi there. I'm actually calling about a restaurant in Chelsea called Lazier or Lizzie die. It's the 20th and 7th. It is absolutely wonderful. It has a pre fixed lunch menu and it always has specials for lunch and dinner. My favorite special is the duck ravioli with in sage sauce they have. Their fried calamar is delicious. As an appetizer they've got great sauteed artichokes. The service is wonderful. It's just so pleasant. They've got four different rooms. Front room, back room a little less formal and upstairs for groups as well as individuals and a bar area. Just, just delicious.

[Alison Stewart]

Thanks for the tip. This text says please can you post all the Italian restaurant recommendations on your website after the show. Thanks. By the way, I feel like we.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Should do an eat like a reader's guide to like a, like a recommendation guide map. Honestly, it could.

[Alison Stewart]

You could do that or you can look at our transcripts because they go up on the site and you can listen to everybody's. Everybody's contribution to this conversation, which is great. So our transcripts will be on the site. I have to ask about Carroll Gardens. I feel like I will be. There'll be something wrong with me if I don't ask about Carroll Gardens. Where should I go?

[Nadia Chasseri]

I mean there's so many lovely places in Carroll Gardens too. Again, Brooklyn, wonderful place. I know one of the. A recent co worker of mine went to Cafe Spaghetti and talked about a wonderful meal she had there where she had summer rag, summer corn ragu. That she can't stop thinking about. And I feel like the seasonalness is, you know, we're in prime, prime veggie season and in New York right now. So, like, that's. That's a nice, pleasant place to go here.

[Alison Stewart]

There's one in Bed Stuy. You have lifted Daphne's at 299 Halsey Street. Tell me a little more about Daphne's.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Yeah, it's. I know it's, you know, sort of very. It's very. It's very cool looking is how I describe it. And it's. But it's like sort of this like Brooklyn cool approach to Italian, you know, so if you want to be a little bit fanciful or very like girls night out, something like that, that would be the place to go.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Jim in Yonkers. Hey, Jim, thanks for calling, all of it.

[Caller]

You're very welcome. Thanks for taking my call. My recommendation is John's on 12th Street. Man, that's a place to go. It's a small Italian place, obviously, and we are vegans, but they serve. They have a whole back page vegan menu. And when you're out with a group and nobody's vegan or one person vegan, some people that everybody can help, what they want is delicious food. I. The seitan adelosa is delicious.

[Nadia Chasseri]

I love it.

[Alison Stewart]

Thank you, Jim. Let's talk to Julia from Manhattan. Hi, Julia. Thanks for calling, all of it. Oh, Julia's gone. Let's see. Okay, we did Bed Stuy. We did Carroll Gardens. Oh, I forgot Williamsburg. Williamsburg. You have barmontes. Is that what it's called?

[Nadia Chasseri]

Double checking right now? Williamsburg bemontes. Yeah. Like that's a very. I know. It's a very old school restaurant. Vivi. Old school. Sopranos, et cetera is one of. You know, before Williamsburg was Williamsburg that we know today. That's a long standing place.

[Alison Stewart]

And in Park Slope. This place is great. It's called Adela.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Yes. It's such a classic. It's so cute. Perfect date. Like that's the perfect date night place in my opinion.

[Alison Stewart]

Honestly, for a quick summary of highlights of the restaurants we discussed, which room you would say that's the place to go for a romantic dinner? Yes. Yeah.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Oladi is where I would say romantic dinner anniversaries. Want to escape the house night?

[Caller]

Yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

How about sometimes you gotta get out of the house. Sometimes you do. How about a solo dining?

[Nadia Chasseri]

Solo dining. Okay, so like, solo dining is like my bread and butter. I love solo dining so much. I feel like Lillian Williamsburg especially because it's such a hard reservation or hard entry to point to get into. Just go by yourself, go for an early dinner, sit at the bar.

[Alison Stewart]

Perfection group dining.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Cafe spaghetti would have been my pick.

[Alison Stewart]

And finally, birthday gathering.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Theresi fancy crowd pleasing. I know specifically Theresi doesn't do kids, so that's great for sort of an adult centric birthday party.

[Alison Stewart]

Okay, now I have to ask one where do you go with kids?

[Caller]

Kids?

[Nadia Chasseri]

Frankie's 4, 5, 7. Someone mentioned Frankie Spontoni earlier. But Frankie's 457 in Carroll Gardens. A beautiful backyard. You got pastas, you got parms, sandwiches. Italian American. You let the children run around.

[Alison Stewart]

Our guest has been Nadia Chattery. She's discussing Eater New York's best Italian restaurants. Thanks to all our callers. Thanks to you Nadia. We appreciate it.

[Nadia Chasseri]

Thank you so much, Allison. And thank you for all the callers calling in. My list is going to be very long. You set the gold standard for your business.

[Alison Stewart]

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[Nadia Chasseri]

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[Nadia Chasseri]

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[Nadia Chasseri]

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[Nadia Chasseri]

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[Alison Stewart]

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