New York City offers historical sites, shopping, Central Park strolls and entertainment from off-off-Broadway plays to opera. You'll also find there restaurants serving cuisines from all over the world. If Italian food is your choice, you're in luck. Check out a few of NYC's famous Italian restaurants.
Less than a 10-minute walk from Radio City Music Hall, you'll find Abboccato in the edge of the theater district. This Italian restaurant won a Critics' Pick award from New York Magazine. Entrees range in price from $26 to $37.
The chef at Abboccato prepares sophisticated versions of Italian classics such as stuffed quail with mortadella. There is a full-service bar. For diners who want a glass of wine, the waitstaff will recommend one. One of the most popular dishes is the Arctic char, served with warm dandelion, oven-dried grapes and a blood orange salad. If you are not watching your waistline, try the ricotta cheese cake, served with a fresh citrus salad and cinnamon crumble.
Abboccato
136 West 55th Street
New York, NY 10019
212-265-4000
livanosrestaurantgroup.com
Maialino, in the Gramercy Park Hotel, overlooks Gramercy Park, one of the few private parks in the country. This Italian eatery garners high reviews from critics, locals and tourists and offers celebrity watching along with your meal. The chef gives classic dishes his own interpretation. Maialino also has a full bar and an extensive wine list. The entree prices range from $23 to $34.
Start with the carciofini fritti, fried artichokes with a spicy anchovy dipping sauce. Follow it up with the pollo alla diavola, a peppered chicken served with an arugula and chili vinaigrette.
Maialino
2 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10010
212-777-2410
maialinonyc.com
Cipriani has several locations throughout the city. Entree prices hover around $27. The interior of the restaurant has an open, loft-like space, and a heated patio allows for outdoor dining. Entree prices range from about $24 to $38. The menu features traditional Italian favorites such as pasta and meat dishes. One of Cipriani's famous dishes is the baked tagliolini pasta with ham. And for a cocktail, try the Sweet Annie ($12), based on the Bellini, but with vodka, and garnished with mint.
Cipriani Downtown
376 West Broadway
New York, New York 10012
212-343-0999
cipriani.com
The Food Network's Iron Chef Mario Batali owns Babbo. The two-floor restaurant serves traditional Italian meals with a Batali spin. Famous entrees include goat-cheese tortelloni with dried orange and wild-fennel pollen and beef cheek ravioli. There is an eight-course pasta tasting menu that costs $69 and a traditional eight-course tasting menu for $75 (add $50 per person to either menu for wine pairings). The average entree price is $27. Babbo features a full-service bar and wine by the bottle or glass. If you are unsure of which wine will best complement your meal, the waitstaff will help you choose.
Babbo
110 Waverly Place
New York, NY 10011
(212) 777-0303
babbonyc.com
