In New York City, you’re never far from a world-class Italian meal. From a celebrity chef’s Theater District mainstay to an Eataly rooftop oasis near Gramercy Park, the 10 best Italian restaurants in New York City serve up everything from blistering wood-fired pizzas to red sauce classics and premium steaks with fancy tableside toppings.
Make your own pasta before dinner at an experiential destination on the Upper East Side. Dig into maximalist Italian fare at a buzzy spot on the Upper West Side. Settle into a cozy table for luxe pastas at a quintessential date-night gem in Greenwich Village.
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Read on for a guide to the top 10 Italian restaurants in NYC.
For a pre-show meal from a culinary legend: Becco (Theater District)
This charmer from culinary icon Lidia Bastianich and her son, Joe Bastianich, has been a Theater District mainstay since opening in 1993. Grab a seat in the lively dining room decked with hanging pots and exposed brick walls for the popular pre-set menu of three daily changing unlimited pastas plus a Caesar salad or antipasto misto. Or opt to dine à la carte with signature dishes like hearty meatballs and a veal shank with farro risotto.
For one of the best pizzerias and Italian restaurants in NYC: Lil’ Frankie’s (East Village)
Locally beloved Lil’ Frankie’s is a neighborhood favorite for its wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas, which you’ll spot on every table, alongside handmade pastas cooked to order. The space is equally old-school Italian—think rustic chandeliers and gallery walls with family photos and framed soccer jerseys. Stretch the evening with draft beer by the pitcher, a glass of Italian wine, or one of the restaurant’s stellar, Italian-leaning cocktails.
For bold fare at one of the best Italian restaurants in New York City: Bad Roman (Upper West Side)
Since opening in 2023, buzzy Bad Roman has been a destination for its family-style, maximalist Italian fare. Dishes include plush and buttery roasted garlic babka, crisp ’roni chips to dip in ranch, and a round of shots served on toy race cars, inspired by Italy’s classic car obsession. Grab a seat at the oyster counter or in the vibrant dining room decked with orange-hued banquettes, lush greenery, and floor-to-ceiling windows with sprawling views of Central Park.
For seasonal fare at an NYC rooftop stunner: Serra by Birreria (Gramercy Park)
This lush rooftop escape from Italian food giant Eataly lives up to its name, which means “greenhouse” in Italian. Dressed with elaborate floral installations and evergreens, the glass-ceilinged rooftop restaurant serves up elegant, seasonal dishes like squid ink cavatelli with whipped ricotta and a grilled strip loin with salsa verde. Linger with one of the botanical-inspired cocktails, like the garden spritz with dill-infused vermouth and carrot syrup.
For a quintessential neighborhood trattoria: Olio e Più (West Village)
Naples meets NYC at this longtime West Village charmer. A native of Italy, chef Danilo Galati serves up thin-crust, wood-fired pizzas in the inviting space, complete with carved wooden chairs and lush greenery. The pastas are just as exceptional—try the pork rigatoni or fettuccine cacio e pepe. Grab a seat on the expansive plant-decked covered sidewalk patio for prime people-watching.
For classic NYC Italian dining: Carmine’s 44th Street (Theater District) 91st Street (Upper West Side)
Carmine’s is one of the best Italian restaurants in New York City for its old-school vibe—think cozy leather booths, chandeliers, and wood-paneling galore. The massively portioned, family-style Southern Italian fare is just as elegantly retro. Start with seafood-forward delights like clams on the half shell or shrimp calamari from the raw bar before moving on to hits like veal parmesan and hearty portions of pasta—including vegetarian and gluten-free options.
For family-style dining at one of the best Italian restaurants in New York City: Tony’s Di Napoli (Midtown and Upper East Side)
Enjoy family-style dining at Tony’s Di Napoli in Midtown and on the Upper East Side. Inspired by the cuisine of Naples and Southern Italy, the restaurant’s menu includes huge platters of spaghetti pomodoro, baked ziti, and fettuccine alfredo made for sharing. Glittering chandeliers and colorful portraits deck the Midtown location, while on the Upper East Side, the space is outfitted with cozy banquettes and red-and-white checkered tablecloths.
For an old-school NYC Italian steakhouse: Quality Italian (Midtown West
One of the best Italian restaurants in New York City, Quality Italian is where you go for ultimate red sauce dishes with all the fancy extras. Grab a seat in the industrial-chic dining room to feast on signature housemade pastas, like the spicy lobster rigatoni alla vodka. Or opt for one of the restaurant’s famous premium steaks with tableside truffle butter service. Cocktails are equally stellar—try the tri-colored margarita, complete with an Italian flag-shaped ice cube.
For a romantic night at one the best Italian restaurants in New York City: Palma (Greenwich Village)
Palma, a top-rated Italian restaurant in NYC, is a quintessential date-night spot. Settle behind the marble bar or at a table for two in the cozy, floral-strewn dining room to dig into platters of arancini, polpettine (meatballs), and decadent pastas like a gluten-free fettuccine with mushroom and black truffle. Bonus points for a charming garden patio, decked with greenery and string lights for the ultimate romantic escape.
For dinner and a hands-on, pasta-making class: Aunt Jake’s Pasta Experience (Upper East Side)
Learn the basics of Italian cooking at Aunt Jake’s Pasta Experience, one of the best Italian restaurants in New York City. Start with the choose-your-own-adventure pasta-making class to roll and create classic rigatoni, squid ink bucatini, and stuffed options like gnocchi paired with traditional Italian sauces. Then feast on a three-course meal—including your pasta or a specialty dish of choice—in the rustic-chic dining room with brick walls and hanging plants.
Feast on everything from classic red sauce dishes to wood-fired pizza and luxe steak and seafood at these top-rated Italian restaurants in New York City. From celebrity-led Theater District mainstays to quintessential neighborhood date-night spots in Greenwich Village to high-end, special occasion restaurants in Midtown West, NYC has no shortage of great Italian restaurants.
