Pietro Cucina Italiana

Name: Pietro Cucina Italiana
Address: 404 N Country Rd, St. James, NY, United States, 11780
Telephone: (631) 862-6129
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.6

4.6 (602)

$30 and under

Italian

404 N Country Rd, St. James, NY 11780

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 30, 2025

10:30 PM

Booked 1 time today

About this restaurant

Neighborhood gem
Good for special occasions
Great for outdoor dining

New York City restaurateurs Pietro and Kelly Molendini took over the classic St. James farmhouse turned restaurant. The former co-owners of Vite Vinosteria in Astoria, Queens, who had moved from the city to Centerport, spent the summer renovating the dining room to a modern, clean look with neutral tones and contemporary artwork from Pietro Molendini's native Rome. They also expanded the bar from about four to 11 seats.

Pietro Molendini has spent 30 years in the food industry, with a decade of that at Cipriani and stints at both Bar Pitti and Da Silvano. Along the way, he met chef Fabian Garcia Manca, who eventually headed the kitchen at Vito Vinosteria and now joins the Molendini’s in St. James. Kelly Molendini said Manca and her husband scour the tristate area and beyond for ingredients. "They are never home," she joked, and said that the pair source some of their meat from the Bronx, burrata from New Jersey and dried pasta from Italy and Sicily.
Closed 11/17/2022 for private party

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Italian
Phone number
(631) 862-6129
Website
http://www.pietro631.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual

Location
404 N Country Rd, St. James, NY 11780
Neighborhood
St. James
Parking details
None
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Cafe, Cocktails, Full Bar, Takeout, Wine

Ask Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Burrata Pugliese$17.95
imported burrata, homegrown roasted peppers, confit cherry tomato basil
Panzerotti Salentini$13.95
two deep fried pockets stuffed with mozzarella, tomato, basil, mozzarella, Italian ham
Cozze alla Calabrese$18.95
mussels sautéed in white wine sauce, calabrian peppers, garlic, shallots, crushed tomatoes
Polpette Al Pecorino$15.95
prime angus beef meatballs, pecorino romano, tomato sauce
Parmigiana di Melanzane$14.95
eggplant parmigiana, tomato, mozzarella, parmigiano, basil
Polpo alla Griglia$23.95
grilled octopus served with potatoes, tomato, artisanal salad, avocado cream
Arancini alla Siciliana$16.95
homemade crispy saffron rice balls with short rib ragu & besciamella sauce
Salumi Misti$24.95
chef's selection of imported cured meats
Formaggi Misti$21.95
chef's selection of imported cheeses

Le Insalate / Salad

Insalata dello Chef$13.95
artisanal lettuce, dry fruit, red wine-aged goat cheese
Insalata Fresca$12.95
string beans, cherry tomatoes, corn, basil
Insalata di Pomodori$12.95
organic tomatoes, celery, basil
Insalata di Endivia$14.95
endive, gorgonzola, walnuts, green apple, organic honey

Le Paste / Pasta

Paccheri di Gragnano$20.95
rigatoni from gragnano, prime angus short rib ragu
Pappardelle alla Bolognese$19.95
homemade pappardelle, traditional bolognese sauce
Gnocchi Verdi$19.95
homemade spinach & potato dumplings, white truffle cream sauce, parmigiano reggiano
Tortelloni con Burrata$23.95
tortelloni stuffed with burrata in butter & crispy sage sauce
Linguine alle Vongole$24.95
new zealand clams, light tomato sauce
Lasagna Rustica$23.95
chestnuts, veal ragu, porcini mushrooms
Risotto of the Day
made daily, ask your server
- Market Price

IL Pesce / Seafood

Salmone Selvatico$32.95
roasted wild salmon, pesto, vegetable ratatouille

Le Carni / Meats

Pollo Arrosto con Patate$24.95
roasted organic chicken marinated in chimichurri, served with roasted potatoes
Controfiletto alla Griglia$37.95
grilled prime sirloin, homemade almond pesto, french fries
Stinco di Agnello Stufato$31.95
lamb shank stew, creamy polenta
Petto di Anatra$27.95
roast duck breast with orange sauce, chickpea pureé

Contorni / Sides

Cavolfiore$7.95
sautéed cauliflower
Broccoli di Rape$7.95
sautéed
Vegetali alla Griglia$7.95
seasonal grilled vegetables
Fagiolini Aglio e Olio$7.95
french string beans sautéed in garlic-olive oil

What 602 people are saying

Pietro Cucina Italiana reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6

4.6 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.5Service
4.5Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Suffolk
Romantic
Suffolk
Good for special occasions

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Pietro Cucina Italiana offers "exceptional food and service," creating memorable dining experiences. Patrons enjoy the "amazing" homemade pasta and diverse wine list. The outdoor seating during summer enhances the atmosphere. While some reviews note service inconsistencies, the restaurant's strong points remain its "phenomenal" dishes and welcoming ambiance, making it a favorite for many.

602 Reviews

C
Caelin VIP
New York City2 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 22, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing food and sery as always! I do hope they would bring back the truffle gnocchi to the new menu! It was a family favorite
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City2 reviews
2.0
Dined on June 22, 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 4
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 2
The owner needs to be more attentive to the service. The food is very tasty but the mixed drinks are poorly made.
Is this helpful?
R
Rick VIP
New York City34 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 21, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Had dinner last Saturday night. Upon arriving I was offered an inside table or outside. Ask the owner what he suggested and he said summer short eat outside and how right he was.Nice breeze. Relatively quiet since the sound was not confined. Music was soft and relaxing and of course the star was the food and the service that we received. He's done a great job in running his restaurant
Is this helpful?
d
debra VIP
New York City39 reviews
3.0
Dined on June 14, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 3
We had a 7 pm reservation and were seated at 730 and then at a table that I couldn’t get out of. Our food was ok but service was scarce and the owner was nasty. Too many good restaurants in the neighbors to go to this one and get rated like that.
Is this helpful?
T
Thomas VIP
New York City2 reviews
3.0
Dined on June 11, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Food not up to what we have experienced in prior visits
Is this helpful?
S
Susan
New York City16 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 6, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always a great dining experience here. Food and atmosphere are great. Especially in summer when you can sit outside.
Is this helpful?
R
Rick VIP
New York City34 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 31, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Restaurant never disappoints, the owner constantly vigilant over customers and staff to make sure everything is going well We finished our meal with homemade tartufo superb !
Is this helpful?
J
Jessica VIP
New York City9 reviews
2.0
Dined on May 24, 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 1
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
My family and I have eaten at Pietro many times over the past 10 years. We’ve slowly seen the decline with hopes things would change but our last visit will be our last. While the staff is always pleasant, the food was just not edible. Starting with drinks, a simple aperol spritz had a smidge of aperol and was mainly seltzer. As I asked our waiter to add more Aperol, I watched the bartender and another waiter fish out food particles from another customers martini that was about to be served. We always order the fritto misto, this time it was barely cooked and so oily when you bit into each piece. Rice balls, we’re good and consistent to what we expected. I had the pasta special - troffa with butternut squash. It was swimming in oil and I was so turned off. I’ll add the menu seemed off season and no effort to update to spring or summer at this point. My daughters each also had different pasta dishes; the papperdalle, which we’ve had many times but again overly oily tasting masking the meat flavor and the tortelloni in a “light” cream sauce. The sauce was so thick and heavy and again, not edible. My husband had the NY strip steak and he liked it and it was prepared well. We left very disappointed, especially for the amount we spent. Quality and preparation are seriously lacking - and I’m surprised because the owner is always there, very engaged and seems like her cares. Pietro, please take a hard and honest look at how these dishes are prepared and served. While other quality Italian establishments are opening in the area at the same price point, there is a big difference.
Is this helpful?
D
Dawn VIP
New York City28 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 10, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
My husband and I are always here. We come for the food …clean eating and fresh. Great Ribeyes…and a superior wine list …IYKYK…we aren’t talking endless overpriced overrated California wines. French and Italian wines curated by Pietro himself. Educate your palate and save your wallet from sticker shock. His Barolos are fantastic. Summer is coming and the garden is opening soon with live Jazz. Don’t miss out this year !
Is this helpful?
D
Diane
New York City6 reviews
3.0
Dined on May 4, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
During restaurant week they up charged the meal without even telling us. My fish had so many bones in it I couldn’t even eat it.
1 person found this helpful

FAQs

Pietro Cucina Italiana offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (631) 862-6129.

Pietro Cucina Italiana is rated 4.6 stars by 602 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 30, 2025

10:30 PM

Booked 1 time today

404 N Country Rd, St. James, NY 11780

Additional information

Neighborhood
St. James
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Italian
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
None
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Cafe, Cocktails, Full Bar, Takeout, Wine

Website
http://www.pietro631.com/
Phone number
(631) 862-6129

Pietro Cucina Italiana

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Additional information

Antipasti / Appetizer

Burrata Pugliese$17.95

Panzerotti Salentini$13.95

Cozze alla Calabrese$18.95

Polpette Al Pecorino$15.95

Parmigiana di Melanzane$14.95

Polpo alla Griglia$23.95

Arancini alla Siciliana$16.95

Salumi Misti$24.95

Formaggi Misti$21.95

Le Insalate / Salad

Insalata dello Chef$13.95

Insalata Fresca$12.95

Insalata di Pomodori$12.95

Insalata di Endivia$14.95

Le Paste / Pasta

Paccheri di Gragnano$20.95

Pappardelle alla Bolognese$19.95

Gnocchi Verdi$19.95

Tortelloni con Burrata$23.95

Linguine alle Vongole$24.95

Lasagna Rustica$23.95

Risotto of the Day

IL Pesce / Seafood

Salmone Selvatico$32.95

Le Carni / Meats

Pollo Arrosto con Patate$24.95

Controfiletto alla Griglia$37.95

Stinco di Agnello Stufato$31.95

Petto di Anatra$27.95

Contorni / Sides

Cavolfiore$7.95

Broccoli di Rape$7.95

Vegetali alla Griglia$7.95

Fagiolini Aglio e Olio$7.95

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does Pietro Cucina Italiana offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Pietro Cucina Italiana restaurant rated?

Is Pietro Cucina Italiana currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information