NYC: Best Pasta Dishes
Il Cantinori (32 E 10th St)
Il Cantinori is an Italian restaurant in Greenwich Village serving Tuscan classics in a charming, dimly lit space. My go-to here is to order a custom pasta sampler, with half pesto cavatelli and half penne alla buttera. The staff here are incredibly accommodating, it’s not impossible to get a reservation, portions are large, and the food is excellent. It’s great for celebrating a special occasion, or for a date night.
Via Carota (51 Grove Street)
It’s been nine years since Jodi Williams and Rita Sodi opened Via Carota, and it’s still next to impossible to get a reservation. Via Carota serves traditional Italian cuisine in a rustic environment. My favorite dish here is their Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe. It’s a simple dish executed perfectly. Their homemade pasta is thick and chewy, and the sauce is cheesy and rich. I also enjoy their Pappardelle with Wild Boar Ragu. I recommend walking in at 5pm to put your name down, or using Resy’s notify feature to snag a last minute table.
Forsythia (9 Stanton Street)
Forsythia is a Roman trattoria on the Lower East Side serving what I believe is New York City’s best homemade pasta. The space is small, warmly lit, and beautifully decorated, and the service is impeccable. The menu rotates seasonally, but a few dishes are there to stay, including my personal favorite, the Braised Short Rib Agnolotti. I’ve eaten here more than fifteen times since they opened in 2020, and have never had a bad meal. It’s expensive, but worth the splurge.
I Sodi (314 Bleecker Street)
Another hit from Jody Williams and Rita Sodi! I Sodi is a small, tuscan restaurant in the West Village that’s best known for their homemade pasta and great people watching. The first time I ate here, I sat next to Jennifer Lawrence. That aside, their Lasagna A Sugo is the best I’ve ever had. The ratio of pasta to cheese to meat sauce is perfect, and the pasta itself remains al dente. I also enjoy their Cacio e Pepe and Lemon Pappardelle. Reservations here are hard to get, and walk-ins are limited, so plan accordingly.
Rezdôra (27 E 20th St.)
Rezdôra is an intimate Italian restaurant in Flatiron serving handmade pastas and more! They’re best known for their cappelletti verde (formally known as “Grandma Walking Through Forest in Emilia”) but my favorite pasta dish here is the Pisarei with duck ragu. The pisarei pasta was dense and chewy, and the duck ragu tender and flavorful. Within a matter of bites, this became one of my top pasta dishes in NYC.
L’artusi (228 W 10th St.)
Nobody does a better Cacio e Pepe than L’artusi. Nobody. Every component of this dish is a 10/10. Their handmade Pici noodles are thick with the right amount of chewiness, and the sauce is glossy, rich, and cheesy. The other pastas here are good, but nothing can compete with the Pici Cacio e Pepe. They even deliver, and it travels well- trust me, I’ve done it on multiple occasions.
Bad Roman (10 Columbus Circle, 3rd Floor)
Bad Roman is a modern Italian restaurant from the Quality Branded group serving traditional dishes with a twist (think: filet mignon topped with ravioli). Not all dishes here are created equally, but their handmade pastas are always excellent. The Penne Luongo alla Gricia, Short Rib Pappardelle, and Cappelletti Bistecca are among my favorite dishes. Reservations here are hard to get, but they do save tables in the bar area for walk-ins.
Don Angie (103 Greenwich Ave)
Another Quality Branded hit! Getting a reservation at Don Angie is just about as easy as getting tickets to a Taylor Swift concert. Do I think it’s worth the hassle? No. Is the pasta good? Yes. They’re best known for their “Lasagna For Two” made with Italian Sausage Bolognese and Whipped Robiolina cheese, and it’s great, but I think their Buffalo Milk Caramelle is even better. If you are hoping to try the Caramelle, try to go early, because they have a limited amount available per evening and sell out quickly.
Café Chelsea (218 W 23rd St.)
Café Chelsea is a French American bistro located inside the historic Hotel Chelsea. It opened in late summer 2023, and it didn’t take long for their “Ravioles du Dauphiné” pasta to go viral on TikTok and Instagram. The dish is a take on a centuries-old French regional specialty, and is essentially an uncut sheet of ravioli stuffed with comté cheese and topped with vin jaune (a yellow wine) and salted butter. The sheet of pasta is smaller than it appears in photos, and the ratio of pasta to cheese is optimal. It’s listed as an appetizer, and is easy to share.
For my full review of the meal click here.
American Bar (33 Greenwich Ave)
I’m as surprised as you are, but American Bar in the West Village is home to a perfectly constructed Cacio e Pepe dish made with homemade pasta from Raffetto’s. The sauce is thick and cheesy, the pepper is present but not overpowering, and the spaghetti is chewy and al dente. Not every dish here is great, but this one won’t disappoint you (and neither will the Peanut Chicken Salad).
Torrisi (275 Mulberry Street)
Torrisi is an Italian restaurant from Major Food Group located inside the Puck Building in Nolita. They recently earned a Michelin star, having been open for less than a full year. I’ve tried every pasta on the menu here, and my favorite is the Tortellini Pomodoro (pictured above). The space is beautiful and this is a great place to celebrate a special occasion, or for an upscale date night. Reservations are hard to get, so plan accordingly.