There’s nothing more satisfying than enjoying a good meal — at an even better price.
And for the last three decades, New Yorkers have had the chance to dine for less at restaurants across the city as part of NYC Restaurant Week, which kicked off Monday. In other words, it’s the perfect time to try a hotspot or revisit an old favorite.
Across New York’s five boroughs, two-course lunches and three-course dinners will start at $30 during the nearly month-long program. (Check the individual restaurants' menus, meal types, and dates at NYC Tourism's Restaurant Week website.)
This summer’s NYC Restaurant Week is scheduled to run through August 20 with more than 500 restaurants participating — including many Italian-focused restaurants all set to roll out special prix-fixe menus.
“We’re excited to have over 100 Italian restaurants participating in NYC Restaurant Week this summer,” Alyssa Schmid, Vice President, Communications - Domestic at New York City Tourism + Conventions, tells Appetito. “The participating restaurants offer a variety of classic and modern Italian fare for visitors and locals alike to enjoy on a night out this summer, whether dining indoors or enjoying a meal Al fresco.”
Here are 12 of the 112 Italian restaurants participating that Appetito recommends, though we also advise trying a place in your neighborhood or browsing the set menus to see which ones appeal to you.
La Pizza & La Pasta: At Eataly's Flatiron and Downtown locations, the Neapolitan style pies and tasty pasta dishes create a dilemma; are you in the mood for a Margherita or a Marinara? Why not both?
Casa Limone: Michelin-starred Chef Antonio Salvatore brings the southern Italian experience to midtown East through his regional cuisine and Mediterranean ambiance with a $30 lunch menu and/or a $45 dinner (with discounted wine pairings also available) for NYC Restaurant Week. Note that the Restaurant Week menu is not available on Saturdays and optional on Sundays.
Zero Otto Nove: Also in Flatiron, the Manhattan branch of Salerno-born pizzaiola Roberto Paciullo's famed Bronx spot serves some of NYC's most acclaimed Neapolitan-style pies as well as a full Southern Italian menu.
Ci Siamo: One of several Italian-focused restaurants in Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group, Ci Siamo in Chelsea features contemporary Italian dishes from chef Hilary Sterling in an elegant yet enjoyable setting. The $45 Restaurant Week menu is available at lunch or weekend brunch but provides an affordable entry to this acclaimed spot.
Tarallucci e Vino: Experience the lively wine-bar, bistro vibe of Luca Di Pietro's staple of Union Square with a $30 lunch prix-fixe and/or a $60 dinner. Be sure to take advantage of the expansive wine list culled from all over Europe, including Di Pietro's home region in Italy of Abruzzo.
Cacio E Pepe Upper East Side: Restaurant Week is all about having fun and dining out with friends. At Cacio E Pepe, order the signature dish, which is prepared tableside in a giant wheel of pecorino, a dish that's impossible not to enjoy (and of course is on the set menu).
Antica Pesa: The Williamsburg, Brooklyn location of the famed restaurant from Rome is offering a $60 prix-fixe dinner menu throughout the month, a chance to sample their seasonal antipasto, excellent pastas, and delectable desserts.
Roey's: This West Village offshoot of long-running Rosemary's is offering a $30 three-course dinner (antipasti, entree, and dolci) for Restaurant Week. Well-known for its 456 happy hour — which offers $4 beers, $5 spritzes, $6 glasses of wine and $6 pizzas—the prix-fixe offers diners a chance to further explore the menu at a bargain.
Morandi: It's been awhile or if you've never been to Keith McNally's charming West Village Italian restaurant, this is a great time to go. The picturesque and convivial spot, named after a painter from Bologna, is offering a $30 lunch or brunch and $60 dinner menu.
Chazz Palminteri Italian Restaurant: Fans of the actor and playwright (A Bronx Tale) behind this Upper West Side favorite know that he's also become a noteworthy restaurateur. This flagship spot, in partnership with Empire Steak House, features a $45 lunch/$60 dinner menu for Restaurant Week with a wide range of pastas and meat entrees.
Bar Primi: Andrew Carmellini is one of NYC's best Italian restaurateurs, with an attention to detail and a commitment to fine ingredients at all of his concepts. At Bar Primi, a casual but sophisticated spot in the Bowery, the Restaurant Week menu ($30 lunch/brunch and $60 dinner) features antipasti such as truffle arancini and pastas or entrees such as branzino. Carmellini's more upscale Italian steakhouse in the Seaport, Carne Mare, is also part of Restaurant Week.
The Leopard at Des Artistes: Our friend and contributor Jordan Frosolone is at the helm of this upscale Italian standout on the Upper West Side, known for its elegant dining rooms, elevated Italian cuisine, and the famed murals lining the walls. The $60 dinner menus are based on a different region of Italy each week, starting with Campania (through July 30), then Lazio (7/31-8/6), Liguria (8/7-8/13), and finally Emilia-Romagna (8/14-8/20). Now that's the way to celebrate Restaurant Week!
