50 Best Italian Restaurants near Howard Beach

“My wife and I were recently at your restaurant our server who told us he was new to his position (2weeks) gave us amazing cartious and attentive service like an experienced professional unfortunately I didn't get the young man's name..our visit was on Friday 2/25 at about 3:30 in the afternoon . I just wanted to give him his due compliments“

“I'VE BEEN COMING HERE FOR YEARS!!!; THEY ARE ALWAYS GRACIOUS, JUST REALLY KIND PEOPLE!!!! AND THE FOOD.. .OH! MY! GOD!!....THE FOOD IS 🧨 DYNAMITE!!! IT TASTE BETTER EACH TIME I GO BACK!!!! PLEASE DON'T EVER LEAVE..... AND THIS COMES FROM THE WHOLE COMMUNITY!!!! WE LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!“

“Really good place for special occasions, the service is excellent and the food it’s amazing, I have been twice and I am coming back because the food is fresh and delicious, everything you get there !“

“Delicious food always fresh and if you c ant pick it up they will deliver“

“I was visiting friends in NY, and on the day of my return to FL, my girlfriend took me to Panino Rustico, where I met JACK, he was excellent and authentic New Yorker, with accent and all (adorable).. The menu choices are excellent, we had truffle fries, I had the P48 Panini (steak, mozzarella with peppers & onions) and to cap off as a desert, I had the Iced Nutella Latte... All were excellent. I love a Hot Panini and it was perfect, flavors were cheesy perfect. Even the ambiance was charming and the Service was impeccable. I truly cannot say enough. So when you go, say HI to Jack!! The address is 161-16 Cross Bay Blvd., Howard Beach, NY 11414“

“Excellent quality, service and ambiance!“

“Great food, warm and welcoming staff.“

“By far our favorite restaurant we visit in the city. Have been here over 500x and the tagliatelle with sheep’s cheese cabbage and shrimp will never get old ! Carmine runs a beautiful establishment on the UWS“

“The food here is amazing, and the staff are great. I can’t recommend it enough. Unfortunately, the Facebook rating system for restaurants is focused mostly on the wrong things, likely due to poor algorithm design. Curbside pickups? Daily specials? Takeaway menu? Grow up, Facebook.“

“Best vegan pizza in NYC. I could have sworn I reviewed Double Zero before and now I’m wondering if the review disappeared because it was for their old location. They moved (on the same block I think?) into a place that looks a little tighter inside but had an outdoor seating.

Came with a party of 3 and sat inside for a quiet Saturday night dinner—interior seating was maybe half full and exterior seating was packed.

Warning interior didn’t have AC running.

Got two pizzas and jackfruit tacos

Jackfruit tacos: Good but lacked a sauce or spice that left it getting drowned out by the much more flavorful pizzas

Truffle cashew cream pizza: Excellent. Third time getting it and every time it’s been a hit. Flavorful spread of mushrooms on cashew cheese

Spicy Pepperoni Pizza: Pepperonis themselves quite good on a tomato, basil, cheese base. Note the pepperonis have coconut in them in case you’re allergic.

Also got two cocktails and a mocktail, but nothing to report there. My Moscow mule was largely ice.

Unfortunately, the owner is apparently a terrible person according to the April 22, 2024 NYTimes article, but the food is good especially for vegans.“

“Wonderful Christmas Eve dinner on our visit to NYC. Service & Food were both excellent. Lovely family setting.“

“repas poisson excellent et canolli extra“

“It is theeeeBEST! Make a reservation NOW!“

“Amazing food, service, and atmosphere! Made a special celebration that much more momentous. Do not skip the prosciutto with ricotta or octopus apps-delicious!“

“cameriera italiana con capelli corti. scortese e molto maleducata. non tornerò piu. non ha saputo ne servire il cliente oltre al fatto che dovrebbe farsi un corso di corretto italiano prima di parlare con un cliente in quel modo. pessima pubblicità al locale. peccato e mi dispiace ma non tornerò più.“

“Delicious food good service“

“Brilliant place - food is awesome and the service is impeccable. Just got placed in my list of must visit places on the LES“

“neighborhood diamond … love this place“

“We happened to be walking by on a Friday night and my husband pointed it out. Our pasta was fresh and delicious and served so quickly. The staff was beyond attentive and professional. The bathrooms were gorgeous and clean. It delivered on all aspects. We had Zeppole with lemon curd for dessert and it was unreal!“

“Food is yummy! My go to place in Brooklyn! Coda is excellent and the flatbread are also yummy! The Sangiovese red wine on tap is also nice! Highly recommend and make reservations in the weekend“

“Great looking restaurant with a nice bar area, excellent food and service. The weather was nice so we sat outside. Good neighborhood vibe with lots of people walking by. Neapolitan pizza was excellent. Great crust. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside with a nice undercarriage. Delicious fresh toppings. The waiter was friendly, professional, and attentive. He showed pride in working here and talked with us about the restaurant and the neighborhood.“

“It was my 1st time there. My dining experience was wonderful. The food was exceptional The ambiance of the restaurant was relaxed. The staff was friendly. They gave me a complimentary piece of cheesecake with a candle for my 35th. They even sang happy birthday. It was a dining experience that I will never forget. I highly recommend this restaurant.“

“It was our first trip to SORSO, and it did not disappoint. Great little wine bar in a great neighborhood near NYU. The menu is limited, but perfect for a bottle of wine and some lite fare. Our waiter was great and recommended a fabulous white wine from his hometown region near the Dolomites! Great evening.“

“Food was delicious and location is great, but my waiter service received was mediocre. The waiter was distracted when we were ordering and he got rude when we asked a few questions due to a dietary restriction. The other staff was pleasant.“

“Came from Texas to eat here, we’re thrilled with the amazing food!“

“Posto gradevole e accogliente, personale attento,premuroso,gentile, cordiale. Il top 🔝 Si mangia benissimo lo consiglio vivamente!!“

“After having dinner at Fasano yesterday, I found myself wondering why it didn’t feel like a “wow” experience. I think it’s because the very upscale, almost uptight atmosphere didn’t quite match the quality of the food which was good, but not exceptional. The heavy curtains didn’t help the ambiance, and at one point I noticed the music was off, which made things feel even more dreary“

“🔝🔝🔝 Giovanni e il suo staff 🥰“

“Wonderful Italian restaurant near the water in Long Island City. Definitely recommend setting a reservation as this place does fill up. The restaurant staff show great professionalism They were warm, attentive, and welcoming, providing prompt service. The cocktails were strong but both tasty and refreshing. From the pizza to the tartare to the pasta, everything was freshly prepared and full of flavor. It’s literally nothing like authentic, freshly prepared pasta and they nailed it. Definitely high on my list of top Italian spots I have experienced.“

“We had a great experience learning how to make pasta! The food was so delicious. This would be something fun to do with a group or family members. Our waiter Mica was fantastic as well as the chef who taught us Anthony. Thanks guys for a fun night in NYC!“

“Absolutely loved Forsythia for a date night!

Gorgeously designed menu.

Great service - attentive, knowledgeable and kind. The focaccia is delicious - recommend the honey butter, olive oil & ricotta to accompany. We split the beet salad and arancini - only call out was the prosciutto on the beet salad was “fried / crispy” vs fresh. For pastas we ordered the lasagna which is a MUST order - perfectly crisp, and the agnolotti short rib pasta. I did not love the agnolotti - would try a different pasta next time. For dessert we had the stracciatella gelato - so yummy and perfect palate cleanser. Must order.

The vibe of the restaurant was so cute - brick walls, intimate, warm, inviting. Even the candle in the bathroom smelled like a wood cabin campfire - invoking a comforting, home-like atmosphere.“

“Delicious food!! The best place I've been to in the east village in a very long time. I highly recommend it 😋“

“The atmosphere and service were outstanding. We only went for desert and coffee. The chocolate cake was amazing. A couple we vacationed with has eaten dinner there 2 nights before and said how amazing the food was. One of the staff members even gave us a personal tour and history of the building. Will be back to Brooklyn and will definitely come back.“

“Everything that was breaded and fried were excellent— the asparagus, mushroom. The breading was so light and crunchy and flavorful, and perfect with all the sauces that came with it. The monkey bread was amazing with the garlic butter. The lemon pasta was great as well. Portion sizes are on the smaller side.“

“The food was amazing! OSTERIA did not disappoint! The way Italian food I’ve ever had! I will definitely come back! As an influencer I hope to influence my audience to try authentic Italian food! The cocktails and desert were so good! A 10/10 what an experience!“

“Delicious food and great service“

“Great place with amazing food and excellent waitstaff. A must try“

“Great food and vino! Si mi Amor“

“I just noticed that this place offers breakfast, and was able to try it yesterday. I was impressed! Really enjoyed the omelette, and the decor and atmosphere was pleasant. Definitely has a European vibe to it. Free refills on the coffee would have made it perfect, but otherwise a 5 out of 5 experience!“

“We used to frequent the Astoria location which was always so great. The new Manhattan location is no different. Somewhat smaller, but just very cozy and very nice looking. Amazing food as always. The flavors and taste are just the best. No matter what you order you will not go wrong. The service is top notch and Rocco and his staff are just the best at what they do. Just go, you won't regret it.“

“everything. food is delicious!“

“Fun indoor/outdoor dining environment and delicious food make for a nice night out!“

“No indoor dining because Covid They have taken great care of making a lot of available tables and even have some enclosed outdoor booths. The use of space is pretty amazing and well adapted to the neighborhood They neighborhood is great I saw the prettiest dogs in Brooklyn all walking in full force The place has a friendly family-type vibe Th coworkers are all friendly with each other and warm to their clientele The food is impeccably well prepared, tasty and quite authentically Italian I doubt one could find anything more authentic with such fine ingredients and creatively presented anywhere other than Italy. If you do, let it be known and I’m sure the staff here would feel the kindred spirit of another fine cuisine It’s in the medium-high priced category but it lives up to the prices in its quality Wait staff is genuine and kind and do make a great effort to make one comfortable and enjoy their meal Highly recommend“

“Old world styled service crafted for enjoyment & delivered to perfection. Superb Italian food w several preparations table-side. White table cloths & candles but not stuffy. We were lively and had a super memorable time. Table of 8. We will be back. Highly recommend East side location now on 46th street between 2 & 3. $$$“

“a great experience . high quality food“

“Experimentar o Amaro é uma experiência divertida!“

“A much-anticipated and much-enjoyed lunch at Santi. Every staff member was warm, attentive, knowledgeable, and all with proper discretion. I felt really well taken care of during my entire visit.

The tonno was presented beautifully, and is a perfectly composed dish. The textures and flavors align to a really satisfying bite.

And the busiante was divine - unctuous and rich without being too heavy. My only regret was that it was too early in the day to enjoy with a glass of barolo. A reason to return!

The seasonal focaccia was also an excellent touch. Can’t wait to come back!“

“Fantastic authentic Italian in a cozy atmosphere. My friend has a gluten allergy and eating here was the big event of the trip. We loved everything we ate. The boar risotto was outstanding as was the chocolate cake. Ten out of ten, greatly recommend.“

“Best fresh pasta in the city“

“As always a fantastic staff and amazing food!“