50 Best Italian Restaurants near Howard Beach

“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 !“

“Poly is a great person , the first sausage sandwich I’ve ever eaten was from this food truck about 20 years ago, and guess what , will be no other Italian sausage sandwich I’ll eat, the freshness and the quality here is incomparable, thank you POLY🫡“

“Absolutely adore coming here. The service is attentive but not overbearing. The food is top notch with great selections. It’s a wonderful place to celebrate a special occasion, or just to treat yourself. The manager Pure is friendly, and Gian who has been our waiter the last two times is wonderful. Top notch place.“

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

“Always consistent! Nice staff“

“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 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“

“I came here expecting a really good Italian meal and I was absolutely not disappointed. From the moment I walked in the staff were very friendly and welcoming, making it a great place to sit and enjoy the experience. My waiter was super helpful with recommendations and I ended up ordering the chicken parmigiana, and it was honestly to die for, hot, fresh and full of flavor. You can really tell a lot of care goes into both the food and the service. Parking was not bad at all for a Monday dinner time which was a nice bonus. I will definitely be coming back next time I am in NY because this first visit really set the bar high. Highly recommend Gino's!“

“Excellent quality, service and ambiance!“

“We loved everything about this dining experience. The food was amazing, the service was awesome, the waiter was charming! All ) of us cleaned our plates!! I loved that they seated us at a round table making it so much easier to talk with 6 people!!! Loved it all.“

“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.“

“The wait staff and food were absolutely amazing.“

“Pleasant less formal atmosphere, but very efficient service. Delicious pastes. I highly recommend :)“

“Great food, warm and welcoming staff.“

“Myfor dinner prior to a concert. wife and I took my sister here prior to a concert. This was our first time to the restaurant, and I can't tell you how happy we were. It's a beautiful space, outstanding service and food - this will be our go-to place on the UWS.“

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

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

“Outstanding service from start to finish. The food is absolutely incredible, full of flavor and clearly made with care. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, and the music perfectly complements the vibe. The owner is a genuinely great person who truly enhances the overall experience.“

“A lovely venue. Delicious food, amazing service and a wonderful ambiance.
The entire staff is very accommodating. Sadly, we are moving in 4 days but am coming in this Wednesday to say a final farewell.
Wishing the entire Cotta team the very best success as time marches on!
Xoxo,
Tess and Michael“

“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“

“We went into Cafe Mars with little knowledge beforehand and we're pleasantly surprised by our experience there. The food was overall excellent. We went when they had the Japanese Italian fusion menu and loved most of the inventive dishes. The salt bread was our standout favorite and the tofu time was solid.

We loved that the staff and the ambiance made it feel like it was a fun celebration of dining. From the first seating through the plating and music, it felt like a welcoming and positive environment to enjoy inventive dishes.

The staff was friendly and professional. It made me feel like if the staff are this happy with there, then they must be treated well by the restaurant ( I hope).“

“everything. food is delicious!“

“Honestly, a stunning gem of a neighborhood restaurant. I loved their beet salad with dates, the dates were so soft and juicy. The pork chop was very good, but just a little bit dry for my taste. The desserts were smashingly good, we had the olive oil cake with cream in a prune sauce, as well as the coffee mousse. Would highly recommend!“

“I just love this place... !“

“Delicious food good service“

“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“

“Excellent Roasted Chicken. Burrata, Garlic bread and Brick Oven pizza. The vibe is really nice and service is excellent.“

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

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

“It is theeeeBEST! Make a reservation NOW!“

“Delicious and such incredibly warm service!! Our first time here and will be back. Big winners were the tortelloni — big luscious pillowy bites — and the gramigna, a total crowd pleaser. Also enjoyed every one of our cocktails. Thank you Gigante team!!“

“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!“

“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.“

“Love love love. Been here a couple times now and plan on coming back many more. Wonderful staff and delicious food surrounded by a super fun environment. The bartender sang a few songs on a Saturday night and the whole restaurant lit up. A wonderful place to spend time in the neighborhood.“

“Sooooo good and so delicious and great attention A+“

“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.“

“I have Celiac's disease and need to be GF for life. I loved that they had gf appetizers. I got the GF calamari and shared it with the table . No one complained about it being GF. I had the chicken parm with the gf pasta. It was delicious. I wish I had time to try the GF desserts but I had to catch a train back to Albany. This restaurant is the Best GF Italian in NYC. Will definitely come back next time I am in the city!“

“Amazing pasta and staff, that are actually from Italy! 🇮🇹“

“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!“

“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!“

“Always come back to this special place in NYC for dinner, jazz show up stairs on weekends. Quality cuisine and service is the best in NYC. Special thanks to Luis, Lopez, and bar-tender Angel for making our night so special and showing us the jazz bar recommendations.“

“🔝🔝🔝 Giovanni e il suo staff 🥰“

“Forsythia NYC looks great. I love Italian food, and the photos look warm and real. The pasta looks delicious. It is affordable at $100+, but it seems good for a special dinner. I am saving this place. I want to open the app to see the full menu and more photos.“

“The place is cozy ☺️, the food is very good and tastes fresh, the service was incredible and patient, they recommended the best options for us, and they didn't disappoint with the dessert either, which was delicious and well-presented (tiramisu)🤩. We will definitely be back soon🍝🙌“

“First time at Misi and couldn't have asked for more. Both the appetizers and pastas were excellent - had a hard time choosing my favorites. For our first course we had grilled artichokes, white asparagus, and peppers with ricotta toast. All were simply prepared but seasonal and delicious. Pastas included spinach tortelli (very rich but tasty), fettuccine (perfection), bucatini with njuda (my favorite of the bunch), and gnocchi with sausage (meaty, fennel-y, and oh so satisfying). All the pastas were different but equally divine. Cocktails and gelato were great too. Highly recommend to anyone looking for top quality Italian pastas and appetizers that are seasonal, fresh, and simply prepared but deeply comforting.“

“Lived nearby when this unassuming place opened and we were very impressed. Excellent food and very professional service each time we went which became often. Not surprisingly this great restaurant has outlasted its notable nearby neighboring spots. We always felt welcome and got good value for the money. Now I wanna go back soon!“

“We sat outside. Our party was served quickly and efficiently. Food was very good.“

“Went last night for St. Valentine’s day, I must confess I ended up here by mistake, my reservation was in another restaurant across the street, but for some unknown reason I came here and it was amazing, my only regret was not being here before… Food was beyond amazing, the lasagna is a MUST! I have never had something like that before, would love to go back again.

I would think that on a busy day like this, service/food might not be the best, but they proved me wrong, staff was very nice,they didn’t take forever with our food, music was nice too.

Can’t wait to go and try the brunch one of these days…

PS: I tried the cucumber drink, which is alcohol free and it was also very good, the olive oil cake since the tiramisu had finished,it wasn’t bad but I bet they have better options for desserts.“

“Whether you live in NYC or visiting this fine city you need try Ill Tinello NYC on East side. I am in love with everything there. Wine, cocktail, food, dessert, staff and of course Benny. Everyone and everything is A+. The one and only negative point is when you have to leave. That is only followed but setting a date for a return. Love ya Ill Tinello NYC East !!!!“

“Absolutely amazing !! Convenient coat check. Beautiful environment. Food was just incredible and coursed out perfectly. very affordable, considering the experience and quality of food and comparing to other restaurants in the area. Loved the complementary dessert tasting at the end of the meal. Would totally go back to do the tasting menu, but we will not be in town - we're from WI and visit the city often. Will definitely come back.“