Cafe Carmellini doesn’t serve dinner — it stages it. The space feels like if old New York and Paris had a perfectly dressed baby. Every detail is choreographed, but it never feels stiff.
Started with the zucchini flowers lobster and artichoke Provençal — light, layered, and borderline poetic. The duck, duck, duck tortellini? A playful name hiding serious precision — pure Carmellini flex.
Then the squab en cocotte landed like a mic drop — perfectly cooked, rich but composed, the kind of dish that makes you remember why New York is still the best food city on Earth.
Closed it out with the sticky toffee pudding and chocolate ganache — pure indulgence, no regrets.
Verdict: 9.6/10. Cafe Carmellini is what happens when craftsmanship meets confidence. Every bite says, we know exactly what we’re doing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
David Porter
Dined here a few evenings ago. The visual impact of the room is unforgettable and is one of the most beautiful dining rooms in Manhattan. High ceilings, plush velvet booths allowing couples to sit caddy corner to one another, and faux trees inside the dining area with an open kitchen concept make for a memorable experience. The service is polished, attentive, and well versed in the menu’s nuance. 5 stars all around for the service. Some delights from the menu include the early grissini breadsticks upon ordering, the oysters, the quail and figs, and the squib. I have never had squib and it was a true delicacy and a treat to have this dish which was tender and full of flavor. The oysters were perfection with small pearl onions in the half shell. I thought the duck tortellini was a bit over zealous with its flavors and would probably skip this next time but apparently is a crowd favourite. Finally the sticky toffee dessert was incredible with a very deep rum flavor and a moist serving of cake and vanilla ice cream. Don’t skip this spot !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Elisabetta D'Aleo
Can I give a thousand stars for service? Angel, our head server, was an exceptional host. He gave recommendations and treated us like royalty. The food was the star of the night. We ordered quite a bit and each dish was better than the last. The zucchini blossom, the corn & truffle caramelle and the duck duck duck tortellini were standouts along with the sticky toffee pudding for dessert. They let us take our time, didn’t rush us out the door like other places I’ve frequented. The restaurant is absolutely stunning! Pop into the portrait bar for a masterfully executed cocktail before dinner if you have the opportunity.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
J C
Exquisite Experience! 🌟✨ - 10/10 Stars without a doubt! The food was 'poetic'—each dish a masterpiece of flavors and presentation. -The Staff Was Extraordinary: Their attentiveness & knowledge made every moment special. -Magnificent Service: Every detail was handled with extra care and professionalism. -Kudos to the Founders! 👏👏👏 -A truly unforgettable dining experience!! Keep up the fantastic work!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
N C
Amazing food and service. Vijay is too good, with biggest smile in NYC, very knowledgeable of wine and drinks
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fahad AlGheshyan
Outstanding food, service and atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Marie Teisso
Went for my birthday and the experience was outsanding ! The service as long with the food was incredible. I highly recommend. We had a private table and felt very cozy. The desserts are absolutely amazing…
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
yuan shu
Upon arrival at Café Carmellini, we were warmly greeted by an older gentleman — possibly the restaurant manager — who welcomed us with genuine courtesy and grace. He personally guided us to the host stand for check-in, setting a gracious and polished tone at the outset. His demeanor was professional and calming, creating a strong first impression that reflected well on the establishment. The meal itself showcased excellent culinary craftsmanship. The Squab en Croûte was exceptional — tender, flavorful, and encased in a perfectly crisp pastry shell. The Quail & Figs was equally well-executed, with the natural sweetness of the figs enhancing the delicately seasoned quail. Both dishes were standouts, and it’s clear the kitchen is operating with technical precision and refined taste. Unfortunately, the table service did not live up to that same level. Despite requesting napkins early in the meal, they were only provided after several courses — and only after a second reminder. The payment process via Apple Pay was also surprisingly inconvenient, requiring two trips up and down the stairs before it was completed. These lapses detracted from an otherwise elevated dining experience. In short: exceptional food, a gracious welcome, but service at the table needs more consistency and professionalism to match the overall standard.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Global Luxury Review
Amazing breakfast. Nice and quiet and great service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bonnie Kelly
We had a delicious breakfast here and it did not disappoint!
Cafe Carmellini doesn’t serve dinner — it stages it. The space feels like if old New York and Paris had a perfectly dressed baby. Every detail is choreographed, but it never feels stiff.
Started with the zucchini flowers lobster and artichoke Provençal — light, layered, and borderline poetic. The duck, duck, duck tortellini? A playful name hiding serious precision — pure Carmellini flex.
Then the squab en cocotte landed like a mic drop — perfectly cooked, rich but composed, the kind of dish that makes you remember why New York is still the best food city on Earth.
Closed it out with the sticky toffee pudding and chocolate ganache — pure indulgence, no regrets.
Verdict: 9.6/10.
Cafe Carmellini is what happens when craftsmanship meets confidence. Every bite says, we know exactly what we’re doing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dined here a few evenings ago. The visual impact of the room is unforgettable and is one of the most beautiful dining rooms in Manhattan. High ceilings, plush velvet booths allowing couples to sit caddy corner to one another, and faux trees inside the dining area with an open kitchen concept make for a memorable experience. The service is polished, attentive, and well versed in the menu’s nuance. 5 stars all around for the service. Some delights from the menu include the early grissini breadsticks upon ordering, the oysters, the quail and figs, and the squib. I have never had squib and it was a true delicacy and a treat to have this dish which was tender and full of flavor. The oysters were perfection with small pearl onions in the half shell. I thought the duck tortellini was a bit over zealous with its flavors and would probably skip this next time but apparently is a crowd favourite. Finally the sticky toffee dessert was incredible with a very deep rum flavor and a moist serving of cake and vanilla ice cream.
Don’t skip this spot !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Can I give a thousand stars for service? Angel, our head server, was an exceptional host. He gave recommendations and treated us like royalty. The food was the star of the night. We ordered quite a bit and each dish was better than the last. The zucchini blossom, the corn & truffle caramelle and the duck duck duck tortellini were standouts along with the sticky toffee pudding for dessert. They let us take our time, didn’t rush us out the door like other places I’ve frequented. The restaurant is absolutely stunning! Pop into the portrait bar for a masterfully executed cocktail before dinner if you have the opportunity.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Exquisite Experience! 🌟✨
- 10/10 Stars without a doubt!
The food was 'poetic'—each dish a masterpiece of flavors and presentation. -The Staff Was Extraordinary: Their attentiveness & knowledge made every moment special.
-Magnificent Service: Every detail was handled with extra care and professionalism.
-Kudos to the Founders! 👏👏👏
-A truly unforgettable dining experience!! Keep up the fantastic work!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazing food and service. Vijay is too good, with biggest smile in NYC, very knowledgeable of wine and drinks
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Outstanding food, service and atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Went for my birthday and the experience was outsanding ! The service as long with the food was incredible. I highly recommend. We had a private table and felt very cozy. The desserts are absolutely amazing…
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Upon arrival at Café Carmellini, we were warmly greeted by an older gentleman — possibly the restaurant manager — who welcomed us with genuine courtesy and grace. He personally guided us to the host stand for check-in, setting a gracious and polished tone at the outset. His demeanor was professional and calming, creating a strong first impression that reflected well on the establishment.
The meal itself showcased excellent culinary craftsmanship. The Squab en Croûte was exceptional — tender, flavorful, and encased in a perfectly crisp pastry shell. The Quail & Figs was equally well-executed, with the natural sweetness of the figs enhancing the delicately seasoned quail. Both dishes were standouts, and it’s clear the kitchen is operating with technical precision and refined taste.
Unfortunately, the table service did not live up to that same level. Despite requesting napkins early in the meal, they were only provided after several courses — and only after a second reminder. The payment process via Apple Pay was also surprisingly inconvenient, requiring two trips up and down the stairs before it was completed. These lapses detracted from an otherwise elevated dining experience.
In short: exceptional food, a gracious welcome, but service at the table needs more consistency and professionalism to match the overall standard.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Amazing breakfast. Nice and quiet and great service.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We had a delicious breakfast here and it did not disappoint!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
This is the best service for me
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fantastic food, great service, all in a very elegant, but also cozy decor. Best peach soufflé in the world, light and puffy.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Besides the food being top notch, the service was unmatched. Attis at the bar made our experience so memorable. Chef Andrew always delivers.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Somewhat new restaurant next to Portraits Bar in the Fifth Avenue Hotel. Great food, romantic setting, excellent service. Beautiful restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Beautiful, well-prepared food with gracious service in a stunning room. What's not to like?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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