50 Best Italian Restaurants near Rockaway Park

“My son took me here for a birthday dinner after hanging at Rockaway Beach. This was one of the best Italian restaurants I’ve ever been to. The pasta is homemade and delicious. I had a ravioli dish that was finished off with heating in their brick oven. I’d like to rate this restaurant 10 stars!!!!“

“Delicious fresh food, amazing specials wonderful staff and ambiance. Have been going here for Years. Highly recommend!“

“Everything was fantastic—the pasta was perfectly al dente. Wen tried their Swiss chard with pine nuts, mezze rigatoni, spinach ravioli, and pappardelle with lemon. The Negroni sour was also excellently crafted. Their gelato are freshly made in house daily and not to be missed. The only downside (maybe) was the portion sizes—they could definitely be more generous on the pasta portions. But overall a great experience.“

“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.“

“neighborhood diamond … love this place“

“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“

“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!“

“I haven't left the restaurant yet but from the moment I stepped in I knew it was a 5 star. Our waiter was a star, recommended great wine, great food and great everything, he absoulutely nailed it! It was my first time here and I can for sure say that it's the best restaurant I've been in NYC by far. The food, amazing and beyond. The wine incredible. And the ambience felt like Rome!! Would absolutely recommend and if I'm in the city again, would come back in no time. Thank you!!!“

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

“My son & I came here after a friend recommended it. We loved it and will definitely be back. He was spot on with his description so I’m stealing it …

Personally, I think it’s the best neighborhood spot. It’s an Italian-based, but a bit eclectic, menu. It has steak as a main option. It also has great cocktails and a cool vibe. Not too loud, but not precious. No dress code. Pretty laid back.“

“Absolutely our favorite dining experience during our trip to Brooklyn & Manhattan!! My wife has some unique allergens, and the team was incredibly sincere, humble, genuine, creative….and HONEST! We started with concern and quickly jumped to total enjoyment of the food, service and atmosphere. We are grateful to the chef for customizing the trout — creating a phenomenal dish. Bryony (sp?) was kind and attentive. An all-around memorable night from our trip!“

“I've been searching for an authentic old world Italian restaurant like this my entire life. I found it at Bamonte's. Food, excellent. Service, excellent. Atmosphere, authentic and fantastic. Where other restaurants try so hard and come and go, this one...this one is the REAL DEAL.“

“Experimentar o Amaro é uma experiência divertida!“

“THE best Italian cuisine in NYC. Period. Bring the crew and make sure to order the butternut squash tortelli and bottle of Lambrusco.“

“My daughter & new son in-laws wedding celebration was the most perfect place we for our families . The food was absolutely superb and the staff was excellent . We would highly recommend any special occasion at this beautiful restaurant !
Thank you all for helping make this special day wonderful at Daphne's!“

“There are times when it's better than others, but the pasta and pizza consistency keeps me coming back. I've been coming here prior to 2009, so I've seen the neighborhood change. I've also seen the restaurant flow & in some instances grow with those changes. It's a nice local Italian shop. The thing is, what & how those of us who have been here in good times & lean times don't necessarily feel like we matter anymore. It's about who's "new & shiny". Do I at present still spend money here, sure. Is it as much as before....“

“everything. food is delicious!“

“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.“

“What a treasure!
Authentic, delicious and quality food. There were 4 of us , we enjoyed every bite.
Get a reservation now, before it’s discovered. I’ll Gigante ((named after a giant statue of Neptune in Bologna) is destined to become a popular destination.“

“What a pleasure it was to try this Latin take on classic Italian dishes. The service was pleasant and creative as a mocktail order exceeded expectations. Everything on the menu looked delicious, the chopped cheese ravioli and the tortellini dish was extra flavorful. I will be returning to try something new. Happy this establishment exists in my local neighborhood.“

“I have enjoyed eating at Aurora many times since 2010 with my wife, friends and family.The food and service is always consistently good. But when I went this week, I found myself disappointed that they did not serve bread. The waiter told be they do not do it anymore with no explanation. It may be a small thing, but it was significant for me.“

“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 !“

“best goddamn eggplant parm sandwich I’ve ever had they also carry canned DOP San Marzanos and jarred Calabrian chilis; if you know you know“

“Brunch was amazing! Great staff very attentive. The coffee was fantastic! I’m“

“I love Italian so couldn't wait to give this restaurant a try. When I arrived I parked on the street nearby. We walked in and were greeted. The place was small but cute. We were sat and served by Nelson, Francisco, and Isabelle, and they were great! We started with drinks of the Vesper Martini and a cocktail called Don't Make Me Blush, and they both were good! For food we had the:

Fontana Flatbread
Granchio (black spaghetti with crab meat)
Gnocchi Caccio E Peppe
Torino (warm chocolate cake)

The food was really good! I really enjoyed the Granchio! All in all, this restaurant was super good!“

“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“

“Very professional and delightful place and people. Highly recommended! A+“

“Amazing food! I recommend the Violette di Parma (red beet gnocchi with cheese fondue sauce and wild arugula) … one of the best Italian eateries in Williamsburg… allá Madonna!“

“Went twice in one week. Pizza is great and 2nd time I had lasagna. Wedneday evenings they have jazz- little too loud to have a conversation but atmosphere is great.
Really enjoy this place and happy that finally something is working in that location.“

“Food first! Atmosphere quaint, Staff friendly, Owner was wonderful Spent time with Us & felt his ❤️ for his Flora. Highly recommended 👏“

“The idiosyncrasies of the seasonings are amazing in each dish.“

“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.“

“Walked in with a friend on Friday night for dinner. It was busy but they were able to seat us quickly.

Beautiful space. A lot of thought and intentionality was put into the flow of the space, with different types of seating and an “m” shaped bar which is a welcome alternative that allows the flow of people to be uninterrupted when people gather, and gives good visual space markers between the bar area and table area. Decor is cute, and with old italian style red checkered table clothes with paper on tol, lots of deep greens and great use of texture in the space. Behind the bar is reminiscent of scorpion records but organized, with old license plates, trucker hats and electicisms.

Good wine list, and drinks are appropriately priced for the neighborhood.

My friend and I ordered meatballs, the velma salad, and the vodka lumache. Meatballs were excellent, exactly what we were looking for- great texture, excellent slightly spicy and appropriately salted meat, and classic red sauce that makes you want to lick the dish. Bread with meatballs was perfect for the dish. The velma salad was ok- it could have been either better dressed or just salted before tossing for better flavor. The spicy vodka lumache was good- but not a pasta I would order again. It wasn’t particularly spicy nor did it have the creamy classic vodka sauce taste. Still, the flavor was good, just not what we expected. Pasta was cooked perfectly al-dente. I would definitely order the meatballs again.

Overall, great atmosphere and good experience. Will be back to try their other offerings“

“Been going there at least 30 years. The BEST Brooklyn has to offer.“

“Food was delicious and service was excellent!“

“Really enjoyed the fig salad and garlic bread with burrata!

We tried the pasta sampler - did not really like the selections of pastas it came with.

The steak was a good portion size and pretty tasty.

Would come back to try the pizza and dessert“

“All of the above. Especially the food“

“First time there tonight, the owner, what a great guy great personality me and a friend of mine usually go to another place nearby but we said let’s try it. I’m telling you I’m a food critic. I always have something to say this place is delicious. I had to rock of lamb, I had nothing bad to say about it. It’s a must try.“

“Amazing food and service.will definitely be back!“

“Burrata and fried artichokes were delicious! The calamari was forgettable. El griego pasta was intense, great flavor and rich. The 4 top table at the front door had cold air constantly blowing in, so try not to sit there. Service is good. It's a great place overall 👌🏾“

“Always delicious food one of our family favorites“

“I love the wait staff and the owner was extremely attentive to the patrons. I will definitely be back“

“Went there on Saturday night
Walk in directly without reservation
After waiting for a while, there will be a bar. We will sit down directly.

I ordered whipped ricotta toast as an appetizer.
Mild and creamy cheese
Delicious with crispy toast
Ordered Cacio E Pepe for main meal
The pasta has a very layered and elastic texture and absorbs the rich sauce.
The sauce has just the right consistency, with the richness of feta cheese and the aroma of pepper.
Also added crispy prosciutto in it
Bring out the meaty flavor and crispy texture
But it will make the sauce a little greasy

Another main course is Bolognese Lasagna
Layers of lasagna with meat sauce and cheese
The meat sauce is fragrant, the cheese is slightly stranded, and the overall integration
You can also taste the flavors that each layer should have
very delicious
The main meal comes with freshly shaved cheese that can be added to the pasta.
Adds to the overall milky flavor

The last dessert was the classic tiramisu.
Coffee wine and cake body blend together
Mazcapone sandwiched in the middle and chocolate powder on top
Overall sweetness is moderate
The other half of the group ate it and expressed it
It’s his favorite tiramisu in New York“

“Took a friend for a mid week birthday dinner. We shared pizza and a pasta. Both were excellent. The pizza had figs, smoked mozzarella, and was cooked in a brick oven. The dough was delicious, more on the softer side. Our pasta was homemade with 5 large shrimp and a lemon sauce, delicious. Highly recommended!“

“What a wonderful dining experience. From when u enter, through dinner and while leaving we were made to feel so welcomed. Met the owners, one is the chef, from Italy, who cooks absolutely amazing. All the pasta is made in house. Fresh, fresh, fresh food. Daily specials also. Nicely priced, clean restaurant. Highly recommend this new addition to Metropolitan Avenue. Our new go to place.

Wheelchair accessibility: Street level“

“This was our first time dining at this restaurant, and I'm so glad that we did! Normally, we always walk by the restaurant and never took a chance to eat there. However, we decided to try it today, and may I say this is one of the best dining experiences that I have had on the strip. We sat outside for the outside dining, and it was nice. i do wish the seats had more cushion they are a bit hard. For our courses we had the fried calamari which tastes very fresh and it was breaded so perfect. Every bite was delicate and light, so we didn't feel stuffed when our entrees came. For the main course, we had the chicken parm, and the portions of pasta and chicken were absolutely perfect. I always prefer more chicken than pasta, so I don't feel so bloated. Dessert was a PERFECT Canoli and crembrule! The crust of the Canoli was perfectly crisp with every bite and was not doughy at all! And the filling?! My goodness was absolutely delicious. Finally the service, we had an amazing server his name was Larry, and he made our first experience absolutely unforgettable, we look forward to the next visit.“

“Outstanding food and service. Our server Luciano was awesome.“

“The food and service was top notch at Gio’s! 10 stars! I asked for shrimp oreganata which wasn’t on the menu but they nailed it. Absolutely delicious. Had the antipasto and the Caesar salad. The most delicious unique Cesar salad I have ever had and who knew warm olives would be so delicious! I will definitely be going back! This spot is an amazing addition to AB! And Thank You to the staff for being so attentive and accommodating.“

“Food, services, everything.“

“We discovered this Halal pizza place and decided to try it out. We ordered the veggie and plain pies, both of which had a thin, crispy crust. My husband and I really enjoyed them and even brought some home for the kids to enjoy. The pizza maker was quick, clean, and very friendly, making the experience even better.“