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NYC's Greatest Old-School Italian Restaurants, From Oldest To Newest
Because you don’t eat enough baked clams.
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Metropolis
Housed in a glamorous FiDi venue, Metropolis serves an ambitious and confusing menu that needs a bit of workshopping.
Ortobello's
Ortobello's is an old-school Italian spot in Mapleton that makes one of the best chicken parms in NYC.
Hojokban
Come to this Seoul-based import in Koreatown when you need a comforting weeknight dinner that takes less than an hour.
Don Peppe
Decorated with horse-racing memorabilia, this Italian restaurant has been making family-style classics in South Ozone Park since 1968.
Gino’s of Bay Ridge
Gino’s has a pizza shop up front, and a massive dining room where you should have a birthday party in the back.
NYC's Greatest Old-School Italian Restaurants, From Oldest To Newest
Because you don’t eat enough baked clams.
Joe's of Avenue U
Come to this Gravesend Italian spot for Sicilian specialities like pasta con le sarde and eggplant caponata.
Gene's Restaurant
Grab a seat at the bar and order the baked clams at this Greenwich Village Italian spot.
Cafe Fiorello
For dinner before a show at Lincoln Center, head to Cafe Fiorello for Negronis and chicken parm.
Monte's Trattoria
This Greenwich Village Italian restaurant has been open since 1918. Order a Cosmo, and the tartufo for dessert.
Sam's Restaurant
Sam’s is a family-owned Italian spot in Cobble Hill where you can eat ziti and drink a $30 bottle of red.
Emilio’s Ballato
The long line and the celebrity guests at this classic Noho Italian restaurant get all the attention. But you should come for the food.
Frog Club
It’s almost impossible to get a table at this secretive West Village restaurant. And that’s for the best.
Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao
Bring a group to this East Village branch of a popular soup dumpling chain for an easy, impromptu dinner.
Tacos El Porky
Tacos El Porky makes decent but not essential tacos in the East Village. It's a solid option for lunch or after a night out.
Okiboru House Of Udon
Okiboru House Of Udon serves incredible Himokawa udon, but you’ll have to wait in line to eat it.
Tucci
It’s hard to make a 21st-century Italian restaurant feel like a classic, but this Noho restaurant pulls it off.
Hellbender
At Hellbender in Ridgewood, enjoy fried Oaxaca cheese and a rum cocktail called the Taxidermy Jaguar while staring at a taxidermy jaguar.
Class On 38th
Remember Class On 38th the next time you’re in the Garment District and want drinks and good izakaya food like monkfish karaage.
Red Rover
Red Rover in Greenpoint is useful for anyone who wants to drink coffee, do some work, and have a glass of wine in one place.
San Sabino
San Sabino in the West Village feels like a seaside cafe, except they do fancy Italian food you should go out of your way to eat.
Mama's Too
The West Village outpost of Mama’s Too makes the same great cacio e pepe or pepperoni squares as the original UWS pizza shop.
L'Industrie Pizzeria West Village
The second outpost of NYC’s best slice shop serves the same great pizza in the West Village.
333 Lounge
This lounge in Prospect Heights is a good post-dinner spot if you’re in the mood for some drinks and low-key live music.