Mangia

In my very own version of 'Eat,Pray,Love' I took a tour of Italian restaurants in Manhattan this past week and have a few notable mentions.  My version of this story is really all about the Eat and less about the pray/love, and of course, sub in taxis for the gondolas on this journey:  

 

Da Umberto:  This is one of my all time favorite Italian restaurants in New York City.  Its old world authentic with a great mix of pastas, meats, and fish and an extensive (albeit expensive) wine list.  The ambiance is upscale elegant but its not trendy - its classic.  This is why you will only find true New Yorkers here - there is no hype and no scene.  The front of the restaurant could easily be missed, its an understated red door on 17th Street, but the simplistic entrance is a misnomer for the magnificent food inside.  The rigatoni with sweet sausage, peas, tomato, and ricotta is to die for and for the carb-cutters out there the veal scaloppini with artichokes fresh tomato, and basil is the best.  Unlike an Italian meal in the Meatpacking, no sneakers and t-shirts here and its a tad pricey - so save this spot for special occasions.
Best For:  Date night

Savore: This restaurant has been around since 1995 but until we needed a table for 15 on a Saturday night (the week of) I had never heard of it.  In fact, Savore is right on Spring Street and not off the beaten path so I was surprised at how many times I had walked by and not peaked in to take a look at the menu.  Quattro, the new happening restaurant in the Trump Soho Hotel, is just a stones throw away but worlds different than this unassuming neighborhood spot.  Savore has a family atmosphere, wine bottles stacked high to the ceilings,  and a large menu of Tuscan fare.  We all went in wary (who can seat a party that large three days in advance in Manhattan!), but we left more than pleasantly surprised.  All 15 of us loved our meal, the service, and the affordable prices.  It became clear that this restaurant has outlasted so many others over the years because of its homemade pastas.  The fettuccine and gnocchi tasted like they had been hand crafted just minutes before - and apparently they had!  Its always a must to have a low-key restaurant that does not break the bank in your back pocket - because you can't eat at Quattro every night and you wouldn't want to.

Best For: Last minute dinner plans or Sunday nights

SD26: I'm always a sucker for a father daughter team, which is why I loved the story of Marisa and Tony May opening SD26 together (they previously ran San Domenico on Central Park).  Its clear this pair wanted a modern space, menu, and interpretation for Italian dining.  I think they achieved it with the decor - think Morgan Hotel Group and apply it to a loft-like restaurant in bold reds and whites.  The look may not be for everyone, but it caught my attention and definitely provides an interesting backdrop to a night out on the town.  The space may be a little large for its own good, but the funky wine list on an iPad and options of small and large plates made up for the vast whiteness of the dining room.  I ate the classic pasta dish, the Chitarra SD26 with tomato and basil and it was perfect.  Goes to show that ladies that lunch are not the only Upper East Siders that can undergo a face lift.
Best For: Dinner before a big night out