Lisca
Lisca is on the Upper West Side/Morningside Heights, and is a small, intimate Tuscan restaurant that is family owned and well worth the trip uptown. There are plenty of pasta, beef, chicken and fish plates to choose from, along with the warm bread that is served and an extensive wine and cocktail list. Pappardelle with sauteed mixed mushrooms, caramelized onions and goat cheese; ossobuco with saffron risotto; and chicken marsala with Cremini mushrooms and mashed potatoes have diners returning again and again. Its small size lends a "locals-only" feel to the restaurant, and there are specials on pasta dishes every Monday and Tuesday.
Lisca
660 Amsterdam Ave (between 92nd and 93rd St)
New York, NY 10025
(212) 799-3987
liscanyc.com
'cesca
This Upper West Side restaurant serves Southern Italian cuisine that includes whole wheat orecchiette with house made pork sausage and broccoli rabe, squid ink tagliolini with shrimp and mussels, slow-roasted half duck, and butternut squash ravioli with balsamic-brown butter and sage. There is a three-course pre-theater menu, a brunch menu, an extensive dessert selection and a cocktail and wine list that complements any meal. There are two private dining rooms, and catering for events is also an option.
'cesca
164 W.75th St (at Amsterdam Ave)
New York, NY 10024
(212) 787-6300
cescanyc.com
Puttanesca
Puttanesca is on the west side of Manhattan near Lincoln Center, in Hell's Kitchen, and specializes in homemade pastas, meats and seafood dishes. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner, as well as brunch, and has an extensive dessert menu that has a variety of dishes, including fresh fruits and gelato. Meals like gnocchi served with fresh tomatoes, basil and mozzarella; osso buco with onion and lentil; and meat-filled tortellini with porcini mushrooms, prosciutto and white cream sauce, all at reasonable prices, make this a wonderful choice for a meal.
Puttanesca
859 9th Ave (at corner of 56th St)
New York, NY 10019
(212) 581-4177
puttanescanyc.com
Abboccato
Abboccato delivers Italian food from a multitude of regions in Italy, and has menus for breakfast, lunch, dinner, pre-theater and small plates for sharing throughout the day. Hand-cut pastas; arctic char with warm dandelion, oven-dried grapes and blood orange salad; free-range chicken with sweet peppers and tomato; and crispy veal sweetbreads with wild mushrooms and Sardinian pasta are just some of the delicacies available. For more intimate gatherings or private parties, the restaurant offers Terrazza dining, which allows a more private setting above the dining room for up to 20 guests.
Abboccato
136 W. 55th St.
New York, NY 10019
(212) 265-4000
livanosrestaurantgroup.com
