Trattoria Zero Otto Nove

I got a chance to go to Zero Otto Nove a few weeks ago when I was in NYC and I was blown away. Living on the West coast I don’t have very many opportunities to try traditional Italian food but this place easily surpassed my expectations!
To start we had their antipasto platter. A pretty traditional mix of meats/​cheeses but the quality is what stood out. For years now I’ve always thought I disliked provolone cheese, just seemed mild and boring, but apparently I’ve never had the real thing, the provolone here was INCREDIBLE! Way more flavorful than I ever thought it good be.
My girlfriend and I decided to split a pizza and a order of the Squid Ink Pasta for our main course. Both dishes were incredible! The pizza crust had the perfect texture, slightly toasted but not burnt. The Pasta was also delicious, I’d never had squid ink before so I wasn’t sure what to expect but I can honestly say now that I’m a fan :). The only warning I would give is to be careful if you have a formal event later in the day, my lips and tongue were stained black (totally worth it).
The service was excellent and complimented the food nicely. I think the thing that really pushed it over the top for me was the décor, it totally feels like your in an Italian vila! All in all I’d give Zero Otto an A+. If I ever find myself in Little Italy (Bronx) I know where I’m going.

This is only a review for the service here, because as much as I would have loved to try the food the waitstaff didn’t seem to have too much interest in making that happen. I was pleasantly surprised when we walked in and the hostesses were nice and accommodating since we had a child with us and wished my husband a Happy Father’s Day as we were seated.
After that the waiter was pretty quick to bring us plates and water and even a special plastic cup with a straw for my daughter. We were really looking forward to this meal. Then he came back and read us the specials. All good up until now and nothing out of the ordinary. So we waited for him to come back to take our order. Just the three of us, so it didn’t take long for us to decide… and we waited… and waited some more. After at least 20 minutes a table of 12 was sat next to us. We were starting to wondering where our waiter had gone, and after we had been seated for I’m guessing close to 30 minutes, he appeared and took the orders of the table of 12 that had just been seated without a glance at us. He was right next to us and just ignored us. He spent about 5 minutes with each person at that table taking their order and we thought, okay, this is insane that we’ve been sitting here this long and he’s not even looking over here, but had a glimmer of hope he’d take our orders after he finished with them. Nope, he disappeared. After that our starving daughter was getting obviously cranky after having to sit and wait for food for so long (and so were we to be honest). We found another waiter and told him we had to leave because we’d been waiting so long and still hadn’t even placed our order and our daughter just couldn’t wait any longer. Everyone seemed really confused and another waiter asked in a panic if we’d placed our order and we said no, that was the problem no one took our order and he just threw his hands up in the air, like, «oh that’s fine then» since they didn’t have to worry about canceling an order. No apology… not a great feeling to leave a restaurant with.
Even if we didn’t have a kid, I think we still would have left after being so blatantly ignored like that. I think we stuck it out longer for her sake because she was super excited for pasta.

Holy hell this place was incredible. Found it on Unilocal and came by for food after a long day with a date at the Bronx Zoo — and what a perfect ending it was.
The interior was clean and beautiful, without being too fancy. The front features a bar with TV (soccer was playing) and the hall to the back opens to a cavernous dining room with natural window lighting in the ceiling and a second floor balcony for dining too.
For the quality and creativity of the food, this prices were totally reasonable. Bread and olive oil comes free to the table, and of course you have to drink a Peroni. The Riccardo pizza with butternut squash purée was fan-f*****g-tastic.
The entire staff was gracious and our waiter was helpful in making suggestions– the menu gives a lot of option!
What blew my mind is that my date and I walked in right when it opened at 4:30pm, and within 10 minutes, half the place was full. On a random Thursday afternoon. Wut.
Living in Harlem will make it hard to go regularly, but I’ll certainly be back and would highly recommend it.

The pizza was delicious… one of the closest we have had to the antica pizzerias in Naples. They had a truffle asparagus and mushroom risotto special which was heavenly. The hanger steak entrée was decent — make sure to eat it with the rocket and mix it up. Interior of the restaurant is beautiful as well. A true gem and definately believe the hype of all of the Unilocal reviews!

The inside of the restaurant was very cute — almost as if you’re sitting at some trattoria in Italy. The food, however, was just OK. The pizza was decent but salty and the beet salad was uninspiring and the burrata did not taste completely fresh — the fresh mozzarella was mushy and the cream tasted a bit off. Thankfully, we didn’t get sick. I’m disappointed that the place didn’t live up to its hype.

I love this restaurant! It has a nice old Italian corner restaurant vibe when we were there on a Sunday noon. The food is very good and price is quite reasonable. We ordered more than we can possibly consumed. Their Pumpkin Pizza was delicious and plenty to be shared as an appetizer. We each ordered a pasta entrée and was having a hard time finishing it. My dish was Pasta Al Forno and it was so filling with eggs, red sauce and pancetta! My husband ordered the spaghetti with ink sauce and I thought that was fabulous too. My father-​in-​law tried their Veal and it was amazing with their savory sauce.
I would definitely come back again but probably order less!

Came to Arthur Ave for dinner on a Sunday. The hostess said it’s a 30 min wait. Not a problem, we walked up the block and shopped at Rite Aid. Came back within 30 mins and got seated. The décor looks like you are sitting outdoor with high ceilings. The service was friendly and attentive. It’s a busy restaurant. The server listed the daily specials and everything sounded great. We ordered the grilled calamari, squid ink pasta (mild — I should have gotten spicy), and braised pork shank all to share. Everything were delicious including the fresh bread. We were too full for dessert. Prices were reasonable given the portion you get. Didn’t try the pizza. Will definitely return in the future.

I’ve eaten here three times, and each time it was fantastic. I’ll definitely be going back.

This was a great stop while strolling along Arthur Avenue. We got there right when dinner was starting and had an antipasta plate, the arugula salad, and a pizza. It was enough food for the table, the service was great, and the quality was excellent. I would love to come back and try the pasta and entrees.

our group decided to visit Arthur Ave and try this contemporary Italian joint. this was worth the 1 hr trip! granted this place doesn’t take reservations and we had to wait 45 minutes, but it’s not that bad since there are lots of places you can check out in the two block radius as you are waiting. the hostesses at the front got us our table within the quoted time and provided us with updates as we waited. according to their web site, they aim to make food that overwhelms the senses. to start, they provided us with baskets of bread. the bread was delicious. especially enjoyed the sun dried tomato cibatta. served with olive oil. we ordered two pizza’s: patate salsiccia and the la Riccardo. the pizza’s were perfectly wood fired. delightful and very light, as in airy and refined compared to normal pizzas with toppings. definitely some of the best that I have had. the la Riccardo (butternut squash, smoked mozz, pancetta, and basil) was surprisingly tasty. we shared a bunch of entrees: braised short ribs, a baked striped bass, osso bucco, risotto pescatore, and rigatoni special with lamb. all were tasty, but I especially enjoyed the short ribs, osso bucco, and risotto. the rigatoni was a bit too chewy for me but I was amused by the size of it. simply huge, like a hollow whistle I liked the rustic nature of the food. the dining area is also pretty cool with the skylit atrium and brick structures. it’s as though you are dining outside on a nice day in a small town in Italy. service was on point and the waiter was even amusing at times. enthusiastically recommended and would love to come back another time to try more items.

My girlfriend and I had a very nice dinner at 089, on a recent Sunday evening in da Bronx. There was a little bit of a wait, so we sat at the bar and were brought to our table before we finished our first glass of wine.
The main dining room of the restaurant is very cool looking. There is a large skylight above, and the natural light lends a nice ambience to the room. The ceiling is very high and there is also a second level with seating. One large wall is decorated to appear as the exterior of an Italian building, with street-​style posters of upcoming events, ads for politicians, etc. It actually reminded me of my time spent living in Italy.
The specials sounded great, so we ordered one appetizer with shrimp, scallops, zucchini and bread crumbs with a nice light pepperoncino sauce which was delicious. Our second appetizer was the cold antipasta with cured meats, olives, cheeses, and mushrooms, which were all good, and looked very nice on the serving board. For an entrée I had the baked rigatoni with salami, egg, meatballs, and mozzarella, which I loved. My girlfriend had the special pasta with lamb which she enjoyed as well. We shared a strawberry cream tart for dessert, which was very nicely presented and tasty. The service was friendly and just attentive enough.
I will definitely be returning to this restaurant, and I recommend you go and check it out. You can’t miss it, there’s a blue vintage Fiat 500 parked on the sidewalk in front of it.

This place is such a gem for the Bronx !!
The service, the décor the food, everything is simply amazing.
Went to have a casual dinner so opted for the bar, very comfortable space, I just wish it was a little more inside the restaurant, has a lobby feel to it.
Had the four cheese pizza for dinner and it was delicious !! The cheeses blended perfectly and the crust was perfectly done. I added some spicy soppressata for a small kick and this made the pie just right !!
I had the Sogni Cioccolato for dessert and wow my mind was blown, dark chocolate, nuttella and moist cake with vanilla gelato, it just went so well !
This place is a must!

We were in the mood for some decent Italian and decided on this place on Arthur Ave. The area, fittingly referred to as «Little Italy» is a gem of a place and TZON fits the bill.
The front of the house is not all that — with a front facing bar area, some tables, and an old car on display out front. After walking through a narrow hallway, you enter the main dining area. Huge space decorated to resemble a street side Italian dining area. Very nice.
The service is good and friendly. They are also pretty knowledgeable on their winelist which was a plus for us. The pizza was very good — freshly made in the brick oven, which we were seated close to. It was the saving grace. The pasta, on the other hand, was a little disappointing. We ordered the squid ink pasta and the cavatelli. The squid ink came ok but we were hoping that the pasta itself was made with squid ink. It was just standard dried linguini smothered in a squid ink sauce. The cavatelli was undercooked and dry. The staff explained that, with the exception of the pizza, things are cooked in small pans. No pots.
Maybe this isn’t the best place for pasta. But the pizza and wine are great!

This was my first visit to Arthur Ave and per other Unilocalers, it does seem to be a more authentic little Italy vs. Manhattan.
Fresh bread basket served alongside a jumbo bottle of table olive oil. The menu had a good variety between pizza, pasta and proteins. I was a bit thrown off when the looking at the price of pasta as it was more than the protein entrees?
Our group ordered apps– burrata, calamari (marinated and grilled, not fried) and antipasto plate. All were very fresh with on the smaller size portion wise.
For entrees my friend and I split a Diablo pizza (hot sopressata, mozz and tomato sauce) and one of their specials which was a type of linguine with goat cheese, meatballs and tomato sauce.
The pizza was awesome and had a chewy salty crusty and spicy sopressata. The pasta was very al dente and could’ve used way more meatballs! Def felt skimped on these, they were so small but so tasty.
With that being said, yes the the food here was delicious… I do not need to schlep to the Bronx for what I considered to be very comparable italian that’s a bit closer to home. Oh and there’s a second location of this place in flatiron! That being said, the overall experience here was great.

Good, not the best ever but a solid place.
I had the osso bucco with risotto — rice was not arborio and a little overcooked.
Angeline P. had the mafalde with mozarella and porcinis. This was the #1 best dish, blew everything else out of the water in my opinion.
Other members of our party had short ribs and the squid ink pasta. The squid ink pasta was nice but the short ribs were forgettable.
The bread was super good though, definitely fresh bread baked that day.
A good place to have gone for my first meal in the Arthur Ave area, but I’m looking forward to more.

This restaurant is fabulous. The staff are terrific. The waiter was answered all our questions with real knowledge of the menu
The water glasses were always full.
I had the Portobello al forno. It was very tasty and a nice portion.
Then I had the La San Matteo pizza. The crust was perfect thin and crispy. The sausage was savory with good flavor and what is not to love about sautéed broccoli rabe.
We went with a group of 15 and the service was excellent. Everyone was served their dishes in a quick manner which is not easy with such a large group.
I would recommend this restaurant It has beautiful décor

I decided to take my family to Italy today. No suitcases or planes needed when you have Arthur Avenue in your back yard in the Bronx, who needs the jet lag!
We went to my favorite restaurant there, Zero Otto which is your round trip ticket to Italy thanks to Chef Roberto and staff, you get magically transported to a grotto in Italy!
The ambiance is off the charts with a dining room decorated with murals of Italian scenery, tall ceilings with skylights and the focal point of a beautiful brick oven gives you the feeling of sitting in a café in some back alley of Italy!
The staff are always well dressed, very attentive and all have the Italian accents to lend to the experience ! You are never wanting for service here!
After hearing the specials from our charismatic waiter, Geno, we decided to go with a classic Margherita pizza to start.
You have to try one of their pizzas from a huge selection. Out of the golden brick oven, Cirilo pops out the most perfect pizzas with a crunchy crusts, just the right amount of sauce, cheese and basil, Bellissimo!
Onto the entrees! My son had the Pollo Capriccioso. The chicken cutlet was perfect with mozzarella cheese, marinated tomatoes and pesto! He polished it off and almost licked the plate clean!
My husband and I opted for the specials. The braised short ribs were amazing! So tender, no knife was needed! And my Radiatore Cartoccio came in a steaming aluminum poach which when opened boasted the most scrumptious pasta dish! The radiator shaped pasta was combined with eggplant, mushrooms, tomatoes and cheese in a creamy sauce that was divine!
Since we were stuffed at the end we opted for the Tartufo which was served up with fresh whip and berries!
Complimentary Lemoncello cordials were served at the end which just was the cherry on the top!
This restaurant is more than just a place to eat great Italian cuisine, it is a trip to Italy for your total dining experience!

Our dining group made an Arthur Avenue trip on 9÷19÷15 and I scheduled a luncheon at Trattoria Zero Otto Nove. Wow!!! This place, a sibling of Roberto’s a few blocks away on Crescent, displays the same super special, exquisite cuisine of Salerno, Italy. It is light years above and away from a typical «red sauce joint».
I suspected that a great meal was awaiting our group because the bartender made me a perfect Expresso Martini which I enjoyed while waiting for the entirety of our group to arrive. The Martini was a harbinger of great things to come.
Dishes our group loved included Linguine in Squid Ink, Orata Fish with Clams Baked in Foil, Pasta Puttanesca, Meatballs with Polenta, Ragu (Sausage, Meatballs, various Bracioles and Pork Skin) and Wood-​Fired Pizzas. Service was attentive, prompt, efficient and even… kind. The waiter was patient enough to go around the table explaining the Italian language items each of our fifteen diners ordered so that we could settle the check properly. One of the most remarkable facts to know about «Zero» is that the prices are VERY low for this type of quality.
Run …do not walk back… to Zero Otto Nove!!!

My family and I visited Zero Otto Nove for lunch a couple of weeks ago and had a great experience. Upon entering we walked down a short hallway through to a cozy room with a sun roof and a brick oven crackling over to one side. They most definitely aced the «homely» feel with décor that transports you straight to Italy (or what I assume is Italy, I’ve never been there to know for sure but I’ll trust their judgment ;)). Our waiter, Geo, was very professional and attentive, and eagerly explained any menu items that we didn’t understand. The bathroom was also very clean, which is always a great sign.
I wasn’t too hungry so I decided to have the polpettine, polenta and caprino antipasti & insalata di arugola. I absolutely loved my dish. So much so that I haven’t stopped thinking about it and I’m definitely having it when I go back again. I took a few scallops & shrimp from my husband’s grigliata di pesce and they were pretty good, too. The table had also ordered some ciambotta which was alright but I wouldn’t say great. Now, the bread was great but it would’ve been even better if they were warm. Overall I definitely enjoyed my experience here and I’m very eager to go back and try more of their menu items.

I heard so much hype about this place, I couldn’t wait to try it. This restaurant is both spacious and beautiful, it is almost easy to feel like you are not in the Bronx or NYC at all while dining here. Definitely got the vibe that this was a bit on the sophisticated side.
You know when you’re in a truly authentic Italian restaurant because they don’t offer things like «penne ala vodka» or «chicken marsala.» I ordered the mafalde e cici which had so much going on, but I appreciated that it was not a dish loaded up with cream and cheese. It had chick peas, a bit of cheese, bread crumbs and pancetta, pretty good. Extremely filling, I had to take most of it home for leftovers, the food is definitely great.
I have to minus one star because this was an insanely uncomfortable dining experience. All of the male waiters, about five, literally lined up a few feet from our table and just watched us. I get that it was the afternoon, nothing to do, but we felt so uncomfortable being stared at the entire time we were sitting. It’s not like anyone came running over if we DID need something, so why post up there? Go do something! We had four different people wait on us, not sure who our actual waiter was. They all kept speaking to each other in another language which is fine, but only added to how self conscious we felt while being stared at during our meal.