Alloro

One of the best dinners I have had on the upper east side.
The veal was fantastic.
Friendly staff that are very knowledgeable. Simple décor but the food speaks volumes.
I will definitely visit Sals location in the east village.

Amazing place. The owner cooks your food and his wife overseas service. The food is fresh, seasonal and creative. YUM! Really an amazing high-​end Italian experience. Best on the UES, hands down.

Thank you Gina and Salvatore for providing the ideal intimate wedding dinner. Your attention to my allergies and those of my new wife are deeply appreciated.

Outstanding find on a side street. The location insures that it’s a neighborhood spot that’s intimate rather than noisy.
The chef is an artist… using traditional Italian recipes but with an interesting and quite delicious twist.
We’ve dined here many times in the past year and always enjoyed well prepared and very tasty fare.
There is a good wine list and the wait staff will always give a sample to make sure the selection matches your dinner.
The wait staff is eager to serve and informative.

This restaurant is perfectly charming in every way. It felt like a «classic Upper East Side» sort of place, which is the first and last time I will ever say that and mean it as a compliment, I’m sure. They divide the menu into «traditionalist» and «adventurous» sections, which is clever, but there are imaginative dishes to be found in both. The chef, whose name I take to be Salvatore, has obviously made this place his own and even makes the rounds to make sure everyone is enjoying their meal. Maybe that’s more like classic old world than UES, as I was reminded upon exiting back into the douche circus that is nightly vomited onto Second Avenue. But I digress.
We sampled the duck carpaccio, the Gorgonzola crème brûlée, the frothy corn soup, lamb chop, rabbit ragu, wild boar ravioli, and I think there was a salad, a lasagna, and a salmon in there somewhere. Everything really hit the mark. Very nice selection of wines and desserts, too, but I do go on.
We had a very nice family meal with child in tow (not mine ahem), and this was not a problem in case you’re interested. Not something I’m usual able to comment on and actually I was skeptical at first. Everyone else in the place looked rich in that my-second-husband’s-in-finance sort of way. But at least it’s a reprieve from the entitled drunks roaming the streets outside.
Bring a date here and show off by ordering the monkfish liver pâté entrée. You will surely bag him/​her. Especially if you order a nice Brunello di Montalcino, too.

This restaurant is a gem. I always describe it to folks as downtown food in the heart of the UES. Inventive flavors and unusual but successful flavor pairings. *Marvelous* food, excellent (read: attentive, not overbearing) service. We were so impressed by their careful attention to mise en place, wine and meal suggestions, and ability to be there but not hover.
I came with my girlfriends a couple weeks ago and they had never been– they just raved. This is my second time back and won’t be my last.

Really really yummy.
Went for restaurant week. The veal I got was absolutely delicious. Maybe the best I’ve ever had.
The place is always empty, and the chef sits out front brooding over the whole street. I feel like it may deter people from entering. (just my take)

I stopped by Alloro for restaurant week dinner with a few friends last week, and it was an ok experience. The service was prompt and the food selection was good but nothing to write home about.
I started with Polpettine di Salvatore. Meatballs with basil and a solid tomato and cheese sauce. Delicious, but the meatball was more of a meat loaf… not quite a fan of the texture.
Continued on with the Paccheri as the main dish, jumbo rigatoni with red wine duck ragù, porcine mushrooms, and cherries — great al dente rigatoni but the wine duck ragu was mediocre.
I finished off the night with the panna cotta, which I would say was really the highlight of the night. The watermelon sorbet was excellent and fresh, and the coconut panna cotta was light and refreshing. I do have a coconut bias however, so that won’t go for everyone.
Alloro is a good place to go for ambiance and food, but I wouldn’t step out of my way and go uptown especially for their food. They take great care with food prep but leave a bit to be desired in terms of taste.

I came here for restaurant week last night, and I am so glad I did! I lived in Italy for a few years, and coming here tasting the quality and care that goes into the food instantly transported me back.
I couldn’t not opt for Salvatore’s polpettine. They were deliciously laced with pieces of basil and cooked just right. My mouth is still watering thinking about it.
For the mains, I went for the (gluten free) pasta with duck, porcini mushrooms and cherries. It was so delicate and refreshing, savory and sweet, as well as being such a large portion, i was full and satisfied in the end.
My husband had the veal with celery purée and parslied peaches. What a great flavor combination!
The coconut panna cotta with chocolate and watermelon sorbet was the perfect ending. My (Italian) husband was so happy with his Babá.
Here you definitely get what you pay for– unless it’s restaurant week… Then it’s a steal!
The staff was so lovely and helpful. :)

Fabulous food, lovely chilled ambiance and very friendly staff. In addition, portions are generous but not too much which can often be the case with Italian.
Highly recommend the lasagna — A match for mom’s homemade lasagna.

Fantastico! Just super chef Sal can really take your mind in a food trip! Super super super! Fried buffalo mozzarella ice cream to die for!!!

A little pricey, but this place was really nice for a birthday date with my ex. We went during restaurant week, and everything that we had was great. I had a rabbit dish that I loved, and she liked her dish as well. Service was quick, even though it was crowded. The place is very cute and cozy as well.

You can go to places that are eclectic and be disappointed or you can go and be blown away beyond even your strict expectations. We met up with some friends and I was already excited to see the menu broken into two parts — the traditionalist and the adventurer. Both sides look easily amazing but for some reason the adventurer was calling me. The chef is very involved with the guests as well (always a great sign) as he and the adorable waiter were helping to figure out not just a gluten free meal but a good gluten free meal for the little one. Which was in fact devoured. There was great care taken throughout the evening to make sure there was no gluten accidentally ingested.
This is a favorite of my friends and I trust their opinion so I was happy to see that they were once again right. The adventurer side called to me. An appetizer of buffalo mozzarella panna cotta with a sweet tomato coulis and a little salad on the side. Not only was it visually exciting but it tasted amazing. It was salty enough to be balanced when paired with the tomato or with the salad. I also happen to hate tomato but couldn’t get enough of this. This is how I always want my mozzarella and tomato salads. It’s how they should always be. Exciting and delicious. Mom and dad split the eggplant Parmesan which was a little tower and very good. For entrée, mom had the homemade pasta with duck ragu and foie gras which was excellent but didn’t beat my duck with chocolate sauce, salsify purée and roasted pears. To have an entrée with chocolate that didn’t taste incredibly sweet was awesome. The chocolate actually complimented the duck and the pears and even mixed in a little with the salsify and didn’t disappoint. It wasn’t a necessarily sweet entrée, just adventurous as the menu promised. If I could have licked my plate clean and still been considered a member of polite society I would have. I also tried my friend’s chestnut purée that came with fish and was amazed. I’m not too fond of chestnuts usually but this gave you the earthy flavor in a balance that would be great with any protein.
For dessert mom and I split the limoncello panna cotta with berries and the Italian cheesecake. The Italian cheesecake was the way I make mine so needless to say I was pleased, I just would have liked more. The panna cotta was delightful with a little bit of an ever so slightly boozey taste but we loved it. The drinks were great, I got an E 77^th — gin based with just a little bit of sweet to it. The service was outstanding. Not in your face, but you’re also not forgotten.
I definitely see why it’s a favorite for my friends and I think it will be for me too for a long time to come. Traditionalist or adventurer will be the hardest decision you have to make all day.

What a surprise
My wife and kids threw a surprise birthday party for me in the back room here and it was outstanding. We had eaten here before and liked the food. I walked in totally clueless and the fun started. The service was very attentive and we had a constant flow of alcohol before the meal.
The menu was very creative with something for everyone. The standout dish was the Gorgonzola crème brûlée but the salad was as good as always. The pastas were all good, very fresh, and tasty. The lamb entrée was unusual in terms of the amount of meat, and the veal and short rib dishes were also very tasty.
The party was a great success and I would definitely recommend Alloro for small functions

SORRY LITTLE BUNNY
An outside menu, my favorite reading. On it, a loin of Rabbit Caccitori and I can’t resist.
Inside a small restaurant. I new to sit at the bar, doubt a table for one was happening!
An interesting menu, and I wanted to try all courses. The Filipino doll working behind the bar, with a tattoo behind her neck that said Believe, and I did. Advising me to get a half order of the pasta so not to have to much.
4 courses later I’m glad I chose 77street for my stroll…

Absolutely delicious meal and great service!
The menu offered many «traditional» Italian items on the menu but eah one seemed to have its own seasonal twist. We thoroughly enjoyed evertying we had and found the staff to be plesant and helpful!
Definitely stopping in again and curious to see what they offer on their next seasonal menu!

Alloro was a great place for a nice quiet dinner. I found the place looking around on Unilocal.If you’re looking for extensive details of the meal, you’re reading the wrong review. But I had a cocktail at the bar, bar had a nice selection. (no beer) Grabbed a seat up front, maybe not the best idea for nights when it’s 15 degrees. It did get a little cold when some elderly patrons took 8 minutes to exit while holding both sets of door open the entire time!
–But everything aside, I was happy with my Unilocal discovery. Nice atmosphere and pretty good food. –I’d go back.

************1^st Stop on the Restaurant Week Train!!!*************
My boyfriend was very proud when he found Alloro for our double date with friends of mine for the official kick off to Restaurant Week — who doesn’t like Italian food?!
We walked into the intimately small restaurant and sat in the front room closest to the kitchen. The tables were spaced well enough, but I wouldn’t come here if you’re carrying a lot of bags; there’s not enough space. They do have a coat check, so be sure to take advantage of that.
We started off with a glass of wine each ($ 10/​glass was the cheapest) and began the food menu review. Our friends were vegetarians, so the menu had many options for them.
My beau and I remained faithful to the RW menu, while our friends went right for the regular menu faire.
My boyfriend had the buffalo cheese spread which arrived with a very sparing amount of cheese with other garnishes to better enhance the experience, while I opted for the cauliflower and asparagus soup. Mine was the far better of the two based on portion and overall taste! It was very comforting and tasty; should be a regular on the menu if it isn’t already that it was THAT good! Seriously consider it!
The main event, I ended up with the crispy chicken leg, prosciutto & fontina stuffed breast, roasted potatoes, and juniper berry sorbet and my boyfriend had the venison ravioli.
I once again completely won on the portion size, whereas my boyfriend stared at his whole FOUR ravioli. Although all four were delicious, the plate just looked empty and c’mon, you could have put maybe SIX down? I know this is the ever common problem many face when ordering ravioli, and the venison being a rarity, but I felt he was skunked. I offered at least half of my dinner to him and tried to pass it off to our friends as «sharing», but I knew he was in actuality going to want to eat something else after this. The chicken was delicious, savory, cooked perfectly — no complaints here.
Dessert, we all got the vanilla homemade ice cream which was the highlight of the night as many Unilocalers already mentioned. Creamy and perfect — you can taste the difference! Really pretty with all the sprinkled powdered sugar on it… nom nom!
Overall thoughts on the place? It just felt pretty average and nothing really stood out that would beckon just to all come here again. Maybe we’d give it another shot when we’re in the neighborhood, but not right away.

Very good, very, very good. I so badly want to give them the full 5 stars, but the bar tender was very stuffy and unaccommodating when we walked in. The boyfriend asked for a glass of wine and said «I usually like California Cabs» and he sharply replied, «Ha, well everything here is Italian soo…». Um,…hello? Isn’t it your job to suggest something similar? WTF
Beyond that, our experience was just lovely. Very intimate (aka small) and romantic setting, it feels like you really are in Italy. The wine list is spectacular, very much Italian as the bar tender stated. The food served in small, manageable portions. We left feels extremely pleased and satisfied, not fat and uncomfortable like most American-​Italian places tend to make you feel.
This is how they do it in Italy folks; smaller sized portions, excellent quality food and snotty service. I think everyone has come accustomed to what Jersey calls Italian, also known as over-​stuffing your family and friends.

Lovely little place, romantic and detailed. Inventive dishes, but not too out-​of-​the-​box. The server (co-​owner?) offered as many menu details as we could ask for; her rubber bands and hemp bracelets casually made no sound but to let me know I shouldn’t worry if I accidentally used the wrong fork.
Eggplant parm two ways: good, though the traditional styling was by far superior, especially on the blustery, rainy night we went.
Unilocalers said (and our server agreed) that pastas are the star here, so we skipped big protein dishes and shared two pastas.
Gnoccheti: This dish was the kind of delicious that requires you close your eyes for a moment and focus on what’s going on in your mouth and olfactories. Teeny little cheesy gnoccheti sat in a short bath of peaceful, minty pea purée, topped with big crunchy peppercorns, a welcome foil to the softness of the rest of the dish. Good to share – It was excellent, but I would have gotten sick of a whole bowl of the stuff. But that first bite, Jesus. Good.
Fettucine with rabbit ragu: Perfect housemade pasta. Chewy and light, but substantial. Perfect with the tangy ragu and pulled rabbit pieces. Topped with forgettable chunks of buffalo mozzarella, but I appreciated the touch.
Topped with a striped pink candle was the mascarpone cloud, a little hazelnut-​crusted white island floating in a cherry coulis pond. Light as a feather, and reminiscent of a specific childhood flavor I’ve yet to identify. It paired nicely with the grappa I sipped, pretending to enjoy. (I really wish I loved grappa, but I just don’t. But I keep ordering it. What’s wrong with me?)
I was glad there wasn’t any music playing, and that we had occasional moments alone in the back room to say inappropriately suggestive things to one another.
Happy birthday to me. :)