Antonucci Cafe

I live a block away and have been wanting to try Antonucci’s for awhile. I am so glad I finally did! My boyfriend and I visited the restaurant for dinner last night and had a great time. The interior is warm and cozy, with an array of unique and interesting artwork lining the walls (including one funny painting featuring Madonna, who lives nearby.) The clientele was on the older side — everyone seemed like regulars who must live in the area.
As soon as we were seated, we received a bread basket accompanied by a delicious marinara/​goat cheese dip. I couldn’t stop eating it! We decided to order a bottle of wine and were pleased to find that the Sommelier was brought over to our table to assist us in making a selection. We ended up ordering a dry red to go with what we were planning to order for entrees — the veal cannelloni special for me, and the sauteed calf’s liver for my boyfriend. My dish was very rich and decadent, and the sauteed calf’s liver looked great as well (I only tried the polenta that came with it, grilled and perfectly salted.) We finished our meal with the warm chocolate cake — an excellent recommendation from our waiter.
All in all, we would definitely return to Antonucci’s as we were very impressed with the atmosphere, service, and most importantly — food!

The food was quite good. The service environment will not have me come back. 2 ppl, 6:20 pm. Ordered bottle of wine immediately. Within one minute (wine not arrived), «are U ready to order?» Within 5 more minutes, we were asked 3 more times if ready to order. The hustle is on folks, TURN THOSE TABLES. I actually thought it was a joke. Ridiculous. Bye by, don’t get caught up by the cute sign and Windows. If not for good food, hard pressed for a 2

Northern Italian cuisine at its best! I was introduced to this restaurant about 7 years ago and fell in love with the place. The food is delicious and the dessert puts the cherry on top. I’d recommend reservations because they cater to an older/​regular crowd of locals and they also have a great lunch hour.
Enjoy!

This is some of the most delicious food I have ever eaten.
They bring fresh bread with tomato sauce and melted goat cheese to begin. Every bite was better than the next from appetizers to dessert.
This is a must if you live or are visiting the UES. Perfect place to impress a date!

The best food I have ever had. This hidden treasure is small and you need to have a reservation so you won’t be disappointed. I have told all my dear friends about this place, good food is hard to find but look no further.
The crowd is a little older but it has cool vibes and the owner is always there and speaks to everyone…
If I could give more stars I would.

This is the best Italian restaurant in New York. The owner is always there looking over every detail, which is why the consistency is perfect. Every dish is cooked with love. The physical environment is also so warm and welcoming that it feels like home. Can’t say enough good things.

Excellent food! Perfectly cooked pasta and every ingredient is carefully selected kudos to the chef! I loved the thin sliced veal over tuna purée and the Cavatelli with veal ragu was excellent. I had my eye on the roasted bone marrow but the waitress came back that it will take 20 minutes to prepare. I regret to cancel that order. My wife had a salad and the ricotta pasta with mixed greens.
The rest of the performance is minus 2 **

This is a gem of a warm and intimate Italian restaurant on the Upper East Side. We were with a party of eight and enjoyed wonderful food and attentive service. Everyone was pleased with their selection. It’s very convenient to museums and other Upper East Side cultural institutions (we had just spent the afternoon at the Neue Gallery). But I also thought it would be a great place to go as a couple because the atmosphere is very cosy and it is a place where you can talk and be heard. We will definitely return.

We visited this last night for the first time. Agree with everyone that the bread and tomato dip were great. Most of the food was well prepared and delicious. The eggplant appitizer was such a small portion that one could not tell what was in it. All of the portions are on the small size, particularly for the price. Scallops were perfectly prepared but 3 scallops for $ 27 is perhaps an excess of portion control.
I would return for the food, but the service was a disappointment. We had a 7 pm reservation and it was clear from the moment we arrived that they wanted to turn our table and get us out. Bread and spread were dropped immediately and drink orders requested before we were even fully seated. Waitress brought drinks and stood there while we read the menus waiting to take our order. Main courses were delivered almost simultaneously with clearing appitizers. Table was not only cleared while someone was still eating but they reached in front of the face of the person still eating dessert to pick up her silverware. Either they are in a hurry, the servers are not correctly trained or a bit of both. I understand that this place is small and busy and they want to turn tables but they must allow two hours for a party of four. We arrived on time and were out the door by 8:30. We felt rushed through the entire meal.

love love love
food, service, wine
great upper eastside find

Went last minute and were able to get a table (unfortunately right inside the door which is why I deducted 1-​star). Service is excellent. Food is excellent. Only wish we would have stayed for desert. My new favorite go to when in NYC! They really do it right.

Excellent food and ambiance. Friendly staff and the risotto and carbonara is to kill for

WOW! This is a true gem. The food was delicious and wine just as yummy. We tried to get a reservation on Open Table but was completely booked. I checked to see if there where any cancellation but non had so I thought I would go there early thinking that I would sit at the tinny bar but asked if they had a table and presto, did everything they could to accommodate us for a table for 2. This is one of the few restaurants that serve a soufflé. Of course I had to get it — perfectly light and delicious.
The food was out of this world, service impeccable, and wine selection tops! No need to go down town

I was super annoyed that we came here. I had the distinct impression throughout our experience that they did not want us there. Pasta dishes are also incredibly overpriced in the $ 20+ range for what should be more like $ 15.
At 4:30 there was NO ONE in the restaurant, yet it took several minutes for the hostess to tell us whether or not we could have a table. When she allowed us to stay, she was reticent that we had to be out by 6:00. I do appreciate the transparency, but not the attitude that came with it. 1.5 hours — plenty of time to eat and get out.
In my walk to the restroom I came across employees in the hallway 3 separate times. Each time I was part way down the hallway when they came barreling through, causing me to step aside and quickly get out of their way. Did I mention it was empty? Where exactly are they rushing off to as they run me over?
The food was fine and our server himself was decent but I definitely found myself wishing we had stopped anywhere else. Ended up sending over $ 100 for two people which had me really regretting it.

Really enjoyed lunch. Quiet relaxed place. Food and service is good. Serving sizes are small to medium. Only complaint was unwillingness to accommodate a half salad.

Very nice home like atmosphere; great service. Our waitress was very helpful and super friendly. We ordered artichokes and sea bass to share and a couple of desrets. We loved it so much! The restaurant is somewhat expensive but it is absolutely worth it! Highly recommend.

Solid Italian food, very small tightly packed space. Service is spot on, no one stands still, everyone watches everyone’s tables and guests are attended to promptly. Servings are big enough to share, nice wine list, well stocked bar, a true gem, be sure to have reservations the place fills up every night of the week, even in summer.

We sat at the bar as a couple, and in the seats with my larger family. Both experiences were excellent. My favorite dish is the gnocchi, often served with a seasonable sauce (e.g., pumpkin). But all the pastas are great, and the drinks aren’t bad.

Simply the most authentic small gastronomical Italian restaurant in the upper east side. You don’t have to book a flight to Florence or Venice just reserve a table here!
The owner is always there and eats his food sited with the customers — this is as much as the quality of the food he serves is important to him.
On the dishes, I have not yet come across something I don’t like! So enjoy!

Samedi soir, il n’y avait plus que de la place au bar. Eh bien ça vaut le coup! Le bar Man est super, si votre compagne s’intéresse à la fabrication du cosmopolitan, il lui en fera goûter un petit verre, il vous conseillera dans le choix du vin, là c’était un chianti 2009 extra. En prime vous avez droit au spectacle de la préparation des plats en cuisine avec un chef super zen, là vous voyez l’attention qui est portée à chacune des assiettes et quand la votre arrive vos papilles sont déjà en émoi et là elle né seront pas déçues. Que ce soit l’espadon ou le tiramisu ça vaut la peine de venir de Paris ! Enfin pour les célibataires avec un peu de chance on peut en s’y prenant bien partager, avec la bienveillance du barman, une bouteille de vin avec une autre célibataire et la conversation se nouera très vite autour d’un plat…
La prochaine fois on ira voir ce qui se passé dans la salle!

I was not thrilled with this place but I would give it one more shot. The décor was very nice. Very cool art hung on pale pink walls.
I ordered the meatballs as a first course… they were good tasted like my grandmothers… ordered eggplant park for second course and was very unhappy with it. was more like sautéed eggplant w cheese… which wasn’t worth it’s price tag. and the presentation of the eggplant was horrendous.
I had the choc mouse cake for dessert vas it was delicious… and also a generous portion. The service was good. But it was not that busy… would like to come back for the cozy pretty atmosphere and try diff menu items.