Cotenna

Super restaurant. Le staff est agréable et avenant, les plats sont delicieux et bien servis. À tester absolumment!

This place is TINY and LOUD. It’s kind of hard to have a conversation here. Their food is pretty affordable and comes out in large portions. Their wine is also very good and reasonably priced. We got the meatball app, kale salad and octopus salad to start and it was all delicious. We had the black truffle gnocchi and the orechiette and they were both solid. The cauliflower side was also good and somewhat light.

The space is tiny and it offers a lot of atmosphere. The food is good, but not great. We ordered a few dishes that seemed to be hit-​or-​miss. The wine selection was also good, but not great. But space itself is the selling point here. And the service was quite good!

If you’re like me and you a sucker for twinkly lights outside of a restaurant, then this is your spot.
Great prices on good italian with surprisingly big portions.
3 plates for a light bite. 4 plates to feel full.
Go if you are up for a cosy spot in the West Village.
Don’t go if you get agita from sitting too close to your neighbors.

loved the oysters n pasta here.
tried to make a reservation for 2 and realized that they do not take reservation unless you have a bigger party. but the host reserved a table for us anyway, gotta love their service.

We couldn’t have found a cuter place. I’m
Obsessed w how small and Intimate it is. We started w SEVEN apps (for 5 of us) and every single one was awesome. I had the wild boar w paperdelle pasta… SO good. ALL our pasta dishes were great! And, the wines are awesome too. And! Everything is like $ 10 – 12! (Which can add up quickly when you get excited about authentic Italian.)
Do yourself a favor and go here.

The first time I ate here I came with my gf and brother. Although located on a quiet street, the place was teeming with patrons. Fortunately, we were soon given a seat at the bar. The whole menu looked enticing making it difficult to decide what to order. So, we decided to order as much as we could! The night was a blur of great dish after great dish. At one point the manager came by and asked how we liked the food? «We love it, we just ordered three more dishes!» I replied. In the end, we ended up ordering a total of nine. We had planned on a late night of drinking, but awash with both love and pain from eating so much delicious food, we stumbled out of the restaurant and quickly hailed a cab to whisk us back to our hotel. While en route, we could do nothing but continuously bestow compliments on the meal we had just enjoyed. It was the best Italian food I had ever had in the city, so of course I would return.
The next chance I had to return was on an unseasonably warm January afternoon. My gf and I were 2 of 5 total patrons. 6 if you count a patron’s small Brussels Griffon dog that was quietly (and quite cutely) lying on the floor. It was a far cry from the pandemoniac dinner we experienced last time, but I definitely welcomed the calm.
We cozied up to the bar and started with a drink. I ordered a Rob Roy (what would end up being the first of three) and she a Bloody Mary. Both brought a smile to your face and put a pep in your step. The bartender, a young Frenchman, was amicable and very funny in his honesty. At one point I asked the bartender «Do you like living in New York?» He replied with a sly smile and a French accent «Of course. I am 25 and I am French.» After telling us about the specials, we were ready to select our dishes. This time, with a little more restraint, as we only ordered four.
When it was time to chow down, the food did not disappoint. Before the meal even started we were given some of the best bread we had ever had. It was a perfect blend of firm and soft and soaked up the olive oil like it was thirsty for it. It was the kind of bread that would make you want to stand up and curse Dr. Atkins name and slap him for ever suggesting a diet without carbs.
For appetizers we ordered the octopus salad special and the crostini porchetta (pork crostini). The octopus was super tender and not at all chewy. It was also pan fried so it was crispy on the edges. If I were an octopus, this is the way I would want to be remembered. The pork crostini was also very good. The salsa verde and tender thinly sliced pork really complemented the slightly buttery, lightly toasted bread.
For entrees we ordered the tortelloni aragosta (lobster ravioli) and bucatini amitriciana (pork cheek and pasta). The lobster ravioli had plenty of lobster and a very slight sourness in the vodka sauce that I really enjoyed. The bucatini (which is a small, long tubular pasta) I think could have been cooked more al dente. However, the flavors were great with a nicely balanced tomato sauce that was only made better by delectable small slices of slightly crispy pork cheek riddled throughout the dish.
Bottom line: I was reluctant on writing this review because, to be honest, I don’t want you to come here. I want this place to remain the relatively unknown gem that I have become accustomed to. So, now that you know the wonderful experience you can expect should you visit Cotenna, please don’t come!!!

Cotenna is the sister restaurant of Aria, and it is very sisterly in every aspect. The ambience, food and décor is very similar. The food, although with different menu items, is still very similar with regards to taste, style and its tapas-​style delivery. And I also want to say they have the same drink options.
The only obvious difference to me is the space. While Aria is slightly larger, Cotenna is extremely narrow — maybe suitable for 6 ppl to dine at the bar, and 8 ppl for table seating. Expect a very intimate experience and to cozy up to your neighbors.
Regardless of this all, I really enjoyed coming here and it lived up to my expectation of Aria’s sister. Both are great dining or light apps with drinks options! To decide between the two, I guess it would just depend on location, whether you’re claustrophobic and if you prefer a more intimate experience in a tiny space (Cotenna) or something a little livelier but still with the intimate feel (Aria).

Been in the West Village for a little over a year, and has gone through a few iterations. I miss their constructed cocktails, particularly the Bedford which was fantastic. Still, a plate of their Burrata Mozzarella w/​prosciutto and a glass of vermentino is a good night.
The prices are slightly better at Bricola, their nearly identical sister restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen.

I went there with a group of friends last night and I’m not in love with this place as other reviewers. The pasta (I got fettuccini funghi) was alright. It’s boasted as fresh homemade pasta, but it really didn’t hit it out of the park for me.
It was only $ 12 so there wasn’t much to lose. I would come back to try the other dishes but maybe not on a Friday night (they started playing really bad club music– not so appropriate for an intimate Italian spot). The place was cozy with great décor (even though it was tiny) but it was the cute West Village you think of!
All in all it’s pretty cheap for the location.

Cotenna is a precious little Italian restaurant that has a lot of different tapas and pastas. I opted for the spaghetti with pork cheek and truffle mashed potatoes. The food was so amazing it definitely put me in a food coma. The space is really tight, so I wouldn’t recommend coming with a huge group of friends, but it’s great for an intimate dinner. It’s also really affordable– the pasta was only $ 12, and the ambiance is simple and rustic.

WOW
I live nearby and went to Cotenna for the first time tonight. it’s a tiny little place that I swear serves the best Bolognese pasta I ever had… at 12 dollars… wow…I absolutely love this place it’s shockingly cheap for the area, the food is delicious and you’re seated very close to each other which makes for an intimate experience. It’s very casual and unpretentious and it is beautifully and chicly designed/​decorated.
I went on a Monday night and it was packed, I can imagine it is super busy every night!!!

This place is a gem! Hidden a bit as there’s no big sign but some great Italian in a cozy atmosphere. I’ve had a million things here but the best is the warm octopus salad, another truffle Mac. It has the most rich flavor and it comes in a steaming skillet.
Also try the prosciutto wrapped dates stuffed with Gorgonzola. Literally the perfect combination of salty and sweet! Wine isn’t overpriced and pasta dishes are all 12 $ and great portion, even lobster ravioli! For 4 of us (two bottles of wine, 4 entrees and 2 apps it was 150 $) !! I thought that was a great deal for amazing food.

Sorry but I simply was not a fan of the service or food. The restaurant itself was cute, but super tight — plan to feel like you’re sitting on top of each other at the tables. The bar actually might be a better and more roomier option.
The eggplant app that someone on Unilocal was raving about was too cheesy. The ahi tuna carpaccio that someone else in Unilocal raved about was flavorless.
My friend’s mushroom pasta was overcooked and I wasn’t a fan of the sauce. I like my pesto pasta a lot. The side of brussel sprouts was sweet :(
I’m truly so disappointed. Really was looking forward to loving this place.

What if we were all raised to be whispering at the dinner table? Impossible! yet confirmation of this thought would have made this small restaurant perfect. It’s has that unusually attractive atmosphere that makes one talk even louder although you’re almost elbow-​to-​elbow with the stranger seated next to you. That, however, didn’t prevent me from maximizing my Cotenna expericence.
The servers were pleasantly attentive and very interactive.
Nothing spectacular with the wine choices and they were a little bit over-​priced.
I ordered something off the menu– lentils with gamberi griglio– which was absolutely tasty and memorable. The orders came out pretty fast and service is quite good. Overall, a good last-​minute date-​night choice. Would defientely recommend this to my couple friends.

I stopped in on a Thursday night to eat on my own at the bar. I am surprised I was able to squeeze myself in as the space was TIGHT.
Extremely intimate, perhaps only 6 tables?
The aroma was of delectable Italian fare.
I started off with the eggplant wrapped goat cheese appetizer. MY GOODNESS. If I didn’t know what a little death ever was, I’d say tasting this would be it. Executed with perfection. I assure you, if you generally enjoy eggplant and goat cheese, do not bother sharing this app.
My entrée was the lobster avocado salad. Needed a dash of salt. Honestly to get fresh non-​fishy lobster in any form for $ 12, I cannot complain.
Overall the portions were healthy. I left feeling not full but satisfied. Service is typical of NYC (nothing special) but between the flavors and price, it is well worth checking out!

I discovered this place back in early September and fell in love!!! It’s West Village’s best kept secret and I want it to stay that way lol! The food is AMAZING!!! Bruce, the owner, is a doll! He made my birthday lunch special. Everything on the menu is made with love. This is my new favorite spot.
P. S. I love their $ 1 Oysters «happy hour»

Such a cute, small, intimate place. I’ve been wanting to try this place and I’m excited my bf and I did. On an early Saturday evening, it was quiet and they had happy hour $ 1 oysters until 7pm. Of course, we had to have a dozen oysters.
My bf had the lobster risotto special and I had the rigatoni and shrimp gamberi, it had a small kick of spice. We also ordered the lamb chops and mozzarella wrapped prosciutto. All were just the right portions. The lamb was delicious, we had each had a piece, it was tender and tasty. My pasta was great as well, just enough spice and flavor. My bf loved his risotto, you definitely get tastes of lobster throughout.
The service was very friendly. They changed our small plates a few times, so we always had a clean date. I believe there was a new waiter on staff, but he didn’t do anything wrong, he was just awkward.

I give 1 star for something unforgivable: my spaghetti alla vongole had not one but two clam shell shards in it, as well as 3 clams that were not properly cleaned and still had sand in them. That is NOT ok.
I may have considered rounding up to 2 stars if the wait staff hadn’t been so abrupt yet absent. They were brusque and then disappeared for 20 minutes. I was never asked how my dish was.
The food itself was pretty mediocre Italian food, to be honest. It was enjoyable, but my vongole became too oily and my friend’s gnocchi’s sauce was very simple but not delicious. It almost tasted like canned tomatoes.
I would avoid this place. There is clearly a lack of care placed in the food preparation, and it was felt not only in the undesireable bits of shell and sand, but also in the run-​of-​the mill flavors.
It bugs me how cute places like this (yes, it’s a beautiful little place on a nice street) fool people into thinking mediocre food is delicious. Don’t count yourself among them.

There is a wall lined with prosciutto here. That is all.
Okay, that is not all. But that was definitely the first thing I noticed and the first thing I couldn’t stop raving about at Cotenna. My college friend and I had THE best girl date here in April. This restaurant, the sister to Aria Wine Bar on Perry St., is charming and intimate, with rustic, romantic, candle-​lit décor. It’s also tiny — so tiny that I would not recommend dining here with more than one other person due to the snug space and crammed-​together tables.
We arrived at around 8pm on a Friday night and waited 10 minutes for a table. We took a stroll around the block and the hostess texted me when seats were available — always a perk. We were seated at the counter near the door and were immediately taken care of by a friendly, knowledgeable server. He hooked us up with a basket of crusty bread and a quartino of some great white wine based on our taste preference (unfortunately I can’t remember which one it was) and took our order — the burrata appetizer and two pasta dishes. The burrata was creamy, explode-​y, and perfect and came with a few slices of prosciutto (yum). My pasta — pappardelle cinghiale (wild boar) — was a small portion, but really the perfect size since I had already indulged in bread and burrata. And it was excellent.
My friend and I had a year’s worth of catching up to do and took our time eating and chatting. We never felt rushed to leave, even though there were people waiting for tables. Extra points for that, in my book.
As I said before, this restaurant is small. We were seated next to each other on stools and were bumped into almost every single time someone walked past us, which was irritating. And, at full capacity, it’s very very loud. Thankfully my friend and I were sitting close together, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to hear her. I would not have enjoyed the meal as much had I been sitting across from her and shouting the entire time.
Cotenna’s menu and décor are very similar to Aria (one of my favorite restaurants in the city) and while it’s a great spot overall, I prefer the roomier and slightly quieter Aria. I would not recommend Cotenna for a first date due to the noise level, but absolutely recommend it for a further-​down-​the-​road date or a friend date for sure!

The Quick: Still a cute, romantic venue, but the food is so inconsistent and the wait staff is rude. Will not be returning.
The Details: I’ve been to Cotenna multiple times now and only had a nice experience the first time. The venue is very cute so I want to love it but the food has just been mediocre. The gnocchi was down right bad, the octopus salad was mostly potatoes, and everything else I tried was lack luster. Plus the staff was very rude to my group. There are too many cute date spots in the West Village, this spot isn’t worth it.
The Damage: The drinks are weirdly pricey for a mediocre wine list, while the dishes are inexpensive yet small.