Ottomanelli Butcher Shoppe

I love the gang at Ottomanelli’s. Not only do they have amazing meat, but their prepared products and sandwiches are delicious as well! Get the sauce and the pulled pork! NYC is a big city, but this store has a very small town, friendly neighborhood feel to it. And they always smile and remember you when you come in!

My «fresh» mozzarella was spoiled. Smelled like spoiled milk. I was so disappointed. Threw the whole thing out. What a waste of money. It was even a little yellowed above the water line. I can not comment on anything else.

This place has THE best cuts of meat in the entire UES! Hands down. Walking in is like time-​traveling to the old school butcher’s your grandparents used to go to. The butcher’s are knowledgeable and friendly. Highly recommend going to this place if you plan to cook an especially nice dinner.

if i could give this place 6 stars i would. i previously went to grace’s market to purchase a dry aged prime rib for testing. it turned out ok, but was nothing special. after that disappointment, i did research for a good butcher and decided to try out ottomanelli’s, mainly for their history. the pricing per pound was actually the lowest of the dozen or so places i looked up, which actually made me a bit apprehensive. i wanted it to be more expensive? lol.
so i bought a 7.75 lb dry aged prime rib roast for christmas and it was the single best piece of beef i’ve ever eaten. it was an umami explosion of flavor. it was rich, fatty, and beefy. it made the grace’s market prime rib, which was $ 4 more per pound, seem like a select grade supermarket cut.
as long as ottamanellis is open, i will be purchasing my prime rib from them.

I have a butcher now, his name is Mark. We like to chew the fat: D
Seriously though, I’m not a vegetarian but I rarely eat meat and I certainly never cook it. Because of health issues I am trying the Paleo diet and Mark has been a great resource! He explains the different cuts to me and makes suggestions. He even cuts it up in strips for my stir fry (so I don’t have to do it myself-​ew!) I’m still not a meat person but slowly I am learning and trying different things. He says all their meat is grass fed and pasture-​raised and the shop also has a wonderful assortment of pre-​made items to take-​away (the lamb stew is delicious).
The store is also immaculately clean! (For meat novices like me Mark only works Saturdays.)
A really great butcher shop and butcher!

Ehh seems over rated. We had the Italian combo hero. They talked it up big. Bread was kind of stale. Balsamic wasn’t very good. Cold cuts were decent, but lacked that high quality punch I was expecting.

Love it here. Great helpful New York service. Excellent meats plus from the farm eggs and milk for CHEAP. Don’t waste you’re money at d’Ag or gristedes while ottomanelli is open. Will be a regular for years to come. Exceptional.

I got a big Italian sammich, and it was tasty. Only been here once but I like the old style. Quality food, so I’ll return and write more.

We buy some foods there once a week. I love their cabbage rolls. Great food when you don’t want to cook or don’t want to order.

Had the chicken parm today, and can confirm it absolutely is worth all the hype. Every component was surprisingly good, by far the best I’ve had. My heart flutters as I close my eyes and dream of that first bite. As I sit alone at my desk, with my studies buried under tin foil glistening like a knight in shining armor, crumpled napkins with marinara kisses… I feel so complete. Love has found me, and has taken me forever.
Before we get too emotional, you really should go grab that sandwich.

This place has some of the best meat in the city, it’s all grass-​fed, hormone free etc etc. i know a lot of people in the neighborhood don’t get meat from anywhere else. Try the homemade roast beef, it’s killer.

They were so helpful here and cut me a beautiful slice of sirloin. I had no idea how much meat to get for dinner and they were able to help me out and asked me how many people it was for and cut me a slice that was appropriate. It is definitely pricey here compared to just buying your meat at a grocery store but its so worth it.

My fave spot for a delicious breakfast sandwich!!! It’s kind of hard to find an affordable breakfast location near or around York Ave & there really is no need to if you head over to them… I’ve never purchased meats here but I have had their chicken Marsala, sautéed spinach, turkey burgers & a few other things during for lunch & have never been let down!!! Great food & even greater service.

I love it here, their options are tasty, the gents here are patient and friendly. They even have organic milk available for a decent price! One odd observation: when asking for cold cuts, I’ve never once had anyone show me the meat they’re slicing or like show me the First slice to see if they’re making it thin/​thick enough. Just thought that was different, but no real complaints here. Nothing but love for this place!

Wow… I was so disappointed. This review is not for the general public but for those that are locavores and like to know what they eat and how it was raised. I will not recommend this butcher shoppe to a natural humane foodie. After years of wanting to try I got the opportunity and I got a filet. Now since my first introduced to them 10 years ago I have become a locavore and I know my meats. I take pride in knowing my vegetable farmer and my livestock farmer. Getting out of the city was an eye opener, the city does not have the best. So the only red meat I have eaten in the last three years has been humanly raised and slaughtered. If not the meat tastes gamey to me, I can tell a big difference and found that few restaurants and prime meat can stand by itself without salt salt salt and seasoning.
This filet was so gamey I ended up pouring Italian dressing on it to kill the taste. I woke up during the night with meat cramps, even after I walked three miles after dinner. Never again. I was glad I only got one piece. Most of you will not get what I mean or think I am being an idiot, but this review is for locavores… avoid like the plague or make sure you have lots of seasoning and steak sauce.
I did not try the dry aged nor will I, I had enough.

I love to patronize small businesses but sometimes Ottomenilli’s makes it difficult for me to love em’
The Good:
–Chicken Parm hero.
–Pre-​prepared fresh pastas (i.e. Ravioli).
–Cold cuts if sliced correctly dependent upon the employee’s mood.
–Steak burger chop meat.
–Pretty cow diagram carved on the street in front of the door.
The Bad:
–Sausage, egg, and cheese.
–The foods in the open fridge section take on the strong smell of the deli/​butcher atmosphere and I don’t like my milk container smelling a damn deli (I’m a jerk).
–Stale bread.
–Closed on Sunday, which I understand but most Italian shops I grew up with were open in the AM on Sunday, so I always think I can come here to pick-​up pasta on a Sunday and they’re shut.
The Ugly:
–Handful of grumpy Italian men seem disinterested in serving me an more preoccupied with what’s going on behind the counter or a customer they are more familiar with. (This of course does not discount some of their friendlier employees that tend to be in the back portion of the store.)
Overall, this is a factual and somewhat boring review. This butcher/​market is hit or miss and I would stick mostly to purchasing meat or frozen fresh pastas.

Best Italian sub around hands down! The staff is so friendly and products are so fresh! The ready made things go fast and are delish. Chicken cutlets are my favorite along with the subs. Oh and the pickles are so good! Try the homemade lemonade… You will be hooked!

This is a wonderful family-​owned butcher shoppe… excellent selection of organically raised meats, and they’ll cut ‘an prepare any way ya like.
Highly Recommended…
and oh yeah, fantastic deli counter too!

Old School Italian Butcher Shop
Delicious Homemade Chili
Take a trip back in time, and visit Italy when you’re on the Upper East Side. Walking down the street one fine afternoon, I couldn’t help but notice a «Delicious Homemade Chili» sign, which tugged at my taste buds. With high hopes, i decided to venture in and grab a bowl. Two chicken fingers, one container of chili, and a mixed green salad later, I found myself sitting on their bench watching people walk by.
The chili was DELICIOUS! Not too thick — hearty. The roasted red peppers balanced out the flavor perfectly. Their chicken strips, are entirely too addicting. Thin and long, the strips have a nice consistency. They are fairly thick and have a crunchy texture, with just the right amount of saltiness. If you like chicken strips, this could become a regular addiction. The green salad was decent, thankfully it did not have iceberg lettuce.
The food here is served cold, and available for pick up /​delivery. If you ask nicely, the guys will gladly heat up your soup, and there is a bench outside. As this is a butcher shop there is no seating, their drink selections are limited. I had visited Ottomanelli many years ago, and was glad to re-​discover it again.
Great job guys!
Thank you for being so sweet — I’ll definitely be back.
The Scene: Traditional, Italian
Destination Rating: 5
Date Rating: N/​A (Perfect for ordering in)
Hob Nob Potential: 4
Strong Suggestion: Try the chili — it’s delicious!

OK, I went back for the same sandwich. Unoriginal, I know (is there an AA for sandwiches?). But it was just as good this time. So this deli definitely prides itself on consistency. I went early in the AM to grab my sandwich, while all other patrons were ordering breakfast sandwiches. It smelled so delicious in there! While I was waiting in line, I saw this place sells steak cut bacon. That’s right. Steak. Cut. Bacon. I am all over that!
One thing that’s changed: they now have «Italian Combo» on the informal sandwich menu. So now new patrons don’t have to wonder if it can be done.