Perla

Came in hoping to get a spot at the bar during busy hours. Blessed to be served by Caitlin at the bar. Drink/​food came quickly and deliciously with good conversation and a smile. Thank you for a delightful evening.

Food was really tasty and different (in a good way). The host though was the star… super friendly and clearly valued us as customers. We took our chances and came here on a weekend night without reservations at prime time. The host noted that the wait time would be quite a while (45 minutes was his estimate). We decided to wait it out with a drink, and instead of letting us fend for ourselves, the host found us a good spot to camp out with our drinks, and when we asked for a little bread to nibble (I was starving and about to pass out…), he came back not with bread, but little gnocchi delights! To top it all off, he found us a table within 20 minutes instead of 45. The food was great and our waitress was friendly with just the right amount of attentiveness.
We’ll definitely be adding Perla to our rotation!

My boyfriend and I are in agreement: this was the greatest meal of our entire lives.
From the moment we walked in the door, we were greeted with exceptional hospitality from a host that looked remarkably like David Cross, a major bonus. Our waiter, Michael (aka Rachel), was an instant friend. It was hard for us to believe that he wasn’t an actor because his presence was so warm and generous. Having him as our guide through the dining experience made it immeasurably more enjoyable as we relied on his knowledge and recommendations to plan our meal.
As soon as we tasted our prosecco and red wine, we knew that this was going to be something special. First up were the beets, which we initially thought were an accidental serving of tomatoes because of how beautifully colorful and lush they were. We won’t soon forget the bed of pistachio butter or the surprisingly pungent robiola bosina.
From there Michael took us on a whirlwind tour through the palate of Italy, stopping by the succulent gnocchi, perfectly crisp dorade, and (our favorite) agnolotti, which must have been made only hours before we ate it. It wasn’t long before we were legitimately on the verge of happy tears.
We aren’t typically people who order dessert in restaurants, but as Michael poured us a glass of delicious after dinner liquor, we couldn’t say no to fresh coffee, dark chocolate, and chocolate chip gelato. It was a meal that only could have ended by hugging our waiter/​friend.
Sincerely,
Shelby and Zach

Had a 9:30 dinner reservation this past Friday night. Immediately upon walking in we were greeted in a warm, hospitable manner. Seated right away. Our server, Aurora, was fantastic. At no point did we ever feel rushed, which is a huge pet peeve of mine. She took amazing care of us, I really can’t say enough good things about her! All of our appetizers were delicious. The lamb breast special was by far my favorite thing we had and I had earlier proclaimed myself not a lamb fan. I have since seen the light. Really had a lot of fun, such a treat.

I’ve been to Perla several times and am consistently blissful when I leave.
First, Perla is part of Gabriel Stulman’s «Happy Cooking Hospitality» group that includes Bar Sardine, Montmarte, etc. They’re as consistent and quality as Carbone/Torrisi’s «Major Food Group», but without a lot of the big price tags and pomp. (Note: MFG’s restaurants are very good — you should eat at them if you can — but they’re often prohibitively expensive to a lot of New Yorkers, and the clientele make me sad for NYC, because it’s feels monied like Dubai lately. I digress…)
Back to Perla: Kitchen staff are great. House staff are great. Food is great. Spending holidays and anniversaries here is a solid move. Eat the frutti di mare and cacio e pepe. You will regret very little life, in those brief, lovely eating moments.

Especially good service, fantastic food, lovely atmosphere.
We arrived for our reservation and were told our table was not ready (due to the party beforehand having cake). Usually in NYC, diners are forced to wait at the bar in otherwise empty restaurants to create the illusion of a popular restaurant. Anyway, the hostess made space for us at the bar and took care of our drinks while we waited. She kept us updated and was very apologetic. We were very impressed by her.
The food was delicious — the frutti di mare was excellent. It’s a lovely, bustling, cozy restaurant that I would recommend to anyone.

I came back for dinner and wow it was like night and day. Food and service was excellent! The dinner got off to an annoying start because I made reservations, and requested to have them changed since my fiancé and I wanted to sit at a table not at the bar… I’ve been having issues with my back so not loving the bar stool idea. We were seated at 7pm promptly but unfortunately the reservationist messed up our rez and didn’t mark we wanted a table. But the manager sat us down at a table — it’s just that the table wasn’t ideal. it was cramped and small, sort of a makeshift corner table. Still, we sat and had a great meal, and they accommodate us with complimentary bites — the spaghetti and end of meal amaro. I’ll get to that.
But let’s back up. We started off with the gnocchi and cauliflower, which was delicious. The gnocchi had wonderful oxtail ragu, a beefy flavor, with really good cheese and polenta. The only bad thing was not enough gnocchi … the cauliflower was very interesting; it had crispy mint atop and was perfect charred. Highly recommend.
As for the pastas, we ordered the broccoli rabe/​sausage orecchiette, a classic preparation, though in this case, I liked how the pesto was more rabe-​y, not a traditional pesto. The pasta was so pillowy and amazingly made in house. They offered us complimentary spaghetti in pomodoro sauce, which was also really good… with great tomato flavor and smokey guanciale.
For the mains, we split the hanger steak which was nicely charred and had an incredibly smokey yet saucy flavor. came with celery root, onion. It was pretty tasty. maybe a bit too sweet.
As for the dessert, we had the chocolate panna cotta. I prefer regular panna cotta which is my favorite because I’m as much of a chocolate fan but it was a good portion, creamy. We had some amaro as well. I’m not really into after-​dinner liquers but this one was easy to put down.
As for wine — the by the glass menu is not extensive; I had the fourth one which was a fruity, full bodied Italian wine and I think my fiancé had the first French variety which was a bit spicy. We were refilled constantly with water and nicely charred Italian bread with salt and olive oil.
All in all, I do they were very hospitable here– picking up cues when we were unhappy with the table and generously making up for it with the complimentary bites. Service is extremely polite, prompt and quick. The ambiance is also moody and nice– though I would not come here with more than a small group of 4 or 6. it’s not that big of a restaurant.
We had a gift cert and the bill was a bit north of $ 150, all tax/​tip included.

Monday evening dinner. On recommendations from coworker made an early reservation for dinner. Place was pretty empty so I started becoming a little worried about my dining experience. Shortly, others started trickling in and the place got more lively. Great décor and fun art work to stare at. The wait staff was very courteous and attentive. They have a nice beer and wine selection. Their signature cocktails looked interesting, but kept it civil. We split a starter, pasta, and meat special. The gnocchi was the best part of the dinner. Light, fluffy, and very flavorful. The near was kinda blah. Not bad but not great. The starter was the worst part. Chopped up artichoke drenched in olive oil. No flavor or taste to it at all. So, if the three dishes one good, one not so bad, one ugly. Three stars. Probably won’t come back or recommend.

I had to struggle 4 v 5 stars and then I went with the 5 stars because of the food.
I was predisposed to be negative and critical but I was very pleasantly surprised. I can get into a black mood and I arrived in that manner because I had to eat at the bar. [First world problem, the poor shmo had to eat at the freakin’ bar. Boo hoo! Hey, the place is cozy.]
Won me over like a labrador.
Great food. Hell, I ate and enjoyed cauliflower with some kind of sauce. No idea how they did it but I almost licked the plate clean.
Superb pasta in just the right portion — enough for a paratrooper but not too much. Not a Nawlins stevedore portion, y’all, but just right.
Good wine pairings.
Cozy. And, I think I got a better view of things from the damn bar anyway. Who am I to complain?
Converted me like a freakin’ Jesuit!
Is this a great country or what?

KenScale: 8.0÷10
I recently heard Perla has undergone a significant revamp on its menu, replacing its meat-​heavy nose-​to-​tail style with lighter touch. I was intrigued to see what the new-​look restaurant would offer. I’ve had some ups and downs at the restaurant (a lot of satisfying pastas and surprisingly mixed impression on meat menus), but my recent visit overall was satisfying.
I was a huge fan of grilled sardine that came on top of tripe, tomato, olives and fennel. The fish was nicely cooked and worked beautifully with the tripe and tomato for a very pleasant flavor. The restaurant seems to be putting more emphasis on vegetable dishes, and cauliflower picata with aioli, pickled chilies and mint was a winner. Instead of entrees, my dining companion and I decided to go for two pastas. The orecchiette with sweet Italian sausage and broccoli rabe pesto is one of the hold-​overs from the old version of Perla, and is still a satisfying dish, but I slightly preferred the spaghetti all’amatriciana with tomato sauce that was very rich in flavor without over-​seasoning. It was one of the better pasta dishes I’ve had in recent days. For dessert, olive oil cake was absolutely delightful, combined with pineapples and whipped cream. I’m always a huge fan of olive oil cake because of its modestly sweet flavor, and this is definitely one of the better ones I’ve seen around all the Italian restaurants in NYC.
Overall, Perla’s revamp looks like a success, and I would love to go back soon to try more dishes there. The restaurant is still going strong, and especially due to its tiny dining space, getting a reservation in advance is always recommended.

Went here last night with friends and had a fantastic dinner.
We ordered the pork special for starter, which was heavenly. The flavor and tenderness were spot on. Love the sliced pickled radish served with the pork… really gave it a nice flavor.
For our mains we ordered the orcchiette, gnocchi, and my favorite, the bucatini. All three well prepared so well. The flavors were strong enough to make an impression, but not overbearing where you forget you are eating pasta underneath (pasta that was cooked to perfection). The bucatini will definitely be my go-​to dish when I go back. Love the black pepper taste!
Cocktails and dessert were just as great as the food. Nice wine selection and some thoughtful and creative cocktails.
Service was fantastic! Our server (can’t remember her name… recently started there and had a pretty tattoo on her shoulder) was great! She kept us laughing and made excellent recommendations.
Great setting for a group of friends or a first date. They have a fun booth up front by the open windows that’s perfect for a group of friends.
Looking forward to going back soon!

Perla, my first foray into Gabriel Stulman’s Happy Cooking empire, has been a tremendous success in parts mainly due to the stellar Italian influenced food, its light and approachable fare and finally, the music and ambience of the restaurant.
Gabriel’s ethos when it comes to his 6 restaurants, Perla included, is to provide a fun, approachable and neighborhood restaurant. Perla fits all three. In fact, Perla fits a lot of different dining occasions, be it with your family, your date or even your friends. With a recently renovated bar area and ample seating space adorned with comfy red banquette seating, Perla’s simply the place to be. Despite its almost secluded location off the alley of Minetta Lane, it’s almost the more casual and hip cousin of the classic Minetta Tavern.
What’s more is that Gabriel Stulman himself worked the Maitre d’ shift tonight. This is quality assurance at its absolute best. A restaurateur working in his own property is unheard of. It’s not everyday that you run into Danny Meyer, Keith McNally, Drew Neiporent manning the podium. Surely you have the hybrid Chef/​Owners who might be in and out of the kitchen, but as far as restaurateurs go, Gabriel truly walks the talk.
Definitely looking to try other Happy Cooking restaurants.

Amazing and creative food and some of the best cocktails I have ever had. All set in a cozy, fairly romantic atmosphere with a great wait staff. Came here on a date with my boyfriend and we absolutely loved it and can’t wait to return.
Cocktails: Between the two of us, my boyfriend and I tried all 4 cocktails on the menu. Our favorites were the Michael & Vito and the Day After Amaro. My personal favorite was the Michael & Vito, with gin, carpano bianco, tomato water and basil. It’s INCREDIBLE. Tastes like a caprese salad in alcohol form.
Food: The chef procured a suckling pig and turned it into several limited dishes. That specific day, there was house-​cured prosciutto which was incredible and cured perfectly. We also ordered the salmon tartare as an appetizer and loved it. For our entrees, I had cacio e pepe bucatini and my boyfriend had broccoli rabe pesto served over house-​made orecchiette pasta. As someone who lived in Italy and makes my own pasta on occasion, Perla’s pasta dishes lived up to my sometimes-​critical Italian side. For dessert, we split panna cotta and each had an espresso. It was my boyfriend’s first time having panna cotta and he loved it, as did I. Perla nailed the consistency. Overall, the entire meal was incredible
Everything else: the staff was extremely friendly and had great recommendations. Things here are a little on the pricey side ($ 19 for a serving of pasta that is on the small side, comparatively) but it’s definitely worth it. I am also a big fan of the inside décor. The bar has a laid-​back feel, the tables aren’t too close together, and even on a hot summer day, it was nice and cool inside with plenty of fresh air.
All in all, I can’t wait to return to Perla. This was my first-​ever time in New York and it’s finds like Perla that make me excited to return!

I’ve always had a soft spot for Perla and now with the recent menu revamp, I love it even more! It’s the perfect spot for a first date (not too upscale but not too casual either) or for a catch-​up with girlfriends. The new menu is very easy to navigate, and is broken down into apps, veggies (small app portions), pastas and mains.
Highlights for me included the salmon tartare, orechiette (DEF the best pasta of the night… wasn’t a huge fan of the gnocchi) and also the prawns. Solid choice for Italian, but still behind L’Artusi and Maialino for my go-​to casual Italian spot.

Love this place! Amazing food and the waiters are so friendly. I was in a party of six for my friend’s birthday dinner and they gave us The Captain’s Table, which is a cool booth that opens to the outside — perfect for people-​watching.
For appetizers, I tried the frutti di mare (artichokes) — delicious — and the seafood salad, which was incredible. I had an Aperol spritz to drink and I’m not a drinker but this was fabulous. I went with the zucchini agnolotti, which is similar to ravioli, for the entrée, and it was the perfect portion. The ingredients were fresh and flavorful, but it was just a little too salty for my taste (which is why I’ve refrained from adding that fifth star). I’m not sure if that’s how the dish always is, but either way the salt was a little much.
I sampled the buttermilk panna cotta for dessert and it was top notch. All in all a fantastic restaurant! Great for a special occasion.

Italian food is not my favorite, but Perla blew me away. I was here on a business trip which means there was a ton of food ordered — probably every pasta on the menu as well as appetizers and of course entrees and desserts. I personally had the steak and it was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Everyone at the table was equally pleased with the food.
Standouts besides the food was the attentive service and classic rock playlist. Five stars!

My BFF and I took our dear friend here for dinner and everything was delicious, from the bucatini and gnocchi to the chicken and dorade. I just wish they would have given me the 6:30PM reservation I requested rather than insisting on the 6:15PM I agreed to since the whole restaurant was empty and we didn’t end up sitting until 7PM since my friend was late.

Perla, Perla, Perla, the queen jewel of the Happy Cooking Hospitality empire could be so tough to get into, but I had finally been able to make a reservation for two on a Thursday night at a normal time of 7:15 pm. My friend and I happened to enter at the same time, and the smiling hostess took us to one of the first few, smaller tables. We sat down, but I was not really thrilled with the tight space. However, the restaurant, in general, was a bit claustrophobic. Don’t get me wrong, the dim lighting, exposed brick walls, and rustic décor made the space romantic, but the proximity of the tables and narrowness of the room were challenging.
Our server stopped by and took our order for the 2012 Carussin ‘Lia Vi’ Barbera D’Asti from Piedmont. This medium-​bodied Italian red had a hint of rich smokiness, but remained rather fruit-​forward. It was very enjoyable and held its own amongst our seafood progression.
Speaking of, we started with the Charred Octopus appetizer. The two tentacles were tender on the inside, but seared to perfection on the outside. The octopus was served over a thick slice of bread that was moist from the accompanying sauce of oven-​roasted tomatoes and eggplant. Speaking of doughy deliciousness, the complimentary bread plate was also enjoyable, especially when dipped in the aromatic olive oil.
For my main course, I thought it would be wise to opt for a pasta dish versus a meat or fish entrée, so I went with, what was apparently the chef’s favorite, the Black Spaghetti. Sadly, this was not one of the kitchen’s homemade noodles, but the pasta was still cooked to an elegant al dente. It was served with fresh, shelled mussels, chopped fennel, and a very rich broth of sea urchin and tarragon. In fact, I found the sauce a bit too buttery and overwhelming, while I had been hoping for something lighter and with visible chunks of uni. My friend’s Dorade dish was humongous with its two full filets served over broccoli rage with a sweet walnut pesto and spicy Calabrian chili drizzle. We were both in love with this light and hearty dish centered around its expertly sautéed fish.
I also could not forget to mention our server, George, who was certainly one precise and helpful waiter! We could throw anything at him — questions about wine pairings, descriptions about dishes, questions regarding the most popular menu items, etc., and he could provide a detailed description unlike anything we had ever heard. He obviously cared about his job, and his enthusiasm about the restaurant was infectious.
Our Perla experience was enjoyable, for sure. However, I did not find my decadent pasta on the same level as the clean fish plate, which saddened me, as this was an Italian restaurant. I think that I need to revisit and try a few other dishes in order to deem this a full 4-​star review and not one closer to 3.5-stars.

This was on my list of must try restaurants and I’m glad I did but once was enough.
This place has a very hole in the wall/​west village feel to it, as if you just discovered a hidden gem. The kitchen is open the restaurant and has a great charm to it. The meal itself was pretty good. I recommend the octopus appetizer and the agnolotti which was served in a generous portion. The olive oil cake was moist and dense and worth a try as well.
I probably wont be back only because if I hadn’t just written this review the dining experience would be less than memorable. Nothing about it particular makes me dislike the meal and nothing really makes me want to come back for more.

Came here with my husband and another couple, we ordered A LOT of food and it was all fantastic!!!
We only came about a month ago, but the menu has already changed as everything we ordered is no longer listed, I like that the chefs keep it fresh and switch things up like this! Makes me want to go back to try out the new stuff since literally EVERYTHING we ordered was fantastic.
Our server, Tim, was also amazing, he had so much knowledge to share with us about the food and how the dishes were prepared.
Wont go into details but we started with the octopus and a salad — salad’s flavor was delicious and octopus was so tender! Pasta was all cooked perfectly, chewiness of pasta and flavors were amazing! Everything from the bread, wine, service, food was amazing.
Would definitely recommend this place to others and will come back again!

Italiano maravilhoso! Faça reserva! A confidant exceptional! O Pappardelle serve mto bem uma pessoa. Ótimo atendimento dos garçons!
Wonderful Italian food! Make a reservation!