Via Emilia

We went to Via Emilia because of Unilocal,and let us say, it was spot-​on. I had tortellini and «candy-​shaped pasta» and the tiramisu. Both were truly out-​of-​this-​world, and my mouth waters when just thinking about the place. The mixture of cheeses and sauces in the tortellini was truly unique, and the tiramisu was light while flavorful and nothing less than heavenly. To top it off, the owner/​manager came by at the end and asked us how our experience was. He seemed to sincerely care about our response, which was, of course, wholly positive and exuberant. We will be back!

Experience the hearty, homestyle Italian food at Via Emilia. I visited the venue as part of a large group event (we rented the whole restaurant). While the service was a bit slow, I was impressed with the taste of the food and the friendliness of the staff.
Via Emilia provides complimentary Focaccia Bread. These breadstick-​like bread was served warm and was topped with herbs salt, and seasoned with olive oil. It was a bit greasy though.
I had the Minestrone Soup to start. The warm bowl of soup had zucchini, carrots, potatoes, celery, and eggplants. The soup was light and warmed my soul.
For my entrée, I opted for the Tortelloni di zucca. I’ve heard Via Emilia is famous for its tortelloni, and it did not disappoint! I especially loved the pasta dough — chewy and fresh! The tortelloni was filled with generous amount of slightly sweet, cinnamon-​y, and nutmeg-​y pumpkin purée. It could have been a tad bit more savory. I am not a huge fan of butter, so I got the butter and sage sauce on the side to minimize the amount of sauce. The tortelloni tasted almost like pierogies.
For dessert, I had a scoop of peppermint and pumpkin ice cream each. I loved the peppermint, but the pumpkin not so much. The tiramisu was quite good as well.

So glad I stumbled into this great gem! Great service and quality food and above all, great prices! Totally recommend the fried puffy bread and meat appetizer, the proscuitto melts in your mouth and the bread is light and crispy! Another favorite is the house made tortellini with parma prosciutto in a light cream sauce! It’s divine and so flavorful, an absolute must! The wines are great quality as well as the friendly service!!! Top choice for Flatiron/​Gramercy!!!

I had the Agnello al forno con fagioli. It was ok for me. The taste was nothing special, more like A-​OK. I should have ordered the lasagna as suggested in other reviews. I will do so next time!

This has been one of my regular Italian restaurants on my rotation list :) My sister also comes here about once a month since it’s so good! Space is great for groups — the layout of the restaurant is a little weird (a lot of unused space), which makes the restaurant look rather empty, but I kind of like it, you don’t feel overly squished or overcrowded. Easy to make reservations on opentable.
When I sat down, a waiter came to take my drinks order — I proceed to order a moscato on their menu. He warned me that it was their most unpopular bottle due to it being a little too sweet, and that he could let me try a little first. What awesome service! After I tasted it, I decided to go with another sparkling red wine, which is their most popular one on their menu (should be the first one listed) — pretty yum!
While I waited, they also served up some freshly baked Focaccia bread… OH MY GOD. If I didn’t need to eat dinner, I’d probably scarf that whole basket down. If you read my other reviews, you know I love foods that are crispy on the outside, but soft on the inside. This was the epitome of that, AND it was warm! Thumbs upppppppp.
We ordered a gnocco fritto for the table, which came out super fresh and delicious. They literally look like little pillows!!! The cured meats that come with it are to die for as well.
I ALWAYS get the lasagna when I come, I just can’t resist. It’s really that good! It’s a pretty flat but a pretty square of lasagna; it’s creamier than other lasagnas I’ve had, and the pasta sheets they use are green. They come over to offer you a dusting of parmesan cheese too! It just tastes so homemade and hearty, I love it :).
If you have a sweet tooth, get their tiramisu. You won’t regret it. For something a hint healthier, try their strawberries and cream. Literally a bowl of cut-​up strawberries with whipped cream on top, but their whipped cream is out of this world (reminds me of the awesome whipped cream at veniero’s!!!).

Stopped into Via Emilia for a drink at the bar, and ended up dining there. We had Lambrusco, a frizzy red wine, which came with an appetizer. Both the wine and the appetizer were excellent. Lambrusco can be tough to find on a wine list, yet Via Emilia had several from which to choose because the grape is grown primarily in the Emilia-​Romagna region of Italy, where the restaurant focuses.
The owner, who is from that region of Italy, took care of us at the bar and exuded a strong sense of pride in everything he served us. Someone in the restaurant was not happy with the glass of wine they ordered, and he calmly poured a different variety for them to try.
For dinner my friend and I had a stuffed pasta, which was clearly handmade, and a shaved lamb dish. Both were extremely flavorful, presented well, and went great with the second wine we ordered — which was so unique, I would go back to Via Emilia just to drink it.
I would recommend Via Emilia both for a drink and a snack at the bar, or a romantic evening.

Came for dinner. We got the calamari for an appetizer and also free bread. The bread was freshly baked and had some kind of seasoning which made it absolutely delicious. The calamari was good but the sauce was mediocre. It seemed like tomato sauce right out of a can. I got the tortellini pasta an Panna with Italian sausage. The sauce was really good and the tortellini was mini size. My friend got the steak which was decent but not that great. So overall, I’d say it’s a pretty decent Italian place for pasta.

Probably the best Italian I have ever had and I eat a lot of it. Meat sauce, lasagne, spaghetti, seafood you name it it’s incredible. This place is busy for good reason. This is now on my must stop when in Nyc list.
Seriously, really really good.

Amazing food! Everything down to the mint tea was outstanding. I had the chicken and mushroom tortellini and my date had the lasagna. Both were awesome. I will come back again and again :)

The sign out front said Best Lasagna in NYC and they may be right. It’s traditional Moderna style with green (spinach) pasta and no ricotta. Tasted great, with a nice slight crunch to the lower layer of noodles. I tried some of the pasta and it was excellent as well. Service was friendly and the place is nicely decorated. A great place for lunch.
PS… The bread here is amazing — always a sign of a good restaurant.

I was looking for an Italian place in the this area for my wife’s birthday dinner. She happens to be named Emily, so obviously I had to choose Via Emilia.
At first glance, it doesn’t look like much. Décor is pretty standard. I made a reservation, but there were many seats. It’s a pretty big place once you are inside.
So we went solely on the recommendations of our sever. He said he was from Italy, so why not. We had the Gnocco Fritto as an appetizer. As you have probably read from other reviews, delicious little pillows with cured meat. What’s not to like?
For dinner, we had the Lasagne (like the server’s mother makes-​best he’s ever had) and the Caramelle di Castelvetro (candy pasta). Both were very good, and despite not really having much lasagna, this was the best we have ever had. He brought two dishes with the meals split for us to share. They really complimented each other well.
Earlier in the meal, I had mentioned it was my wife’s birthday. I said, «no pressure,» in reference to his recommendations. Later, the servers all sang to her and brough a complimentary Key Lime Tiramisu. Very tasty and kind of them. The Manager (?) came over later and made sure we enjoyed our meals. Apparently many ladies named Emily/​Emilia stop in.
We had a really wonderful experience, and there is a real chance that we’ll stop in again some day.

We didn’t have reservations for a Friday night, but needed a good Italian place to load up on carbs before our half marathon the next day. The staff made a big effort to fit us in, and we are so happy they did! We had an amazing meal here and the service was excellent, until a party of 20 showed up that understandably slowed everyone down.
We ordered the mushroom truffle ravioli (AH-​MAZING!) and another pasta that I can’t remember the name of. They were candy shaped tortellini with prosciutto. Also very yummy! Paired with lots of bread, we were very full on just those 2 dishes split between 3 of us.
We would have ordered dessert, but service towards the end was very slow, so we opted out.
The prices here are very reasonable given the portion sizes and quality of the food. Definitely worth a visit back!

The food is great but the décor and service could use a lot of work.

Via Emilia is like a lovely local Italian bistro that you might stop at on a trip to Bologna. The ingredients used are impeccably fresh and the proprietor, William, is full of warmth and deeply dedicated to quality. I had ordered the Borlengo as an appetizer, having never seen anything like that on an Italian menu before and was just floored. It’s like a crêpe made with milk, eggs, flour, salt, and parmesan cheese. I also detected possible hints of rosemary, but not sure. Highly recommended and makes for a delicious appetizer.
My spinach with tomato sauce entrée was chock full of flavor and I was advised to avoid sprinkling any parmesan on my pasta. How can this be? Parmesan is to pasta as a t-​bone steak is to my dog. But I heeded the advice and dug into my dish sans parmesan and what a surprise – I found the most perfectly cooked tomato sauce that I’ve ever tasted. The tomatoes were perfectly ripe with the perfect amount of tanginess, juiciness, and a texture that can only be described as both soft and firm at the same time. Did I mention this sauce was perfect? Apparently, they jar all of their summer tomatoes so that you can still enjoy this sauce even on the coldest days of winter. Buono! I’ll be back again soon!

Portions are plentiful. Staff were very attentive without being intrusive. Highly recommend the Tagliatelle al ragu.
I didn’t get the details, but they apparently have a monthly opera night with live performers. I can’t imagine where this takes place as the space doesn’t have any big open areas that I could see. Will definitely be back to check it out.

I’ve been here a few times and they truly have the best lasagne I’ve had in a restaurant! The host is welcoming, the servers friendly and the atmosphere comfortable. The gnocco fritto is also delicious, but the other pastas I’ve had, except the tagliatelle bolognese, don’t quite match the perfection of the lasagne. One issue that needs to be addressed… making a reservation on their website doesn’t work. I had to call twice to get anyone and finally was able to make a reservation. That aside, when I need it but don’t feel like making my homemade Lasagne Bolognese (with fresh pasta!), I’ll come here for sure!

The gnocco fritto is a must. Absolutely amazing.
We also had the Lasagne and the Caramelle di Castelvetro which we got recommended. It was great but wouldn’t go back again for it. Next time we would try the mains– the steak and the veal looked delicious. Overall a safe option for Italian food in the area.

So this is my favorite casual Italian restaurant in the city. (My favorite high-​end Italian is Babbo). Keep in mind, this is not American-​style Italian, so don’t expect red & white checker tabletops, everything drowning in red sauce (or ‘gravy’), anything ‘fra diavolo”, or any Sopranos posters on the wall. This place looks very modern and well, European.
This is real Italian, specifically from the Emilia-​Romagna region of Italy which lies in the fertile Po River Valley, otherwise known as the ‘Bread Basket of Italy” with the food capitals of Bologna & Modena. Yeah, you heard me correctly, it’s not Rome, not Venice, not Florence — those are the tourist capitals, not the food capitals. Any self-​respecting Italian will tell you that this is where the best food in Italy comes from.
We Americans were introduced to Southern Italian-​style dishes, so that’s what we’re used to, or think, Italian is. I’m here to tell you that we were wrongly introduced. We Americans also have a fascination with Tuscany and think that’s where the best Italian comes from… and once again, we’re wrong.
The best Italian comes from Emilia-​Romagna — the home and birthplace of parmigiano-​reggiano, balsamic vinegar (di Modena), prosciutto (di Parma), lasagna bolognese (Bologna), ravioli, tortelloni, cannelloni and Lambrusco wine. As well as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and Ducati. Yes, this is the real Italy. But unfortunately most Americans have never heard of it or could even place it on a map. Fortunately though, William (the owner and chef of Via Emilia who hand-​makes the pasta himself) is here to show us the riches of his region.
Do not go here without trying the Gnocco Fritto (puffy fritters) con solo Prosciutto, Tagliatelle al ragu, Pumpkin Tortelloni and of course, the Star of the Show… the Lasagne. You MUST order this. I thought I didn’t like Lasagne, but then realized I don’t like American-​style Lasagna. This is different — short stacked, thinly-​layered pasta sheets with a meat & cream sauce. It’s won best Lasagna in the city I don’t know how many times, so you should try it.
And lastly, I love some of his wines from the region — my favorite is Altonero, and also love his desserts.
All of this, at a reasonable price, makes for my favorite casual Italian restaurant in the city… with Babbo being my favorite high-​end Italian in the city.

This place was a bit of a disappointment to me.
The staff was really friendly and sweet but the food kinda just got to me.
I’ve been to many nice Italian restaurants and I can say that this place really doesn’t compete. The food was pretty average. nothing too special The portions also were much smaller than I expected it to be. I’ve been to places that have the same prices but give much larger portions and/​or at least better quality food, and it’s unfortunate that I can’t say the same about this place.
The place itself though is very nice and had great décor, but that’s all I can really say about it.

Don’t even think about missing out on their lasagna. I’m not a huge fan of it like Garfield, but this was one of the best dishes I’ve had all year! Wow!
Modern décor with delicious authentic Italian cuisine. Didn’t enjoy a glass of wine, but will next time. Service was attentive– with a server bringing extra bread and water promptly.
I’ve tried 3 «paste» dishes (thanks to generous dinner companions): spinach maccheronni, spaghetti with meat sauce, and lasagna. Everything was suburb, but we all agreed lasagna was hands down the best.
My friend complimented the food and ambience by proudly stating“this is the type of restaurant I won’t mind dining alone at.” Me too, me too.
(Will add fifth star after additional visits.)