Great food. Complimentary bread/sauce basket was delicious. Octopus appetizer was tender and flavorful. The service was pretty decent. Polite, but not the quickest despite my 2-person party being almost the only patrons in there. Would happily return. read more

Nice little restaurant but a bit pricey. We sat at the little bar (very little only 4 seats right beside the kitchen). We had 2 drinks and 2 appetizers. The zucchini flowers were delicious and just as we used to have in Italy. The meatballs were very good too. The wine selection is very interesting and definitely a highlight. read more

Antonucci Cafe - Meatballs - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Just all around perfection: friendly and accommodating service, delightful understated atmosphere, and terrific food. Grilled octopus and linguine with clam sauce read more

This was our first time dining at Antonucci Cafe. We went for dinner this past Saturday evening and we had an 8:30 reservation. From the minute we were seated, we were rushed to order drinks and then rushed to order food and rushed again to order coffee and dessert (which we didn't want). While we understand that a restaurant has a closing time, they should not make reservations close to closing if diners are not going to be permitted to have a relaxing enjoyable experience. We've seen this at several restaurants since Covid and it's unfortunate. Overall, our food was very good but it became secondary because we were rushed. read more

It's just a restaurant. Nothing special and nothing exciting. The food was fine. The service was fine. It wasn't worth going to after Chicago. read more

We had a good meal because Francesco is talented and his kitchen obviously has learned his craft, but so are many Italian chef in New York City. Unfortunately and sadly, we decided this will be our last time. He is rude and unfriendly, he watched me wheel out my mother-in-law and did not even budge, he didn't ask the people he was chatting with to move so we can get by-- so oblivious to customers, I honestly, don't get it??? Hopefully, he reads this review because he needs to get a grip New York is a BIG city-he is not the only Italian restaurant in the neighborhood! Try Sandro's on 86 street , honestly the BEST so friendly and amazing service and authentic Italian food. Good riddance! read more

You must read this! I researched for the best Italian Restaurant on the Upper East Side. Antonucci Cafe came up twice on two websites. Of all the menus, this was the most appealing. I was able to get a reservation for a Saturday night (10/22/22) and even requested a particular table which they accommodated even though I never really expected it but even the hostess admitted that the timing was good! I will keep the table number to myself! The Hostess was friendly and so helpful when seating us. Sveta took care of my wife and I that evening and the service and attention was spot on! I had three cocktails and received each only seconds after ordering them. From the first Cocktail to the Appetizers through the main course, everything was beyond perfect. The atmosphere is warm and so unpretentious. Clearly an Upper East Side crowd as well. As for the meal, we started with splitting a perfect Caesar Salad. Then went on to the Zucchini Blossoms which were simply above and beyond. The best I have ever had and I have had many. THEN, the piece de resistance! I had the Chicken Liver Pate appetizer which I could not wait to order after researching the restaurant. It was simply the best appetizer that I have ever had and I dare compare it to my own departed mother's Chopped Liver (forgive me mom!). It consisted of three pieces served on Country Toast with pickled red onion and a one quarter perfectly cooked par boiled egg. The Pate was an oval portion on each piece of bread. The people at the next table were staring in awe at the presentation. I ate all three! My wife had none! Our main courses were the Veal Scalopini and Chicken Milanese. The Veal was thin, moist and was just amazing! The Chicken was also moist and the best Milanese I have ever tasted (it was my wife's dinner). This was probably the best Italian meal (if not one of the best meals) I have ever had. The owner sat down to eat as my wife and I were getting up to leave. Sveta pointed him out to me. I had to go over and let him know that it was the best experience I have ever had in New York City. So glad I cancelled my reservation at Dowlings at the Carlisle that night which I previously made in advance! In conclusion, yes I have eaten at Quality Italian and it was excellent. But the food and experience at Antonucci Cafe was even more so. The combination of choices, service and food is the best Alchemy for the most perfect meal you will experience on the Upper East Side let alone NYC. It is quite simply the place I want to be whenever I am back in New York which will not be long! Steven S (Los Angeles) read more

A relatively average Italian restaurant? We have come here on several occasions but still haven't figured out which dish is their specialty. They taste ok but nothing to rave about! read more

Not sure what happened to Antonucci....but it used to be my fav UES Italian...brilliant food, lovely service, family style, cute, comfortable ambiance. Was there this past week and it was none of that. The service was surly, the food was just awful.....swordfish looked like sausage, and tasted the same. The dessert (chocolate cake) came out hard and tasteless. Even the appetizers (artichoke salad and tuna tartare) was just fair. I was shocked. It will be a long while before I return, if ever. I have recommended this restaurant to countless friends both local and not. Won't be doing that either. read more

I can see why everyone loves this place. It's intimate, the owner walks around like he owns the place, checking on everyone, the service is attentive, the food is great (for the most part, see below), the desserts yummy. Our party of six all arrived, (we were having an impromptu Cornell class of '72 reunion for four of the party), we were seated immediately (we had reservations, after all), and the waitress came around several times to see if we were ready to order before we finally were ready. The place is pricy, but not completely out of reach. It ended up being around $90/person including tip (which was added to the bill automatically). We had one bottle of wine (the cheapest bottle on the menu was about $70, I think, and most were more - much more. Ours was an $80 bottle of Tuscan wine, which was very good, but you can spend upwards of $300 for one bottle. We didn't eat a lot - we had three appetizers between the six of us, and six mains, and then six desserts, and everything was great, except for the appetizer I had, which was the "Braised Small Artichokes, Shallots, Pine Nuts, Green and Black Olives -- $24." This would have been good if they had used artichoke hearts, but they didn't - it was the whole small artichokes. Since they were small, maybe they thought they would be tender enough, but imagine eating a whole artichoke. The sharp points on top were still there, and actually hurt. And they were the outer leaves, so it was like chewing on leather. I chewed and chewed, hoping the damn leaf would eventually give up its structural integrity, but it was all in vain. I certainly got my daily dose of fiber. Anyway, if you are reading this, Francesco, please fix this item. Make it with artichoke hearts, not small artichokes. It isn't working. Meanwhile, everything else was great - I got to taste the watermelon salad, the mushroom ravioli, and the crispy potato gnocchi. Everyone was happy with their food. I had the Affogato for dessert, which is chocolate ice cream, whip cream, and hazelnuts that they pour espresso over in front of you. That was good, but I would get something else next time. The warm poached pear was "worth waiting for" according to Marty (it came a minute after everything else). The peach tart was so good, my wife says next time, she'll skip everything else and just get that! So, I would definitely go back for a special occasion, but I would avoid the artichokes! read more

Andjela and Ivana are the best servers ever! The food is great but the service makes it so much better! They're super nice, kind, friendly, attentive- honestly, couldn't be better. Such an amazing experience read more

I found a wonderful kept secret and I am so happy. The food here, the ambiance, the servers....everything was AMAZING. I started with three meatballs, and I am sorry, they were hands down the most moist, delicious meatball recipe I have had in decades. I wish I could get the recipe they were so good. CRY GOOD. Then they brought over some ragu with goat cheese in it and it was amazing as a dip. I don't know how you are "supposed" to eat this but it tasted amazing. Unfortunately my eyes are bigger then my stomach (on this day at least) and I had ordered the lamb ragu tagatalle. It was so delicious. I couldn't eat all of it though and the server was very gracious and asked me if anything was wrong with it, and I had to tell her and stress that I was telling her the truth, that I was just stuffed!! Cute tidbit, there is a picture here of a chef and it is a giant painting you can see in the picture section of these reviews. The pic is of Madonna. She lives a few homes down towards the park. I LOVE her, so I just wanted to toss that in here....I only knew that because some lady came in and told this to her table mates, causing me to google madonna and the street and voila it's true. #superfan #lame I will go back the next time I am in NYC GREAT WINE LIST read more

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Caesar salad could use a better dressing to bring out the best flavor. I think the gnocchi did not disappoint - really enjoyed the natural chewiness to it. What I was a little upset about was the constant rushing of waiters - my friend and I would still be working on the bread and tomato dip (which tasted good) for example and they would come and ask if we were done when we obviously weren't. Seem like they were running on their own schedule and trying to get us to finish as soon as possible. I really liked the ambiance in the cafe, but think the service has space for improvement read more

Antonucci Cafe - Caesar Salad - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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Just picture you are giving a party for 6. Made the reservation in person 5 days before. Confirmed twice to their texts and by telephone. Have been coming here for years and years. Enjoyed the food and the ambiance and tasted cuisine prepared by the chef owner and chefs that's been trained by the best. I was looking forward to having the Ossobuco and all the specialties,and walked in great anticipation of a great evening and greeted by Antonio our waiter for years and years and years. Then this stranger named Elorna ( found out later she is the hostess) get in front of us and told me that we (6 of us) has to finish our dinner in one hour or we have to sit outside in impending rain. I asked her if she is kidding ? She said 'Are you asking me?' How can a High End neighborhood restaurant treat a patron with such rudeness and dishonesty. This is something that I have never experienced ever before and will be my last. This Elorna does not deserve my patronage or yours. She is totally incompetent as a hostess. Does not belong in this restaurant . You can get Italian food some where else without having Elorna destroy your evening before you sit down to your reservation. read more

Antonucci Cafe - Ossobuco with risotto Milanese - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Everything was perfect; from the atmosphere, to the food, to the waitstaff. I can't wait to return.

Lovely little Italian restaurant tucked into 81st St. Teeny tight outdoors seating. The dining room is small, but charming. Nice, attentive waitstaff. Big wine list with some reasonable offerings if you looked carefully. The cocktails looked very good. We were started off with a nice basket of bread accompanied by a dish of tomato sauce with a soulful dollop of cheese. The food was awesome. I started off with the tomato salad. The tomatos were excellent and accompanied by hurray's, anchovies, basil and onions. The dish was as aromatic as it was tasty. My wife loved the artichoke appetizer. I had the halibut. It was off the chart. An amazing combination of flavors. My wife loved her branzino. The dorado, meat lasagna and orichietta were all equally well received. We ended the meal with a plate of delicious biscotti. Why not 5 stars, then? The seating wasn't comfortable. We were a party of 6 and seated at a tight table in the middle of the restaurant. The chairs were strangely uncomfortable. Waiters kept bumping into me during the meal. We will definitely return. Next time it will be a table of four or less, against a wall. read more

*amazing* food. Living in NYC and Northern Jersey the last 40 years, I must have eaten at 100+ Italian restaurants. From a food perspective, this place has to be in my top five. A bit of a tight space and always crowded (understandably!) expect to pay a high price tag. But if you value quality food, it's worth it! read more

Probably my favorite restaurant on UES. Food, ambience, wine and everything about this place is amazing. Make sure to make a reservation as it's always packed. read more

Was quite disappointed in the dinner I had here recently. The dining space is small and intimate. Friends said the food was very good and I was looking forward to a good meal. I found the food well below average. The ceasar salad consisted of wilted romaine which must have been well before the dinner rush. The dressing was uninspiring and almost certainly not restaurant made. The grilled jumbo prawns were mealy and must have been frozen and thawed for too long before cooking. The sauce was just so, so. The prawns came with a few vegetables but no rice or pasta which would have benefited the dish. The restaurant has a nice wine list but the food and wine are somewhat over-priced. read more

This places has a fly problem. Flies flying around inside and outside! Dept of Hygeine needs to inspect! The minestrone tasted like raw vegetable juice. Salad was bitter. The only good was the bread basket. We were 3 people, no drink and no dessert and was over $100. Overpriced odd food. read more

UES dining gem food was outstanding so highly recommend the location. Very delightful check it out

Decided to venture to a new Italian place and chose your cafe. Food for five of us was great. My salmon was completely! Our waitress had absolutely no interest in serving us. She never once asked us about our food. When our plates cleared no one even noticed that I had not touched my food. I figured it out when I got the bill...Since it was 6 of us, our waitress automatically received 20% tip. We definitely will not return. $492 not well spent. read more

I've live in the neighborhood for four years and finally stopped by with a date last night. Place is pure fire. Service, drinks, food all exceptional. Closers only. Will be back. Try the black linguine and the roast chicken, you'll thank me. read more

An UPES gem! Atmosphere, service and food provide all the ingredients for a wonderful evening of dining! This my most visited restaurant in the city, and have never been disappointed. read more

Great Italian recipes Caccio E Pepe PastaSquid Ink RisottoBraised Short RibsGrilled OctopusKale Salad

Italian food at it's best! The marinara and goat cheese dipping sauce was amazing! I could eat this all day! I enjoyed the pear salad. Simply delicious! My favorite is lasagna. The sauces here are delicious! I had the affogato for dessert and that hit the spot too. Great ambiance, and a nice but small sidewalk patio for outdoor seating. Service was attentive and friendly. Overall, kudos to the chef for preparing great meals! Definitely a spot I'd recommend to friends and visit regularly. read more

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Well, in spite of having made a Reservation for Four, and confirming the day before, upon Arrival a few minutes early we were told, that it hadn't been recorded! - we were with another Couple, one of whom is 94, a Marine Vet in WW2 and Korea - and myself, 77 and handicapped - in spite of "suggesting" a courtesy Drink after being held from a Table (as Airlines do with delays), we were told by the Owner, "I can't do that". Whaaat?!?? Really???!?? So: after standing awhile, then a Table dead-center on the Entrance, but luckily resettled to a Banquet. OK: having the Sunday Prix Fixe Lunch, a decent price, and good Food, we were not rushed, the Servers attentive, a relaxing afternoon, chatting, savoring. Attention Mr. Owner and Former Chef at REMI: a TIP [To Improve Performance] . . . be more Accommodating. read more

Antonucci Cafe remains one of my favorite UES Italian Restaurants because of their consistently excellent food and their low-key yet charming atmosphere. The service is friendly (though not always attentive - especially on busy nights). And while it's a casual restaurant (perfect for dinner with friends or a date) - you'll find many men and women dressed elegantly in blazers and in proper dinner attire. The crowd tends to skew a bit older with many long-time repeat clientele. The food is great - simple, non pretentious but wonderfully prepared. It's worthwhile to note that portion sizes are non very large. Knowing this, however, just make sure to order accordingly (last time we were here we ordered 8 appetizers and 6 entrees for a party of 5). The menu is large (and always accompanied by an even larger offering of "daily" specials). During out last visit, everything we ordered was excellent (with the exception of the black bass which was a bit fishy). Make sure to try their eggplant parmesan (it's my favorite). They have a decent wine list. My one big negative and something to be mindful of, is that the restaurant often seats large parties at inappropriately sized tables (i.e, squeezing a party of 6 at a table meant for 4). Try them out! read more

Stopped for late lunch after visiting The Met. Since it was late the restaurant was quite. Service was great and our food was delicious and hot. Grilled calamari along w/ penne w/spicing sauce and beet salad each were great. A nice upper east side Italian meal before heading home. We'll be back..oh and the bread w/ tomato/parmesan sauce very good. read more

I just helped my daughter move in nearby. I live on Park Avenue. I stopped in to this restaurant today (a Monday - normally not an insanely busy day) at 6 pm; asked for a table for 2 inside; two employees gave me a wierd look. I thought maybe they didn't understand me, so I asked again if they could accommodate me. They finally said yes but outside. I said ok; The hostess leads me to a four top, then realizes she did wrong so she seats me at a 2 top, which is fine. My daughter arrives; the hostess comes over and says they made a mistake and we have to go to their (totally empty deadly no atmosphere) next door space, Il Vaporetto. My daughter asks if we can have our drinks comped for the inconvenience; no response (they did not comp us). Now to the food: I had the pear salad - a poorly rendered version with no flavor. My daughter liked her heirloom tomato salad; we both liked the rigatoni a la vodka; I've had better tiramisu. For the money, I'd go to Serafina's or via Quadronno. No quirky service; better food; less expensive. read more

The food here was great. My friends and I came around 4pm so there was a ton of seating but the server rushed us out after terrible service. My friends and I all noticed her whispering about our table the entire meal. Great art, food, and wine but a very rude and cold staff all around. Wouldn't go back. read more

Check out this $29 carry out meal. I waited 45 mins for it! "Braised chicken with brussels sprouts and gnocchi". Tastes like overcooked thin grilled chicken without any sides. When I called the restaurant they said they made a mistake and there is nothing they can do. read more

Antonucci Cafe - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Antonucci continues to impress! Even during covid. We were seated at a lovely (distanced) table outside on Saturday night. We enjoyed the fresh appetizers of octopus and tomatoes. For entree I had the lobster and shrimp spaghetti and the wife had veggie lasagna. Classic UES neighborhood joint. I've seen Madonna (who lives up the block) and Mariski hagerty there. Great wine selection. Highly recommend! read more

A very nice all around Italian spot, hidden just off 3rd ave. Its kind of a small but comfy space, tea lights, glasses of wine everywhere and quiet conversations. I had heard that they have an 'artichoke heart' dish, so I had to try it. It was outstanding. The bread basket had a few different styles/types of bread, including these long reed like bread sticks. They were tasty with a slight hint of anise. For my meal i had the 'spaghetti with meatballs', which sounds ordinary, but was very tasty with perfect noodles. I finished it off with a 'creme brulee'... A great little place, that probably requires a reservation, but If you are willing to show up a little after 9pm (on weeknights), you should be fine.. read more

Antonucci Cafe - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

So sad. We were really looking forward to trying this place! We ordered an arugula salad, spaghetti and meatballs and a pear salad. The arugula salad was very good, spaghetti was fine and the pear salad was tasteless. A few glasses of wine and $170 plus tip later it was simply not worth the investment. The wait staff was nice. For great Italian on the UES try Paola's, Sfoglia or, oddly enough, the back dining room of Delizia 92! read more

I discovered this Italian dining spot while walking past after visiting the Met. A friend and I went for lunch. The decor was quite lovely and the service was excellent during our visit. It was not overly crowded during the lunch hour which made for a comfortable dining experience. Some people said it was a bit loud at dinner and lacked privacy and I can confirm tables are very closely spaced so that may be true at night. We note for lunch they have their regular menu plus a prix fixe menu, $26 for 2 courses, $29 for 3 courses. We opted for the 2 course choice. My friend chose veal cannelloni for his main course with a vanilla scented creme brulee for his dessert. He enjoyed both. I chose an appetizer for my first course, a market salad mixture of very fresh greens, fennel, and radicchio with a light dressing, beautifully presented and delicious. My second course was grilled branzino over a bed of chopped eggplant and small fingerling potatoes. This was excellent as well. My friend enjoyed his martini ($15) which he said was absolutely perfect while I had a glass of the house pinot grigio ($16) which I have to say was excellent. Unfortunately, I did not note the brand. To end our meal, we both had an espresso also perfectly prepared. I felt like I could have been in Venice, where this restaurant's namesake is located. In summary, I will definitely return here. I really loved our dining experience and highly recommend you try this fine Italian cafe. read more

A hidden gem of the dining scene in the Upper East Side. Our group found the Venetian trattoria almost by accident - unable to reach a consensus on a dinner venue, we happened to walk by Antonucci and saw signor Antonucci entertaining other patrons at the time. We knew there and then that the place merited a try. The goat cheese and tomato dip that accompanies a sampling of bread could by itself be the highlight of many meals. Yet each subsequent fare brought us an even broader grin (and heavier stomach): decadent salmon ratatouille, tender braised short ribs, duck ravioli, tiramisu, and buttermilk panna cotta. As you can tell, we were so full the walk back to our places wasn't particularly fun. Yet, is Antonucci worth the effort? Absolutely. read more

Antonucci Cafe - Duck ravioli - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Comfortable, quiet restaurant with excellent service and cocktails/wine list. classic menu with great fish. good Ossoff bucolic on bright yellow risotto. looked like saffron and food coloring. the pasta carbonara was atrocious. Dry riggotoni with bits of pork fat. Looked and tasted like an elementary school cafeteria! Not sure if there is any quality control here. read more

Supposedly the baseball player Ichiro used to go here to eat Carbonara. Carbonara is my one of my favorite and their carbonara was pretty delicious. You can tell this is little high end when you see who's dining when you enter. Very cute decor inside :) read more

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My family loved this place! The tomato sauce and ricotta appetizer was to die for, and we enjoyed other appetizers as well. We all got different pastas which were lovely. We had great wines as well as amari from an impressive menu with dessert. The desserts were nothing special and paled in comparison to the awesome dinner, but there was nothing wrong with them. To top it off, the atmosphere is very cute, and the waitresses dress very elegantly in black dresses and pearls. read more