I would not recommend cafe Fiorello. The food isn't terrible, but it's subpar compared to other Manhattan Italian restaurants. The pizzas were especially disappointing. The dining experience also feels like you're in a tourist trap, between the large overstuffed rooms, the tacky decor, and the pushy service. There are so many better Italian restaurants nearby. read more

I've been here a couple of times, love the drinks and love the chicken parm! The place does get busy so it's best to make a reservation but if you can snag a place at the bar it's well worth the trip read more

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

Cafe Fiorello restaurant has been our post theatre dinner to go and this visit was just memorable. Though the placed looked packed and lively, we were seated right away. The service and food was just heavenly. We started off with a Gibson cocktail and a glass of Malbec to compliment their garlicky and warm bread. Then we shared a three Vegetables appetizers that consisted of sausage and peppers, stuffed artichokes and grilled mushroom. All cooked to perfection. Decadent. I could have eaten these for an entree. But for entrees we had the Cafe Fiorello cheese burger (succulent but don't get it med well - bad decision on my part!) and the must try, spaghetti with meatballs! To end the perfect meal, we shared the lemon cake. Cloyingly sweet, but if you like sweet lemony cake, this is for you! read more

See all

Looking for a good Italian spot in the area, I would recommend. Always had a good experience when I go in person. I like to sit at the bar and it's a good experience with hearing stories from out of tower's considering it's across from Lincoln center. My personal favorite is the pizza. Very thin crust and is very delicious. Drinks are also good but very measured pours (I tend to like mine more boozy :-) ) Service was good - - not fantastic. Attentive enough but the bar overall is crowded so took that into consideration. Advice: go in person, don't order delivery. It does not taste the same delivered at all. So if you want the true taste, go to the restaurant read more

It's like your quintessential family owned Italian eatery. That's def the vibe it gives. Very classic, very homely, very familiar, very spacious, very Italian, and you'll leave feeling satiated. The food is classic, deliciously amazing. Same goes for all the classic Italian cocktails I had. Service is welcoming, pleasant, timely. No complaints. I've gone a few times and will be returning. Also right at Lincoln Center, great for after show catch up , make merry vibes. read more

This place was amazing, the food was so good, the tiramisu and espresso topped it off, just right. read more

Cafe Fiorello - Languil bolognese - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

See all

We made reservations and dined at Cafe Fiorello before a TV studio taping nearby. The best thing about this restaurant is the atmosphere and the service. Our waiter was really attentive and the restaurant itself is very old school New York with white tablecloths and marble. There were also people who you can tell have been going there for many years, and several birthday parties. I ordered the Four Seasons Pizza, which was topped with artichokes, pesto, mushrooms, and peppers ($30). It was pretty tasty and I liked the thin crispy crust. I will say it was too much food for me, so I think potentially two people could share if you got an appetizer as well. My partner ordered the vegetable antipasto bar (3 vegetables, $28). He got the ricotta ball, bean salad, and brussel sprouts. Unfortunately, the portion size was not enough for him but he was able to share my pizza. The bean salad was especially underseasoned but the other two were pretty good. Overall, we would come back and order maybe a pizza and salad again if we were nearby and in a pinch. Otherwise, it's a bit pricey for the quality of the food in my opinion. read more

Cafe Fiorello - Vegetable Antipasto Bar - 3 Vegetables - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Get ready for sky-high prices and then some hardcore nickel-and-dime-ing to make this place an all-around ripoff. Went for lunch and ordered chicken parmigiana ($38) - yes the portion was large but who really needs that much, especially at lunch? Want a side of spaghetti to go with that? $13 extra. Maybe some simple rolls and butter? $6 extra. It's these small up-charges that stand out - and make you not want to go near the place again. Who makes these decisions??? read more

The service was excellent! First, a gentleman seated me perfectly outside. The server was there immediately with drink orders and menu. She Recommended the Prix Fix since I told her that I was hungry. First I had the Parada with yellow and red tomatoes and she brought me some balsamic glaze. She recommended. It was perfect !! Next came the "petit" Dover sole that was actually but a very generous portion of fresh fish cooked perfectly with a light butter lemon caper sauce on top of sautéed spinach. It was quite incredible! I finished with their homemade pistachio gelato. That was the best I've ever had... including Italy! read more

Best antipasto bar in the city . Right across the street from Lincoln center so it's easy to get to and get to show after you eat read more

See all

Food 7/10 Typical American fare. Solid burrata and prosciutto, the tiramisu was actual quite gas and that surprised me in a good way. The rigatoni alla vodka was very standard, and the antipasto were fine too. Nothing too standout but nothing was made poorly. Atmosphere 6/10 Kind of tacky Valentine's decor and whatnot, but the location is great and easy if you're headed to Lincoln Center. Service 6/10 A little slow. read more

See all

Very busy restaurant with somewhat a lot of space inside but kind of a maze as we were seated in a far back corner that took a long maze to get there. The food was fairly large portions and quite tasty, drink could be a bit stronger (and not as expensive). Overall a tad pricey and service was not the best as we were on a time crunch and our server did not give us a lot of attention and we had to go grab her and ask other servers for our check. read more

Cafe Fiorello - Fettuccine Bolognese - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

See all

One of my friends and I went to this Lincoln Square staple and it was absolutely slammed on a weeknight. Even though it seems mostly like a pre- or post-show place, we wanted to try it. We ordered a bunch of pastas and veggie sides - everything was just passable. I ordered the fra diavolo and it was unnecessarily spicy - like, burn-your-eyebrows-off spicy. It must've been a one-off though because I can't imagine this would be the norm. The thing that I didn't like though was the service. Our server basically ignored us the whole time; he was quite rude and not really paying attention to what he was doing, either. My friend said she wanted another drink so he went to remove her glass, put his entire hand inside it, then set it back down and just brought the bottle over to refill her? Gross and bizarre. I'd like to think that both the lava-hot fra diavolo and the strange glass-touching were one-offs, but either way, I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here - it's probably fine before a show though. read more

Cafe Fiorello - Fiorello Spritz - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Do you love ultra thin crust pizza? Then this is the place for you! Their pepperoni pizza (generously topped) never ever disappoints with its cracker-like crust. We also added the chocolate mousse which was a giant lump of fresh whipped cream and chocolate mousse. We did takeout and were able to savor this over two days. Absolutely worth it! read more

I come to Cafe Fiorello very often. The ambiance and decor of the place is very welcoming and great for both a breakfast and dinner setting. It's a great place to come on a date or a nice dinner with friends. The servers are very prideful in their work and always extremely kind and on top of their service. The prices are a little expensive but worth it in my opinion. For Breakfast I would 100% recommend the Pancakes. They're extremely fluffy and very filling. For dinner I would recommend the Rigatoni alla Vodka. Rigatoni alla Vodka- 8/10 Chicken Parmigiana alla Vodka- 9/10 Buttermilk Pancakes- 10/10 Margherita Pizza- 7/10 Hot Chocolate- 8/10 Fettuccine Bolognese- 6.5/10 read more

See all

Also don't understand any of the bad reviews!!! Food and cocktails were great, and service was attentive all night. We had a large group dinner here with family last Saturday. We ordered tons of the menu, the best thing was the meatballs!!! You must try them, some of the best I've ever had. Also enjoyed the crab cakes, the truffle potato hash, and the arancini. For my main, I got the ravioli, it tasted super fresh and homemade. Also make a great espresso martini. read more

Cafe Fiorello - Crab Cakes (top) Short Rib Meatballs (bottom) - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Popped into this expansive Italian cafe for a late supper after the Philharmonic. It's a nice space (the evening's featured performer was eating there, too). The waiter was nice enough. The first demerit is for an Italian restaurant that charges for bread. I had eaten at Ciccone's in Mayfair two nights before, which was a much fancier restaurant. They served a lovely bread basket free of charge. Instead of nickel and diming your patrons, please raise all of the prices by 37 cents and serve some bread. We started off with a fine bottle of Aetna Bianco. It was late so we split a pizza and ordered a single course. The pizza Margherita was disappointing. The crust was cracker-like. A pizzaiolo somewhere should be feeling ashamed of himself. One friend had the chicken Cobb salad, which she liked. Our other friend had the tagliatelle Bolognese, which he liked. My wife and I each got the three antipasto tasting. My wife liked the lentils, but didn't like the stuffed artichoke and found the mushrooms to be OK. I had the caponata, stuffed artichoke and olives with Parmesan. They were all fine, but not eyebrow raising. Nice enough space. The food was solidly OK. I would go back and try other dishes, but wouldn't order pizza. read more

Fun spot near Lincoln Center with a unique take on lasagna! Service is very good and please try the tiramisu too. We went for a cute little girls lunch date and the Lasagna for Two easily fed the four of us. The ambiance is super cozy, classical Italian, with nods to various celebrities read more

See all

This is your simple Italian American restaurant. The chicken parm and pastas were good but the pizza was okay. The service was nice and the ambiance was cute read more

Service was poor, except for the food runners, they responded to our requests. The food was satisfactory, and the drinks were great. The server only appeared a few times and did not allow us to hold the credit card reader when we were confirming the amount and tip. Overall, I would not recommend based on the service. However, the food and drinks were good. read more

Amazing! Zoran was our waiter , very nice. Our first time dining here. I would highly recommend. We ordered 3 small plates for appetizers. Ricotta ball, sausage and peppers. So good, 3 of us shared. We also ordered the Gorgonzola Bread. Omg, bread stuffed with caramelized onions with the Gorgonzola cream on top! We had the Seared Scallop Special, cooked perfectly. Chicken Parmesan, excellent, two could have shared and the Lasagna! Not traditional Lasagna but one of the best I've had! Four people could share the lasagna. We shared the chocolate mousse with whipped cream! Not too sweet and airy! You must try when you're on the Upper West Side! They have many Gluten Free options! read more

Cafe Fiorello - Classic Chicken Parmigiana - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

See all

I went to Fiorello with a group of 11 people during a week night. We were seated promptly at our reservation time and service was food to start. We took a bit to order because we were a large party, so it can be a little difficult to agree. We got some margarita pizzas to share across the table which was very good and crunchy, which I enjoy. I also got the Rigatoni ala Vodka which was okay in my opinion, I wish it had more bacon in it and a little more flavorful. When I mentioned I was sharing this, the staff pushed back a bit saying that the plates were too small but we had already shared pizza as well. The ambiance of the place is nice and slightly moody with dim lights. The staff made it feel a bit rushed and was not the nicest. At the end there was some pasta left over, and I typically take any leftovers and they didn't even ask if I wanted to take it home, just wanted to rush us out. Our reservation was later, and it wasn't closing time, they were actually seating a few empty tables around us so I was slightly confused where the rush was. Overall I wouldn't come back because it wasn't a top Italian contender for me and I didn't love the service. Not worth going out of my way, but a nice place for dinner if nearby. read more

Cafe Fiorello - Rigatoni Alla Vodka - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Thank you for capping off my Saturday evening with a lovely dinner and dessert. Two of us walked in without reservation at 6.45-ish and were lucky to be seated right away. I love any restaurant which offers me veggie options that are not fried and was delighted to have so many to choose from at Cafe Fiorello. We had choice of 3 antipasti - butternut squash lasagna, stuffed peppers and veggie tart, followed by the 4 seasons pizza. At our server's suggestion, we mixed up the toppings (instead of 1 per quadrant). Finished up with a scoop of pistachio gelato, which is made in-house. Loved, loved, loved everything I ate today. I can't wait for tomorrow to finish up the rest of my pizza I got home. Shoutout to my server (so sorry I did not catch his name) for his attentiveness, good humor and on point pizza suggestion. In the words of the great Arnold S, I'll be back. read more

Had an amazing brunch. Fresh ingredients. Delicious. Cool menu. Want to go back again

Food was good, but the server rushed the entire meal out all at once! It's really too bad as it left a VERY bad taste. If I pay $19 for a cocktail, I want to enjoy it Not have 2 courses plopped in front of me before I've had 3 sips! The restaurant is noisy ... because everyone was enjoying themselves. Based upon the location, they cater to theater goers. I guess they are used to getting people in and out as quickly as possible read more

This is a really authentic OG Italian restaurant. We had Veal and egg plant parmigiana and they were both excellent. Their crab and avocado salad was refreshing. And we had one of the most classic beef rib meatballs spaghetti. Located near Lincoln Center, it is a great place for a meal. This is definitely what I consider to be a classic NY Italian food that we cannot get in CA. read more

Beautiful old school Cafe Fiorello was an excellent choice on a last minute trip to NYC. We were lucky enough to get in without a reservation. Our waiter was so helpful and polite even had a sense of humor the whole time serving us. I have been dying to try there classic chicken parm and it did not disappoint. It was very good topped with Buffala cheese. However , the portion is huge and can be enjoyed with someone else or taken home. We also enjoyed the eggplant parm and truffle GF pizza. Nice that they have plenty of GF choices for an Italian restaurant. It was a wonderful atmosphere filled with old time frequented customers. I highly recommend a try. read more

See all

Best Italian in New York great dessert and, the service, absolutely phenomenon from the manager since we walk in. Service, with out getting on your face, the waiter was there all the time, polite with good sense of humour. read more

See all

Dropped in here for a lunch after we got off the plane and paid way too much for the car ride from LGA. I am not man enough to drive in this city. In case anyone is wondering. Marilena salad was great. Smoked salmon was ok. Service was very very good. Outdoor seating was fun to sit and people watch. It's pricey but it is also next door to Lincoln Center, so here you go. read more

I wish Cafe Fiorello well because it is a stalwart of the Lincoln Center area. It is not easy to do what they do. They are a well staffed restaurant with long term employees who have intense shifts before and after shows at Lincoln Center. That said, I think they need to up their game if they are going to continue at the prices they are currently charging. Maybe not as they are the only game in town in terms of reliability and convenience. But my last visit (in late July) made me not want to return. From the look of images taken of the same dishes I ate, their kitchen staff must be on vacation. Truly bad preparation with underwhelming ingredients (which were never the strong point of the place). Wine choice by the glass were also kind of weak. read more

I went for the lunch special; you receive an appetizer, entrée, and dessert for $37, Monday - Friday, 12PM-4PM. I got the short rib meatballs, famous chicken parmesan and tiramisu. All was delicious!!! I also ordered garlic bread to go with the meatballs and a cappuccino with the tiramisu. It was so GOOD!! The garlic bread and meatballs filled me up! The chicken parm is large so I have that for two days. Jeff was my server and he was awesome! Very attentive and polite. I sat outside and enjoyed my view. The service, food and space was on point. I highly recommend trying the Lunch special. I will be going back to try other menu options. Side note: they have mouthwash in the bathroom which I thought was cool, after all that garlic you can freshen up haha! The bathroom was clean too! read more

See all

Fiorello's is an icon across from Lincoln Center. We have enjoyed the excellent dishes and the superior service for twenty years and counting. The entire experience is warm and inviting, and the food is presented with the same care as a work of art. Try the avocado quinoa dish, Dover sole, and a mini freshly baked loaf of garlic bread. We will continue visiting for the best authentic Italian food! read more

Great ambiance if you sit up front. Very cute little Italian place. Took my parents and they said it was the best veal parm they have ever had and we eat ALOT of Italian. Service was great too and very friendly staff. Even good spot for a date up at the bar. Free shots and good drinks when I sat at the bar. read more

Another one of those places I go to all the time and somehow haven't reviewed. It doesn't need my help. Being across from Lincoln Center is enough. Having Trattoria Del'Arte be their sister restaurant, same menu, also fantastic, and that's across from Carnegie Hall. Doesn't need my help. FYI, I'm gluten free and dairy free. And I love this place. They take care of you. They have lots of selections. And even though I'm a big meat eater, their vegetable anti-pasto bar is just the best. Colorful and delicious. You can find me sitting at it. Of course the best things there, I can't eat. The cauliflower milanese. Unreal. The butternut squash lasagna. amazing. The portions of the antipasto have gotten smaller and more expensive. But that's the only thing in the restaurant that's small. You and 3 friends could share most dishes. And don't forget to get a pice of the hidden dark chocolate on the way out. It's in the chafing dish with the roll top. You're welcome. read more

We came here before the opera early in the evening and we had a wonderful time at Cafe Fiorello, an Italian restaurant across the street from Lincoln Center. The outdoor seating was lovely and the service was attentive and friendly. Our server was Annetta and she was wonderful!! We ordered the Oso bucco, which was fantastic - tender, flavorful and satisfying. The Marilena salad was fresh and crisp, and the three part vegetable antipasto bar platter was a delight. I especially enjoyed the caramelized fennel, the sausage and peppers, and the Sicilian eggplant. For dessert, we shared the tiramisu, which was light and creamy, with a perfect balance of coffee and chocolate. It was a memorable meal and I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a great Italian dining experience in New York City. read more

See all

This is my favorite restaurant to go to before or after Lincoln Center. I love sitting at the bar and chatting with the staff and patrons. The antipasto bar is incredible and can serve as a full meal but the pizza, chicken parm, and pasta are all worth saving room for. Their summer outdoor dining is lovely. They make the best cosmo in the city. read more

I made reservations for a solo date for 6:30pm on Saturday night. The restaurant was full. The host immediately sat me at my table. It was very intimate. The restaurant was packed with families, conversations, and laughter. My server greeted me and took my order. I planned on ordering a glass of wine but they didn't have Moscato so I just stuck with water. I ordered the homemade Italian loaf with rigatoni alla vodka for my meal. It was delicious! For dessert, I got chocolate gelato with a caramel chip. The chocolate was so rich. The service here was great and fast. My bill only came to $37 I was shocked. On my way out, there were a lot of people waiting to be seated so it got packed around 7:15pm. I will definitely be back. This restaurant is right next to the theater so dinner and a show! read more

See all

Easy Sunday, dining alone able to sit at the bar no problem, plenty of space. Great service from Carlos- so attentive. I had the eggplant parm, it was absolutely delicious. Large serving, enough on its own, but I couldn't help myself and I ended with a Caesar salad. A perfect glass of Barolo paired with dinner, which I was surprised to find by the glass, so I HAD TO HAVE IT. Overall, did not disappoint. Loved the scene/vibe. Beautiful inside. read more

Cafe Fiorello - Barolo wine - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Good food, interesting service experience. We came here for Christmas Dinner, so it was very busy as expected. We were seated right at our reservation time. Our waiter greeted us but was very short with us the entire night. Walking away before we got our full order in. Not very friendly but it could've just been a long night and it didn't take away from the experience too much. Both glasses of wine we ordered were delicious! He garlic loaf was good, as was the Italian sausage and calamari for appetizers! The chicken parm was delicious but HUGE!! The bolognese was okay. Noodles were good and definitely fresh but the sauce was pretty lackluster. For dessert, the highlight was the cannoli with the blueberry sauce! One of the best cannolis I've ever had although the tiramisu was good as well!! I would recommend this place just don't be surprised if the waiter isn't the friendliest! read more

See all

Convenient location to Lincoln Center. Loads of "outdoor" space that's in an enclosed structure with heaters, so should be easy to grab a table "outside" without a reservation. Be sure to step inside to view the antipasto bar to get a better idea of what you'd like to start with. Sicilian Eggplant Caponata: Smoky skin and tender soft insides. Some nice flavors originating from the tomato sauce. Stuffed Peppers: Kinda small peppers, but yummy little meat inside. I ate through these very quickly. Ricotta Cheese Balls: These are like stuffed shells, but without the shells. Huge chunks of ricotta in a nice tomato sauce. These felt like the best value of the antipasto. Chicken Pepperoni Parmigiana: This looks like a pizza, but it's actually a huge chicken cutlet with cheese, tomato sauce and crispy pepperoni cups. Feels like some sort of hybrid creation KFC and Pizza Hut would collab on. I made the mistake of ordering this for one person when it's really sized for two people or more if you order the pasta side. But it did mean a good amount of leftovers. The thinly pounded chicken didn't taste as chicken-y as some thicker chicken parms I've had. But still fun it's own way. Lemon Pie: Creamy lemon curd with a little bit of brûlée on top and a buttery crust. Hard to eat after all that food though. read more

See all