I had been walking past Celeste for months, when my bf and I decided to head there on a random Saturday night. When we got there, the line was out the door, and all of the tables were packed. We put our name down and decided to see if there was anything else nearby. However, I quickly realized the only place I wanted to eat was Celeste, and we headed back, and it was Definitely worth the wait... We squeezed into a tiny table in the middle of the room, and were quickly served bread and really yummy olive oil. We ordered a bottle of chianti (the wines are surprisingly inexpensive) and then moved onto the main course... I got the special, which was homemade pasta in a red sauce with mushrooms and capers.. yumm. My bf got the ravioi in sage butter, also good, but could have used a little bit of salt and a smidge more sage... First of all, its not often that a restaurant has a vegetarian special, if ever... even at Italian restaurants, theres always something else in the mix..but not this time! We ended the evening with some tiramisu...it was yumm! I love this restaurant because its understated, it has great food and choices of wine, and is not insanely expensive... unlike most of the places you will find out on amsterdam.. for a lively night with good food, definitely head to celeste. read more

What a hidden gem! A friend who lives in the Upper West Side recommended this place for dinner, so my friends and I decided to try it. We arrived around 7pm when it was just starting to get busy, but we somehow arrived in time as a table just vacated, so we were seated right away. The restaurant itself is quite small and cozy and kind of resembles a mom and pop place (in a good way). After our waiter listed the specials, we ordered a mushroom ravioli, a handmade pasta special with broccoli rabe and pork, steamed mussels, a margherita pizza, and a bottle of pinot grigio. Everything was so delicious, especially the mussels and pizza. The pizza was a surprise delight, but our friend had highly recommended it and it did not disappoint. The service was pretty good too. Our waiter had quite a sense of humor. My cousin was checking her phone while the waiter was listing the specials, and he actually stuck his hand out and gestured to her to hand over her phone, which he then put in his back pocket smiling and continued (he returned it when he was done). Then when we were getting $20something in change back, he at first only handed us $1, and we stared at it for a good five seconds before he said, "Just kidding!" and handed us the rest. It's too bad this is all the way in the Upper West Side, but I definitely won't mind stopping in again if I am in the area. P.S. This is a cash only joint. read more

I had been craving pasta for some time and ended up at Celeste on a beautiful early sunday evening in the UWS. Place was packed. The server from Turin was great. Celeste seems to be Italian owned. He suggested the Tagliatelle. It was one of the better pastas I ever had. They seem to make the pasta fresh in house. When Im craving pasta carbs and I'm in the UWS, this is going to be my spot. read more

Celeste came highly recommended by a friend. He urged us to show up early since the place only has a few tables that fill up quickly. We started with the Burrata which was creamy and very tasty. For our main we decided on the Quattro Staggione pizza and the shrimp pasta. The place felt a bit cramped and service wasn't exactly friendly but the food was great! read more

Amazing local and little italian place on the UWS. Came here last night with my boyfriend for a casual dinner and we were so pleased with everything. The service was excelelnt- came early but there was still a wait. We were told we could go grab a drink across the street and then come back and the held a table for us- we were seated immediately. It is small and a bit cramped but it almost adds to the ambiance of the place. We started off with the fried ricotta cheese- excellent. Came over a bed of salad in a fantastic balsamic. We tried one of the pizzas and I ordered a penne dish (pastas are made in house) with fresh mozzarella on top. Both the dishes were superb and tasted absolutely fresh and full of flavor. Prices were more than reasonable and I would absolutely come back. read more

I would go back to this spot and definitely being friends. I am forever looking for pizza that might be the slightest better than New Haven pizza here in NYC. It is quite difficult but I do give restos a shot. Celeste has a four topping personal pizza Quattro Stagioni (prosciutto mushrooms tomato artichokes and mozzarella) which was a nice treat. My explaining it's taste to you will not do it justice. The desert selection was a typical Italian array. I especially enjoyed that the owner made an effort to greet all the guests. A very nice touch. Andiamo! read more

Unexpected highlight of lunch at Celeste- the pancakes. When my friend ordered the pancakes, I couldn't help but wonder why anyone would order such an ordinary breakfast item at a restaurant known for their exquisite Italian cuisine. Turns out my friend made the best choice out of all of us. The pancakes are reminiscent of a really good french toast- the outer layer is crunchy and the inner layer is soft. It was so good I even regretted getting the tiramisu for dessert instead of just ordering the pancakes instead. The actual Italian food was great too- my shrimp and cabbage pasta had fresh noodles sprinkled with fresh olive oil- although the portions were a bit small. But the most memorable item here is the pancakes, hands down. read more

Solid Italian food for the price, but I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. There's not a ton of great Italian in the neighborhood, so Celeste definitely comes out on top, but I've never really been wowed by the food. The daily specials are definitely the best bet here. Wine selection is good and is at a price that's not going to break the bank. Their butternut squash ravioli is my favorite thing there, but unfortunately is only a seasonal special. Generally I've enjoyed their pasta dishes more than their meat dishes, which I've sometimes found to be a bit dry or unflavorful. The atmosphere is cozy and romantic, although the tables are squished together very closely. There's also not usually room to wait inside, so when it gets cold you may be waiting outside for table. read more

Be prepared to wait since this tiny Italian spot doesn't take reservations. And cross your fingers that the weather is decent because you're going to be waiting outside ... But the food is definitely worth the wait. Celeste is known for their fresh pastas, of which there are usually four to five to choose from. They also have good thin crust pizza and mussels provencal that are to die for. In addition to having great food, Celeste is also a great place to eavesdrop ... as a result of packing a handful of tables into its tiny space, you're going to get up close and personal with your fellow diners. But usually this is a lot of fun, especially if something awkward is going on at the table next to you ... read more

If you're looking for the taste of real Trattoria cooking, look no further. The highest quality ingredients, the knowledge of the owner and his creativity with simple yet most times indescribably delicious dishes, from appetizers right through desert (Chocolate and Peperoncini Gelato??) I am a regular here so there isn't anything that I haven't eaten in this place. So, it's crowded, the tables wobble, the owner can get teste and try to move you out too quickly,. Try to get into the moment and really taste the love and caring that goes into the food. Celeste is for people who care about the food and nothing but the food. read more

I go to at least a dozen Italian restaurants around the city every year and I can't choose a place better than this one. The food is exquisite, the pizza is the perfect group starter along with the artichoke salad. The only way to do dinner is to sample it all. The Bolognese is unrivaled, while the steak and lamb chops are perfectly juice and flavorful. You can't find a better wine selection, especially when combined with the unrivaled and personal service. Celeste welcomes you in like you're family and will talk you through the meal like it was curated personally for you. Bonus - the best grappa you never knew existed is here, just ask! read more

Love it! The word has been out for years, with the eager diners waiting outside to be seated. From the pizza to the more traditional appetizers and entrees to the cheese plate, it is a terrific little restaurant, that you would find in the homeland. Though usually packed (lack of elbow room) it worth the slight claustrophobia. The strong waitstaff and nice wine list bring it full circle. It is one of the most consistent restaurants in the city. Consistently delicious. read more

This place is absolutely delicious. I wanted a simple dish, so they made a delicious fettuccine bolognese. They also let us stay late after we had ordered a bottle of wine. read more

Came back for dinner with my 18 year old son. The place was abuzz. 15 minute wait for a table. A nice glass of Barbera, reasonably priced. The pizza was absolutely delicious, and the special of the evening, tagliorini with mushrooms in a tomato sauce, was terrific. The service was brisk, and I would certainly go back. Consistently one of the best pizzas in NYC, with a lot of other strengths to commend it. read more

Cold AF outside. Wait was "10-15 min." For two. We were both present to be seated. It has been half an hr and counting. Go somewhere else or be frozen. read more

Celeste is an Italian restaurant that makes you feel like you're dining in an Italian restaurant (you know like the way it would be if you were eating in Italy) not eating Italian food in the city. The waitress came to us, gave us the menus as well as a run down of the specials, I ordered the pasta special of the day (I can't tell you what the name of it was because it was said in Italian and the menu is as written in Italian as well but with descriptions in English of course) and my friend order one of the pizzas (which she really enjoyed).. We also had calamari and shrimp. I forgot to mention you get bread and olive oil as a starter, when you are seated. I don't know if it is just me but it was delicious. I hope you have come across this in another review, but if not here you go, this place is CASH ONLY, there :) read more

Extremely cramped space, horrible service -- our dishes took 30 minutes to arrive. But, home made pasta is definitely good. Also, try the Stracetti di Manzo - rare cooked beef over salad, and lots of it. There is other good Italian in the area that also has good home made pasta, so I might not come back here (except maybe for the beef.) It was really a clusterfuck. We were on our way to a show at the Lincoln Center, and almost ended up missing the curtain because of their service shenanigans. To their credit our server was great at helping us select glasses of wine to go with our meals, and didn't feel the need to upsell us. read more

An absolute treasure trove of a restaurant. I love that most of the city outside of UWS has no idea of its existence. Celeste epitomizes the kind of restaurant you think of when referring fondly to a "neighborhood" restaurant. - Cozy and warm atmosphere with its brick oven and wooden decor, - Italian food that is consistently delicious and bursting with fresh ingredients, - Local crowd there to relax and wind down from a busy week. love it. read more

So Celeste is like the smallest restaurant on planet earth! Well, not really, but it is quite small. Luckily it's quite yummy. And they give you a whole bunch of yummy food, and really set the mood! I went here for dinner last Friday and it was rather nice. After having a discussion about where to sit (long story there!) we sat down and our waitress came over about a minute later. She ran down all the specials for the day in an Italian accent, and I thought that I would order everything that she said, because it all sounded soooo good. I was so hungry too. Instead we decided to get a pizza and split an appetizer portion of fried calamari, which also comes with fried shrimp. After we stuffed our face with the bread and olive oil they bring out before hand, the calamari came out and we dove right into that. It was a lot more than we thought it would be, especially when they brought out our very yummy Margherita pizza. We didn't even finish it. I was pretty upset with myself about that because I always finish everything because I eat like I'm in a competitive eating contest. Either way, it was great food, but the place is cash only. So I had to run down the street to get cash out of an ATM and pay a nice little ATM fee. The good thing about that is, the food is actually very inexpensive so I didn't mind paying the $2.00 fee. I'm also glad that we got in before the rush of people, because when we left there were like 15 people outside waiting for a table. The place is pretty good, so I understand the want to wait... read more

Bread was a bit cold at the beginning but my we went out with another couple and shared 2 appetizers and 3 entrées. 1) appetizer- ceviche good not amazing 2) appetizer- fried cheese had an egg fried wrapper. Not my thing but other might like it 3) entree- gnocchi with tomatoe basil... Very good! 4) entree- ravioli = AMAZING!!! 5) entree- pizza was also very good... Great ambience as well but get there early they have no space for waiting so you will be outside until they are ready for you. read more

Really?! How great is Celeste! CASH ONLY is the only caveat. They open at 5p for dinner, it gets crowded fast so get here early. They make their own pasta. The pasta special tonight was phenomenal (eggplant, tomatoes, cheese, YUM), the chocolate cake dessert is outstanding. I love this spot sooo much! read more

This is a little hole in the wall that you would probably miss if you walked by. Tables are crammed in very very close together but very friendly atmosphere and great service. We ordered raviolis and pasta special they were both excellent. delicious and fresh. My husband had veal dish and said it was one of the best he's ever had. Nice little place on the upper West Side. read more

I took a friend here for a cheap but delicious Italian and that was exactly what we got. The fried mozzeralla was light and creamy. My ravioli was tender and full of flavor. It tasted even better knowing that such rustic, homeade food was really affordable even in these poor economic times. But to say it's crowded is an understatement. Realize that dinner on a weekend might entail being stuffed into a table mere inches from another table. I couldn't even gesture. It was confining and chaotic, and we watched with sympathy as the servers hovered, danced and spun around the confusion with surprising grace. Our scandalous conversation had to be whispered and even then, we noticed our neighbors leaning in for more details. If there is atmosphere in this restaurant it goes unnoticed in a sea of bodies and tables. There are a few things to be said for a restaurant to be so packed to the gills. 1. The food is good and well-priced. 2. The owner doesn't care about your dining experience being pleasant. He just wants to make as much money as possible. We left after our entree in order to have dessert and drinks in comfort at a place down the street. We even ran for the first two blocks just to encourage blood to flow into our stiff limbs. I would gladly go back on a weeknight. Beware the weekend experience. read more

Went last night because my sister who has just moved to NYC was craving Italian and though I was hoping to give her a bit of a go-to place remembering how much I had enjoyed it my first time, she told me that she's been to somewhere she liked much better and she's only been here a month! But in her defense, our experience this time around wasn't nearly what mine was this time. While the manager was there and he was jovial and friendly and made you feel quite at home, our waitress was much less so (and I do give it to her that she was really the only one that night) and our pizza was ... nothing special. The dish with clams is indeed very rich and comforting and I still have fond thoughts of their gnocci but the pizza I think offset our overall impression. I'd still go there for other dishes and there was a dish our neighbor was having that smelled heavenly like lemons but stay away from their pizza. read more

Have the pizza! We ventured over from the East Side because of the reviews on Yelp and were not disappointed. Everything you read here is pretty true. Pretty small. Not much ambiance. Staff was affable enough. We did feel rushed even though the place wasn't 1/4 full and I didn't particularly care for that but the food is legit. We have pizza, pasta special and the gnoche. White pizza was perfect. Honestly could not have asked for a better pie and we love pizza! My girlfriend loved her pasta special. All the ingredients were fresh as can be and I have never tasted such fresh basil. It stood on it's own and smelled amazing. Gnoche wasn't visually appealing and the inconsistency in sizes made it cook unevenly. Some were raw and others, not overcooked, but far from raw. Some salt and cheese, it was more than passable. Dessert was the Grain pie. Very good. not like nan's but good. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a quick casual meal uptown. read more

Its two blocks from where I live in the Upper West Side - where it's hard to find great places to eat outside of Downtown and Mid-Town. However this italian restaurant is authentic. Its cozy and its great for 2 or small party dinners. Kids and big groups - not so much - just not enough elbow room. Service is great - waiters are friendly and genuinely helpful. The menu is small which I think is a great! I'm over the menu's in NYC that offer everything under the sun ad mediocre quality. Had the spaghetti pasta with clams and garlic olive oil. Cooked perfectly. Ordered a glass of rose - which also good. Prices were reasonable and the wait for a table (albeit a Tue night) was about 20min. Not bad since Totto Ramen makes me wait an hour (please kill me now). Will be back here to take the wife! Great atmosphere and close to home - need more of these charming places in the upper west. Oh weird thing is it only takes cash... read more

Complimentary pane rustico could definitely have been fresher. Baby artichoke salad was nice and refreshing. Their homemade pasta special - tagliolini with broccoli and salsiccia was very flavorful. My gnocchi alla sorrentina was nicely made but could have used better sauce. No reservations and cash only. read more

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I tried Celeste a few months ago as I happened to be there before a show at the Lincoln center and I'm so glad I did. The pizza is absolutely delicious and the ravioli was great as well. Id be happy to go and try more things on their menu. read more

My favorite Italian place on the UWS. I absolutely love it! The people are awesome, the atmosphere is great (albeit a little hectic), the food is delicious...and the price UNBEATABLE. Where else can u get a delicious home made pasta dish for under $10??? The manager (co-creative directer) is from Northern italy and an amazing host. He makes he rounds to make sure everyone's happy, and if there is anything that isn't up to standard, he wants to know your feedback. My favorite dish is the vongole. My mom was in town and it's her fave too so I had to take her there. two thumbs up for her! Just remember to ask him for the chili oil when u get this. It take the dish up a few notches!!! :) Oh and home made tiramisu...the way it should be. read more

My Favorite Little Italian Bistro in NYC I've often wished that NY would have the kind of home-styled Italian food that the Boston North End offers but did not find such a place in NY until Celeste opened on the Upper West Side. Celeste soon became my favorite go-to Italian restaurant in NY. The pastas and everything they serve are extremely fresh and tasty. It's very small and cozy to the point where you are literally rubbing elbows with the next diner. They don't take reservations so expect long lines. Tip: They do take-out. read more

3.5 stars. My gnocchi was solid, service was attentive and good. Prices were also very reasonable. The owner was hanging around and offering conversation and taking orders and such. He was a nice guy and all, but I would've preferred to just dine without such interference. Overall, good value for the food. read more

Celeste has that very busy and lively vibe of a place that everyone has chosen as their go-to neighborhood spot- for good reason. The atmosphere is cozy and warm, the wine list offers a ton of options for wines by the glass, and the food is excellent. Come prepared to get to know the people at the next table- to eavesdrop and be eavesdropped upon- because the tables are practically on top of each other. And to do the awkward table shuffle- you know, where you pull the table over to the side, turn your body, and try to be graceful as you slide in sideways towards your seat, all the while knowing that your butt is at your neighbors' eye level and trying not to knock over any wine glasses with your booty. The pastas and pizzas are great- we've been here a couple of times and have tried the shrimp with egg noodles, a mushroom tagliatelle that was the day's special, the paccheri (wide pasta tubes) with tomato and ricotta sauce (reminded me of a deconstructed lasagna with chewier noodles- yum!), the quattro staglioni pizza, and a grilled calamari that was the day's special (incredible- smoky from the grill, not at all rubbery, served over a tart lemony salad). My absolute favorite thing here is the limoncello tartufo (for all you Food Network Humor fans- can't you just picture Giada overenunciating that???). It's a ball of creamy lemon gelato with a limoncello center, all rolled in crumbs (the menu says it's sponge cake; I think it tastes more like crunchy meringue bits). It's cold, sweet, and refreshing- the perfect end to the meal. read more

Another cheap eats fave. This is my go to spot after a late nigh class. The pizza is unmemorable. But the salmon is always done well and the roasted potatoes are disgustingly good. How do they get them to have an even golden crispy shell! I am amazed. I always order the same dish simply because it's what they do best, when I have ventured off the menu I am not as happy. So yes the Tagliatelle con Gamberi E Verza is a MUST HAVE. Go there just for this dish. read more

If I don't have a car to make it over to Arther Ave in the Bronx, this is where I'll go for real Italian. I'm a fan of the owner who is very cordial but fair. Have your entire party there as I'm sure other reviewers allude to. But I asked him if he gets his cheeses from Italy as rumored and the answer is yes!! I think once or twice a month he said. Bene, molto bene. read more

Cheap, Amazing Food, Charming Staff So I have been here twice and equally amazed each time. The food is so fresh I don't think I can ever cook pasta again. I have stuck to the pasta dishes because they are just that good. I hope to venture out soon and I will let you know how that goes. Down Side: Cash Only (thats right they are that cool) read more

First off, I agree with others that the manager and waiter were sarcastic bordering on rude, but I felt it was in a very tongue-in-cheek sort of way. It was clearly part of the restaurant's schtick, so we just played along and it was fun. Overall, the place was very affordable and the food was very good-- I'd definitely go back. Entrees hovered around $9-12 and we were able to get a decent bottle of wine for only $25. We started with the Burrata cheese appetizer (a version of caprese) which was fresh and tasty, although a bit pricier than we expected. I had the tagliatelle with shrimp and cabbage, which was really rich and peppery and a nice change of pace from the more traditional items I'm used to seeing on trattoria menus. The spinach gnocchi my husband ordered had great texture and were very flavorful. I had only a bite of our friend's artichoke salad, but it seemed fresh and light and, again, a little out of the ordinary. Long story short, this might not be the best place to come if you're hungry, tired, and otherwise crabby. If you've got time to wait for a table and don't mind a little sarcastic banter with the waitstaff, it's worth a trip. read more

My husband and I went to Celeste last night for the first time. We went pretty early (around 5:30) so there was no wait, which was nice. We really enjoyed our experiene. The service was great and the food was great. I started with the spinach salad, which wasn't mind blowing but it was good. He started with the insalata mista, very basic but tasty. We shared a couple of entrees. The Gnocchi Alla Sorrentino which was amazing (after I added a touch of salt) and the Pollo Mandorlato which was also extremely tasty. It was just the piece of chicken and small salad so that was a bit disappointing seeing as we had each just eaten our own salad. We loved our food but would order a bit differently next time. 2 entrees, a pasta dish and 1 salad would of been perfect. We definitely plan on going back! read more

I love this place even-dough being a small and busy place the food worth to wait for the table. We didn't wait by the time we arrived 6:45. We had the house salad, gnocchi, talharine with shrimp booth dishes were the home made options, the pasta was perfect all-dente. For dessert we had the pie chocolate mousse so far the best dessert I've ever had in ny. I'll definitely be back to this restaurant read more

We enjoyed Celeste on our recent trip to the UWS. It is cash only, as many others have shared, although it was clearly printed on the menu in type that I couldn't miss. Maybe they've read their reviews and changed it? I had the gnocchi - it was a bit bland. My mom had a fish special and said it was delicious and my husband had the lasagna. There was hardly a scrap of food left and we were stuffed! The restaurant is small but we visited early and were leaving before the rush came in. read more

First time and it started rough with a policy of not sitting anyone if the whole party isn't there even tho the entire restaurant was empty and it was just me and one other person. Then apps couldn't be ordered unless it's the whole order (apps and entree). But the waitress made an exception or maybe saw my face lol but the food was very good and so was the cappuccino. Very tight fit.. Seems to be the case for most nyc restaurant nowadays. I'd come back. read more

Celeste - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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