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    La Ginestra Restaurant

    3.7 (66 reviews)
    Ultra High-EndItalian, Bars
    Closed 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM

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    John B.

    Very Good. One of the best Italian restaurants on Long Island. I had the spaghetti with meatballs amazing. We also got the cheese raviolis with Mariana sauce delicious.Everything else we got in the pictures we're absolutely delicious.

    Rack of lamb
    Brian M.

    I came here on a few recommendations from friends who live in Long Island.. I gave them 4 stars based on the food, the host who made an accommodation when I didn't notice that I chose Sunday instead of Saturday on the Open Table app and I was all the way out near Glen Cove when I called to confirm. My waitress Julie was a 2 or 3 and was an acquired taste. The restaurant appears to be a converted house and was warm and inviting. They have valet parking with a nice bar. We had a very good table and everyone accept for our waitress was on the ball. The problem with Julie was she presumed that I had come to the restaurant before. She had a puzzled look when I asked her about specials saying "we have thousands". REALLY??? At one point towards the end of the meal she stood talking to 2 or 3 other tables that were regulars. She was with one for almost 10, minutes just talking crap while we were waiting to order desert and tea. That's just RUDE!! I hope the manager and owner read this because that behavior can destroy a business. She never asked how the food was after the runner put the food down. There was another waiter who came by who was great. He was outgoing, served us bread, refilled the water which our waitress did not do. The food was excellent although I am not sure I would make a trip from Bay Ridge Brooklyn for that type of service. We started with the grilled Calamari and Eggplant Lasagna which were outstanding. The main course Filet of Sole called Sogliina Ginestra and the Lamb chops Costoletta De Agnello were very good. The vegetables that accompanied them could have been prepared better. The string beans were dark and steamed. I had a glass of Pinot Noir that was flavorful and not expensive. The Napoleon for desert t was great as well. I would recommend them although if you get Julie ask for a different server or you will probably be disappointed.

    Amit R.

    Nice spot in Glen Cove for Italian food. Quiet restaurant that feels like you're sitting at home. We were a party of 4 on a relatively quiet Friday night. Staff was very friendly and accommodating. We had a minor mishap halfway thru our meal which required us to be moved to a different table. Sh*t happens - the staff was very quick to get us reseated! We started with calamari in tomato sauce. For entrees we shared chicken parm, chicken and sausage in balsamic and a pasta with sausage and rabe. Everything was delicious! Chicken and sausage was my favorite...it's the second time I've tried this dish and it's just as good as I remember. Definitely worth a try! For dessert we had the chocolate tartufo which was awesome if you're a chocolate lover. I'll definitely be back to explore the rest of this menu!

    Artichoke appetizer
    Joe M.

    This is definitely a 'neighborhood' type restaurant - owners are present most nights and the servers are familiar and unpretentious. Crowd is mostly local, either from Glen Cove or neighboring Locust Valley. The ambience is warm...nothing fancy but welcoming; building is an old house and one has the feeling of being in a dining room of an affluent relative. The restaurant is packed most weekend nights...getting busy after 7pm. Food if always good...no exception on our last visit: we shared the eggplant lasagna (basically eggplant parm) and the roasted artichokes to start. I had the stuffed pork chop as an entree...which was quite delicious. A little salty for my liking but the pork was perfectly cooked.

    A special with shrimp and fava beans and bacon

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    2 years ago

    Good food and fine service from Manny the waiter. He is knowledgeable and helpful. The food is well done and consistent.

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    2 years ago

    Outstanding, very classy, and they have valet parking. Highly recommend for traditional Italian classics

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    14 years ago

    Manhattan prices for decent Italian food served in a house. I dont think so. Not going back.

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    12 years ago

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    Ask the Community - La Ginestra Restaurant

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    The food and service was great, particularly loved the chicken sekuwa (very flavorful, tender and…read moreexcellently grilled), the Kathmandu Poppers (what a fun experience, similar to a samosa filling), and that sauce on those wings--sweet, tangy and entirely satisfying. Would recommend and definitely plan to return.

    I'm a big fan of the WHILE IN KATHMANDU in Ridgewood, Queens, but have only been there once because…read moreparking is horrendous in that area. I was so happy to hear that they opened another restaurant in Glen Cove! Plenty of street parking is available, and they even have a shared parking lot in back of the restaurant! I parked in the back, and entered the restaurant via the backdoor! Note that there are stairs at the back entrance, so if you can't do stairs, it's best to park in front of the restaurant. This Glen Cove locations is lovely; beautiful murals and great vibes. I was shocked and sad to see it so empty on a Saturday evening! I hope more people give this place a chance because the food and service is great! This was our Shared Menu (plenty for 2ppl, and we had leftovers): -- Water Buffalo Momos w.Chili Sauce (8pcs/$18): the Momos were tasty; the meat was very lean. I would skip the Chili sauce next time. I didn't like the sweet and sour taste of the sauce, so next time I'd like to try the steamed Momos with Johl sauce instead. -- Choila Roti "Not a Taco" with Jackfruit (2pcs/$12): Not a Taco but similar to a taco. This was delicious and I'd get this again. We choice the Jackfruit version but they also have a chicken version. -- Masala Wings (Sauteed wet version) (4pcs/$11): I remember really liking the wings when I was at the Ridgewood location but couldn't recall which wings we had. On this visit, we had the wet version which was good but I realized that I like their dry version better. -- Grilled Lamb Chops w.Timur Sauce, Veggies & white rice (2pcs/$25): Surprisingly, this was my least fave dish of the night. I normally love lamb chops but these chops didn't really have a nice seared taste to them. The texture was a little off for me. Also, it was very boney with not much meat. I would try another entree next time. All in all, a good meal! I found the large selection of appetizers more interesting than the entrees, and would have been happy just sharing a bunch of appetizers and small plates. Customer service was welcoming and friendly! It was a pleasure to chat with the owner. Nice addition to the neighborhood!

    Photos
    Indoor seating and bar
    Indoor seating and bar
    Masala Wings Sauteed (wet version)  (4pcs/$11)
    Masala Wings Sauteed (wet version) (4pcs/$11)
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    Amalfi Pizzeria & Restaurant

    Amalfi Pizzeria & Restaurant

    3.9
    (96 reviews)
    0.5 mi
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    I picked up a cauliflower crust personal pizza and a grilled chicken Caesar salad. It was…read moredelicious! The service was good, as always. The pizza crust was so crispy and perfect, you couldn't even tell it was made of cauliflower. It was a fantastic meal! Compré una pizza personal con masa de coliflor y una ensalada César con pollo a la parrilla. ¡Estaba delicioso! El servicio fue bueno, como siempre. La masa de la pizza estaba tan crujiente y perfecta que ni siquiera se notaba que era de coliflor. ¡Fue una comida fantástica!

    In the area on a Saturday and called ahead to see if we needed reservations for an early dinner and…read morewe were told "no". It's been a very long time since coming here last and we had many other local options but wanted to revisit. Parking was a non issue in the busy shopping center. We walked in and were greeted by the gentleman behind the counter. Eventually someone came to the edge of the seating area to seat us. We sat (4) in a clean booth. There was only one other occupied table at 5pm on a Saturday and the pizza side had one person at the counter. A gentleman named Felix came over to take our drink order. He was kind but didn't really check on us throughout the meal. Instead, another server? stopped by at the end. I was confused and asked if there was a shift change. She said no, she was just checking in. Drinks came with a basket of bread that resembled pizza crust and packaged butter. It was dry but tasted ok. Table water tasted like it was straight from the tap and was not good. All served in plastic cups. Ordered was 2 regular slices for a child, one personal margherita pie, and 2 orders of chicken francese over linguine in the same sauce. The 2 slices came out 1st, which was ok being that the child was hungry. Then the Margherita pie came out, and about 5 minutes later, the chicken dinners came out. It would have been nice to get everything all at once but I understand it was being cooked it 2 separate places. (Back kitchen/front pizza oven). Everything was hot. The waiter did not check on us, we had to ask for extra napkins and grated cheese. The regular slices were "a 7.2" on the pizza scale, says the tween. Nothing left behind. The personal Margherita pie was ok. The crust was so thin that the tomatoes on top completely soaked through and made it impossible to pick up. A very wet pizza for a thin crust. The chicken francese dishes were also just ok. The sauce was insanely lemony, and we love lemons! It was also heavy, not a light refreshing sauce. It was on the thicker side. The chicken was very chewy. I don't know if it was overcooked or just not great quality chicken. Good portions, but very chewy. The linguine underneath was perfectly al dente. No one took any used plates off the table or offered drink refills. Bread wasn't even used to sop up the sauce. They charge extra for using a credit card. It's stated on the menu (as a cash discount). I thought that was not allowed any longer in NYS, but we didn't have a choice. This place is convenient. And each time we come, we're hoping to be wow'd, but it never happens. As we were leaving, one table had joined. You'd think it would be packed on a Saturday night. The same gentlemen at the pizza counter greeted us on the way out. We may try other places when back in the area but we may return. Nothing was bad, it just wasn't as memorable as we wished it was...except for the company!

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    Amalfi Pizzeria & Restaurant
    Amalfi Pizzeria & Restaurant
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    La Ginestra Restaurant - italian - Updated June 2026

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