I visited this spot for the first time on Friday with a couple of girlfriends who had suggested it. What I'm upset about is that I had somehow never even heard of this place previously - even when I lived a few blocks away! Argh - and to imagine that I wasted my time and $$$ at mediocre Italian spots in NYC! Lavagna has to be my second favorite Italian restaurant in NYC after Enoteca Maria in Staten Island (which is the real deal). I thought the owner was a bit rude to my friends and I at first (maybe he was stressed or maybe because we were 30 years younger than the average customer) but the food was impeccable! We shared the kale salad (I can't even cook kale so I don't know how they managed to make raw kale taste dreamy) and the bean puree with artichokes and mushrooms (also delicious - trust me) apps. I had the fontina/wild mushroom pizzette for my main course - and it was so yummy - satisfied my fat cravings for the month! I thought the service was great and the atmosphere was lovely - warm and not stuffy. I would happily revisit this spot - though next time, I'll take my husband for a romantic meal. read more

Guys, add Lavagna to your list of romantic dinner date locations because this little Italian restaurant is full of charm, delicious food, and friendly service. The best part? With the $30 prix fixe, you won't break the bank AND she'll be full. Unlike some NYC restaurants, the prix fixe has some pretty solid choices, including the Fresh Pappardelle pasta with braised rabbit, fresh thyme, and Moroccan olives. I'm not talking Whole Foods fresh. This is like eating apples you just picked at the orchard fresh. Definitely worth a visit for your next special night out! read more

Not only is this spot good for most occasions (romantic date, dinner with the family, dinner with friends), but the food is out of this world. Traditional Italian done right. I've been here a few times and everything I have tried has been amazing -- in particular, loved the scallop appetizer and rabbit ragu entree. Great wine selection. You probably need a reservation on a Saturday night, but luckily, we were able to get a table the same day. read more

Had a "guys night out" here on Saturday. (Yes those exist!) Overall, things were very solid. First impressions: soft candlelight and vibrant atmosphere makes for perhaps a too romantic spot for a guys night out...but definitely befitting for a future date! Service was spot-on -- Patrice (sp?) gave us candid recommendations throughout, including for the wine. The menu and specials were creative, yet pleasingly simple. The food was very solid but not mindblowing. All of the ingredients were flavorful but I thought that in a few instances my appetizer / entree were missing some of the savory, flavorful *pizazz* that can make Italian food next-level. Don't skip dessert; it's good. Had a butterscotch peach tart that was probably the best part of the meal. read more

First time at Lavagna and loved every minute of my experience! Roy, our waiter was on point with suggesting the mussels, and Rigatoni to start off. The mussels were my absolute favorite dish! Rich sauce with enough mussels to share for two. Then we had the Rigatoni with spicy sausage and peas. The flavors of sweet and spicy mixed so well together. It was like a tango dance in mouth. Then we each had an entree, I had monkfish and he had the pork chops. I preferred his dish over mine. Although the monkfish was tasty, it didn't really stand out for me. Get the pork chops! Delish!! Overall great experience with delicious food and wine! read more

Ate here for the first time Saturday. Yum! Great service, really nice people, the food was excellent and there's a really good wine list. I'll be back!! read more

Love it here! My boyfriend and I came last night to celebrate our two-year anniversary and we couldn't have been happier. Our res was for 7:15 but we didn't sit down until about 7:30. We weren't in a hurry so we didn't mind. The restaurant is dark and romantic and a bit loud. We each ordered a cocktail and they were decent but I'd stick to wine in the future - we switched to a nice bottle of white after our first drinks. We ordered the scallops and artichoke which were both delicious, and then moved on to the pizza of the day, brussels sprouts and bacon - SO good. My boyfriend said it might be his favorite in NYC. The crust is cracker thin and a little burnt, the way we like it. For pasta, we had the rigatoni (obviously, always good) and a special pasta with wild boar ragu which was awesome. The bill wasn't crazy expensive and it was seriously perfect for our special date night! read more

Random search through yelp.. very cute.. intimate.. romantic italian restaurant in the area. because of the cool/sexy vibe you get you of course your expectations raise higher.. however in the end you don't get what you want..that's called disappointment. My friends and I waited for an hour for a table.. I guess the longer you wait the pointless to switch places.. that's stupid on our part.. finally settled in.. at that point.. I believe everything would taste good.. My friends order some pasta special.. they claimed it's good to ok.. the service was alright... not great. I really wanted love this place because it's a lovely place but overall experience wasn't great so I have to share my honest opinion. read more

This place was OK, but kind of disappointing overall after my expectations were raised by the reviews here. I figured a top-rated Italian restaurant in a funky neighborhood in Manhattan would surely be excellent. The food wasn't bad, but didn't quite measure up to truly great Italian restaurants I've been to on the East Cost. Perhaps some of the reason I wasn't too into it was that I'm partial to classic pasta-centric places, and Lavagna's specialties seem to be its "second" dishes--fish and meat. I had the rack of lamb, which my server told me is the best entree they have. It was OK--it's hard to screw up such a good meat--but not nearly as good as the one at say Evvia in Palo Alto or even the ones that we make at home that we buy from Costco for dirt cheap. I also had one of the specials, a basil, arugula, and bean salad. Again, it was all right, but nothing too incredible. The best part of the meal was the apple tart with ice cream dessert, which was great. All in all, not a bad meal, but you expect more from a 4-star Yelp rated Italian restaurant in New York. read more

Lavagna doesn't take reservations for parties over 8. The waiter seemed a little annoyed that we were such a large party at first, but gradually warmed up to us, although the room is so crowded, there was a lot of reaching and bumping. I sampled almost everyone's food, and all the dishes were delicious. We started with mussels, a favorite of mine to begin with. I've learned I like a basil and tomato broth better than a wine broth. I wasn't giving up any more of my ricotta and spinach ravioli than i had to. The rigatoni was highly recommended, and lived up to expectations. The pappardelle with rabbit was slurptastic! ;) The courses were spaced out enough so we felt full, but overly stuffed. Prices were surprisingly reasonable. I'm glad we tried it! read more

A group of 8 of us had dinner on Saturday, April 2rd. Lavagna is a perfect choice for a casual Italian dinner. It's a little cramped and noisy but the other guests and the staff were so friendly it did not matter. We ordered just about everything on the menu and all 8 of us were throughly pleased. We will definitely be back! read more

A hidden gem on a quiet street. Always excellent. Not crazy priced. The owner is usually there -- and the wait staff is well trained.

Cute cozy Italian place tucked away in the corner of E5th street. Came here around 9pm on a Saturday night with my girlfriends and we were seated right away. The seared scallops with parsnip puree and crispy pancetta was simply divine. Our favorite of the night was the Rigatoni with spicy sausage with a tomato cream sauce was so good! I had the Fedelini Fini which was very simple with toasted garlic and tomato sauce but yet very delicious. My other friend had the fish with risotto. I couldn't remember the exact name of the dish because it was a special. It tasted quite bland. It could've used a little bit more salt or some sort of seasoning. Service was a bit slow, but we didn't mind because we weren't hungry and was busy chatting away. read more

So if there is a place to take a date - this is it. This place has the intimate vibe for any good late night conversation as well as delicious Italian food to keep you full and satisfied. I came here on a Wednesday night without reservations and it was fine - my friend had a drink at the bar and within 10 mins we were seated. It's a small cozy place and the dimmed lights really help create that romantic mood. We started off with the Tuscan kale salad - delicious. The light dressing and fresh parmesan was a great way to begin our meal. Since this is an Italian restaurant, I had to try their pasta - went with the pappardelle with rabbit. It was hands down one of the best pasta dishes ive had. The sauce was creamy and the shredded rabbit melted in with the cheese...melt in my mouth delicious! My date got the Lamp chops with corona beans and broccoli - very good as well. The lamb was cooked to perfection and I like how the chef used the bean as a source of carbs instead of just potatoes. We ended the night with the crostata - that was OK...the pastry wasn't as flaky as I would have liked it to be and the caramel sauce was a bit too sweet. All in all, what a great place to take someone if you want to actually get a conversation in. Attentive service and great food. Win! read more

We went here for Christmas Eve dinner and were absolutely blown away. The owner greeted us by name, and even though we were disappointed by the 25 minute wait (we had a reservation), he was extremely apologetic and gave us the first round of drinks on the house. The restaurant is TINY but the ambiance is super cozy and perfect for a date or small get-together with friends or family. The waitstaff was really friendly, putting up with our repeated requests to refill the bread basket and our annoying orders to share almost all our dishes. The appetizers at our table included the mussels, the kale Caesar salad (a play on words that we definitely pointed out), and the insalata mista which I really enjoyed. We shared the rigatoni (a huge serving), and my brother and father both got the steak and said it was out of this world. I had the special veal - wrapped in prosciutto and covered in a creamy lemon sauce with sides of potatoes and spinach. It was the perfect size to follow salad and my share of pasta, and it was delicious. I would definitely only recommend going here if you're ready for some unconventional Italian dishes - they don't have your usual caprese, but they do treat you like family. read more

Situated on a relatively quiet street (really, it's at the end of a block surrounded by a rest home), Lavagna is a the kind of EV find you'll always want to keep in the back of your mind. The restaurant is dark and romantic, and (if summer ever arrives) the outdoor seating is nice because of the aforementioned quiet. The waitstaff is friendly and strikes a solid balance between being there when you need them without rushing you. Most recently I had the ricotta and spinach ravioli. They were a solid choice with good flavor. However, I left dreaming of another dish. My friend ordered the scallops which were divine and made me a little jealous I hadn't gotten a full order myself. Oh well! Makes for a good excuse to return. read more

Perfect date night spot. After living on the block for a year, I finally decided to try it and I wish I had sooner. It's intimate without feeling too small and the music and dim lighting make for a romantic atmosphere. Every special the waiter described sounded incredible and my boyfriend ended up ordering two of them. His spaghetti was good, but not that memorable. I opted for the kale Caesar salad (I'm not usually a big fan of kale but this was very well made) and the rabbit pappardelle after reading the other reviews. Both were fantastic as was the wine our waiter suggested. It seems like a great spot for dates and birthdays. We never felt rushed and really enjoyed our night. read more

It is great place to have Italian food. Never had such delicious dish. Very nice service. Love it! read more

Lavagna - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Really love this place and figured I would pop in to leave a review. Everything a small Italian restaurant can be

I loved this restaurant. It's cozy, romantic, but also great for a party of 5. All of my friends were complimenting the restaurant all throughout our dinner. I love restaurants that bend over backwards to make you feel special. This is that kind of place. The host, coat check gal and wait staff all made an effort to make us all feel welcome and comfortable. I made an 11pm reservation on a Sat. night, we arrived 20 minutes late, "no problem". We were a party of 5, seated at a rectangular table of 6; we asked to change tables, "no problem". Food was exquisite. I had a special appetizer salad of sardines (!). Three of my friends all had the artichoke appetizer and loved it as well as the mushrooms. I had the monkfish, cooked perfectly tender. One of my friends ordered the steak as "medium rare" and when it came out a little too rare for his liking, they took it back, "no problem". I highly recommend this place. read more

Hilarious. We were a large table and by large I mean four hungry table. We made proper reservations and had a very good meal. The place was packed and the bar was too cramped to actually be a place for a drink but they move you here. There is a gentleman server here who is a cross between Eastwood and well, he might remind you of "Escape from Alcatraz". Anyway he was good but he moved us- as soon as we were done, we wuz done. Pork chop and steak were good and not too big nor too small. the Kale Caesar is over-rated and I think that the apps could use a little work. We could have used more bread but the pastas were also good. Prices are a little higher than the website states but food prices have been going up. Okay selection of beers but wines could be improved. Desserts were great and we were really pleased when 'Frank" cracked a smile. Lavagna is a great place for two or four if you don't mind being cramped and moved.... Otherwise "Frank" will do it. He will have you moved. read more

This is a cute little restaurant with good food and a great wine selection. Luckily, I made a same-day reservation on a Friday night, and was seated without any wait. The restaurant was crowded, seeing as it was the first nice day of the year, I figured that most places would be packed. To start, the scallops were delicious, and the Kale cesar salad was good. For dinner I had the rigatoni, which I highly recommend if you like pasta with a lot of sauce. My friend had one of the specials that evening which was a lamb fettuccine. It was amazing, and I hope that Lavagna makes it a permanent fixture on the menu. The service was good, the wine list was wonderful and overall had a great experience. I highly recommend Lavagna for small groups or couples. read more

Went to Lavagna for a date on a Tuesday night and booked a table with only a couple hours heads up with no problems. The restaurant wasn't crowded (rain outside) but it had life in it. Service was attentive but unobtrusive. We were greeted by a woman who was quick to suggest an alternative to the bottle of wine we wanted that was unavailable and the alt was excellent. Food came out quickly but appropriately so the table was never too crowded with plates. About the food... I had the Rigatoni and she had the ravioli. The rigatoni was very very good. Some of the better pasta I've had in New York. Highly recommended. There's a prix fixe option between 6-7pm that includes app, entree, and dessert. I recommend making that your first time opportunity here. I'll shoot for it next time! read more

As a bustling, authentic Central Italian bistro in the East Village, Lavagna delivers on every level to which it would portend. Simple and elegant food of proper portions and fine prices and a knowledge of how to use seasonal ingredients: the grilled peach salad with arugula and pine nuts topped with fresh Parmesan is definitely going to be repeated in my household. This place has definitely been around for a while and is probably a good place in the East Village to go if you want to avoid NYU students or people who're only interested in watching sports. You'll want to go with people who are OK with getting close and don't mind yelling to be heard. And TREMENDOUS selection of Tuscan wine: With any pasta or meat dishes, I definitely recommend the Dei Montepulciano. read more

This place has incredibly delicious, fresh, & authentic food. It was a very busy Friday night, reservations suggested, but we dropped in and they found accommodation at the bar. We sat and it was cozy, warm, & dimly lit. Kay the bartender/host immediately took care of us, and we just fell in love with the food, ambiance, and service. I have been back three times ever since because of their, fresh, simple, yet perfect, tomato garlic pasta! I love it here!!! read more

I went to lavagna last night for dinner with my boyfriend. We made a reservation for 10 on opentable and we were running late. When we walked into the restaurant it was packed and people were waiting to be seated but we sat within 5 minutes and the couple who walked in behind us without a reservation sat pretty quickly as well. The restaurant is small and very charming, a great date spot or just a good place for a casual dinner. The restaurant isn't your typical italian as I was expecting (no melty cheese and not many pasta/pizza entrees) but nonetheless I really enjoyed my meal. They give you olives in a delicious herbed olive oil and bread to start which we finished in about give minutes and needed to ask for more. We ordered the scallops and kale cesaer salad for our appetiziers. We were splitting everything so the salad came out spilt nicely on two plates which was so nice and the portion was generous. The salad was good, could've used a little more dressing and was a little fishy for my taste. The scallops were delicious and the sauce they were in led us to more bread dipping in. We then ordered the rack of lamb and the monk fish. They again spilt the rack of lamb for us so we could share. Both entrees were good, especially the monk fish it the green olive oil sauce. mmmm Then my boyfriend insisted on getting dessert and ordered the chocolate mousse cake, which wasn't very mousse but more of a chocolate cheesecake that was delicious!! We waited for the check for around 20 minutes because our waitress went off duty but was still walking around the restaurant so that was annoying but other than that the service was great! Definitely recommend this place for a cute, satisfying more american than italian meal! read more

Great date spot because of the ambiance, but if it's warm out, opt for outdoor seating the inside tends to get a bit hectic. I'm not a big fan of rabbit but my boyfriend let me try some of his parpadelle and it was very tasty. I had the homemade ricotta and spinach ravioli and if you like the strong taste of porcini mushrooms then you MUST try this dish. All in all, a great spot to try. read more

Still the best Italian food in the neighborhood. Still has the ravioli that will make you want to lick your plate. I'd like to live there.

This stands out in terms of solid Italian food, which is difficult, being this restaurant is one of at least five Italian places in the area. However, it stands out for its quality. Never too crowded, good wine recommendations, and the rigatoni is a big reason I have been here multiple times. Little pricey, but the East Village never was known for it's bargain basement deals. read more

One of the better Italian restaurants in the city. Really off the beaten path too. But the place was close to where I used to live. Probably ate here about 3-4 times and they never fail to disappoint. Great service too. read more

DELICIOUS! Came on a Saturday night during Labor Day weekend, so we lucked out and were able to snag a table without reservations. The menu is simple, but most of items look good. I ordered the rigatoni and it was delicious! Creamy and really flavorful. My friend ordered the parpadelle, which was also good, but I preferred the rigatoni. read more

Came here on a Saturday night, for a cozy date with one of my good friends. We split a bottle of their Sangiovese, their most cost-effective red wine, and it was delicious! The service was great, we loved our salad, and 2 pasta entrees. About $50 a person with the wine. The atmosphere is intimate and rustic--exactly what you would want in an Italian restaurant! I made a reservation about 30 minutes before we arrived--7:45PM and had no problem being seated. Highly recommend this place!! read more

REALLY enjoyed Lavagna. Came here on a Friday night around 8 with my dad and boyfriend. We were one of the first groups there for dinner so the place with relatively quiet and open, so we chose a small table in the corner near the kitchen. While we were deciding on a wine, the bartender heard us from clear across the restaurant and promptly came over to give us suggestions. "I heard you were looking for 'thick' 'woody' and maybe a 'dry' red?" I was pleasantly surprised that he actually heard our conversation and came to our rescue to help us pick out a wine - theres a HUGE list. I love choices! I forget which wine we ended up with, a $50-something bottle, which was totally worth it! I ended up getting the nightly special pasta, which was fettucini with prosciutto and sweet corn...AMAZING. also ordered was the rack of lamb, and steak, with the scallops and octopus for the appetizers. Wasn't a fan of the octopus because it was shaved so thinly like a deli meat, kind of. I prefer a nice chunk of octopus instead. Of course we had to get dessert, the sorbet dish and this blueberry tart thing that tasted so warm and home made! the 3 different kinds of sorbet were great except for the grapefruit one that was SO tart and strong that it was unenjoyable. Anyways everything was pretty delicious! many attentive waiters always filling our water glasses, clearing plates, and pouring our wine for us = A++. I would love to return for their prix-fix dinner deal next time!! read more

What isn't fantastico about Lavagna? Hmm, can't think of a thing, so I'll focus on the fabulousness of it. I've eaten here a couple times, both just drowing in how good my food was. The last time I got the steak (it's a small-ish menu, you won't miss it)...the first bite was so amazing that after that I sort of blacked out and next thing ya know, my plate was finger-licked clean (literally) the delicate haricots verts and fingerling potatoes in combination with the salsa verde (don't think Mexican - nothing like that salsa verde) was dee-lisch-US. The other time I've been I had the rigatoni with sausage and peas. Really, no need for more explanation, it was simple, amazing, delectable. I've also tried the monkfish and pasta with braised rabbit - both seriously good, EVEN though I don't typically eat either monkfish or bunny. The waitstaff is incredibly knowledgeable with the wine selection and can handle any stupid questions (yes, some questions ARE stupid) that come their way with grace and kindness. I love the small, dark and cozy atmosphere, and generally there's an eclectic mix of tunes just grazing slightly under the voices of the happy patrons. I can't wait to try other dishes on the menu.... read more

Certainly one of my top 3 favorite Italian restaurants. Every dish I've had here has been stupendous. It happens to be a "family friendly" (although it's also date-friendly...very dim lighting and small wooden tables, etc), so I've brought my folks here when they come into town a few times. I especially love the fish. They generally have at least one fish special, and these guys really know how to cook it. The food certainly cannot disappoint. As far as paste, they have a decent little list of paste, and the ravioli is generally my favorite. They often add very creative elements, eg. sweet pea ravioli (which was the best ravioli I've ever had) with lemon sauce. So so good. Overall I find the food to be reaosnably priced although the portions are not of huge portion. read more

The food here is out of this world. Melt in your mouth, heavenly goodness. The mushroom pizza and kale caesar was a great start.... and then came the entrees. Steak for my dining companion and fish for me. Melt in your mouth. All of it. Plus, the wine was fantastic. Their selection is lengthy and the waiter recommended perfectly complimentary bottles for us. The four star rating is because this place is super cramped and incredibly noisy. But, for amazing food... its worth it from time to time. read more

The best past in NYC! Atmosphere is so cozy and inviting. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and prices are affordable.

My girlfriend and I went to Lavagna on a fairly slow evening so we felt as though the staff was very attentive without being intrusive at all. The atmosphere was very warm and cozy and the food was delicious. We started off with the Veal Meatball special which was extremely tasty. Then, for the entree, we got the Snapper for two. It was previewed to us on a plate all lit in flames and then brought back to the kitchen to finish preparing. It was cooked very nicely and the sides of sauteed spinach and grape tomatoes and potatoes were very fine additions. It felt like we had the restaurant to ourselves, the staff was very friendly, and we really enjoyed the atmosphere as well. A definite must for a romantic evening out! read more

Rigatoni is so good, you will be back in a month for another. The sweet italian sausage mixed with the cheese red sauce and fresh peas mixed in have just the correct ripeness, and the rigatoni cooked aldente, just right. By far my favorite place in the east village. read more

The owner isn't that nice, but the waitress was. So, i guess it evens out. The food was super good and our octopus appetizer was BOMB. Friend got the pasta w/sausage dish and it was AMAZING. My lamb was pretty good and mom's steak was delish. OH, but do not get the Panna Cotta. That was not enjoyable at all. (If you are a panna cotta lover, go to Franny's in brooklyn for PC that will CHANGE YOUR LIFE) Overall, food was really good and I would def come back! read more