I won't lie. I was pretty skeptical about this place. There were a lot of mixed Yelp reivews of good and bad. The verdict? I liked it . Perhaps it was because I was starving to the point of nearly fainting, or that i ordered the right dish, but everything felt pretty right at this restaurant. Get the Rigatoni with sausage. It's true what they say in the reviews. It's GOOD ! I also tried the scallops appetizer and thought it was delicious. My friend ordered the mussels. She thought it was only okay. They also have a special with pork ragu and spinach fettuccine which i thought had a great taste as well. Overall I like it : even though the wait was FOREVER the servers were really nice and sweet. Will probably come back again in future if I don't have to wait for an hour. read more

My love and I went on our first night in NYC, and left giving the owner a hug! After reading tons of reviews I made reservations a week before our trip. We couldn't have been happier. He had the lamb, and I had the ravioli (loved it), but our favorite was the delicious wine, a bottle of Prevostura Lessona (2010). Wow! The service, the candlelight, the food, everything was so memorable. Including the dessert! Next time we are in NYC we will be sure to go back. read more

Lavagna - Worth every penny! - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Lavagna is a must do spot each time I visit NYC. Authentic Italian, romantic spot, excellent service. Make sure to make a reservation as it is small inside. read more

Last Saturday evening my boyfriend and I went to Lavagna. It is a very small restaurant with a romantic rustic feel. The bread was fresh and the dipping oil had olives in it and was very flavorful. We had one of the specials of the evening to start - white pizza with asparagus. It was good. Then I ordered the fedelini fini (type of spaghetti) with toasted garlic and rusted tomato sauce. It was pretty good but a little spicy. The portions are a perfect size; not too big, not too small. Dinner didn't stop there, for dessert we ordered the apple torte that sat in a pool of the most delicious butterscotch sauce and topped with vanilla ice cream. We ate all the sauce and was on a sugar high later. I have one critique, I didn't taste much apple at all - there was more dough than apple. I rate this restaurant 3.5 stars out of 5 stars read more

Such a hidden gem! Quaint restaurant tucked away in the east village. Spacious outdoor seating setup. Food was great. Ordered the mushroom pizza. Generous on the mushrooms and truffle flavor was on point. Would definitely come back! read more

What I love about Lavagna: -The food quality is excellent. The pasta is top-notch, dishes come out hot, well-cooked, meat always prepared perfectly, and presentation is nice. -Great date spot or casual dinner for a small group. -Prices are on point. What disappoints me: -Servers kinda just throw your food on the table. -The manager (middle aged bald dude) barks orders and swears openly at his staff in front of customers (very short temper, kind of rude and curt) which I think is quite unbecoming. -Took 20 min the last time we went (before Covid) for someone to even acknowledge us after sitting, to take a drink order. Maybe they were short staffed, but really no reason for that considering the place is not that big. -Said manager came to take our order (finally) and never apologized for being left alone so long, but there was something else kinda "off" about him. I don't know whether he had been drinking or doing other things, but he was definitely NOT 100% with us - couldn't focus on us when we spoke, looked somewhat distracted, and really just brought the whole vibe down. I was worried asking him a question about a menu item would result in him yelling at me, so I left it alone. He definitely was not only rude and very direct in his tone, but lacked the basic customer-oriented skills most good restaurant managers have. Suffice it to say, despite the great food, we just don't want to spend our dollars where we aren't treated kindly and respectfully as clients. We are nowhere near food snobs who demand to be treated like royalty when we go out, but Lavagna really missed the mark on this. Plenty of other great italian spots in the E. Village to grab dinner. read more

We decided to hit this joint when a friend of ours came into town. There seemed to be quite a few good Italian places in the area but this one stood out to me in its online reviews, so off we went. We split an app of Prosciutto di San Daniele which was served with Figs and Balsamic Vinegar, and topped with arugula and Parmigiano. I have to say the Proscuitto was flavorful but a bit on the tough side. Not ridiculously so, but to a degree that made it noticeable, to me at least. It was a decent app, but not great. For a main I got a Pizzetta del Bosco which comes with Roasted Wild Mushrooms, Fontina cheese and White Truffle Oil. My girl got the Fresh Pappardelle pasta with Braised Rabbit, Fresh Thyme and Moroccan Olives. I have to say, the taste of the pizza was amazing. It's not the usual type I enjoy; it was very flat and thin, but it was unbelievably tasty. Wonderful meal. The other dish was also great. The rabbit was very tender and flavorful and served on delightfully broad noodles. The sauce was very enjoyable. The service was tip top, they explained everything very well and made us feel at home. We also stayed and talked for about an hour after the meal and they weren't pushy in the least. The decor was excellent, great lighting, very nice vibe. The music was questionable though...Skynyrd in an Italian joint? C'mon! Zagat's calls is a gem and I have to agree. Probably not the best place I've ever been too, but probably one of the more enjoyable ones. I'd definitely go back. read more

So I actually loved the food here. The rigatoni everyone talks about is worth the price of admission. And my pork chop was also absolutely delicious. It was deeply satisfying in so many ways and the flavor combination was spot on. But I can't go more than 3-stars here. So we came here with a bunch of folks who really hadn't made the proper reservation for such a large group. Not the restaurant's fault at all, I know. But I can't really excuse the "brusque" service that may or may not have been a result of our colleagues' oversight. That was the first thing. The second thing was the fact that we were pushed into an uncomfortable corner to wait until the table was ready (the only alternative being going outside in the cold)- bumped and jostled in this really small restaurant. Finally, I didn't have the seafood, but the folks who did said it wasn't fresh- not the octopus, not the COD, nothing. No excuses- I could detect that "fishy" smell even from where I sat. The ambiance- the place is small, very red, and very loud. Not a turn-off for me in general, but just be prepared. Given the seafood issues, can't say we'd go back actually... read more

Lavagna is a very tiny Italian place Downtown. Emphasis on TINY. The food however was great. We had a pasta dish with sausage and a creamy tomato sauce and it was bliss. The food was so good that it almost made me forget how terrible the service was. The host was incredibly rude right from the get-go. He seemed a bit overwhelmed, so I'll give him some slack... The food was so good it definitely warrants another visit in the future. read more

Lavagna - Rigatoni Sausage Tomato Cream - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

I live by Lavagna and have been there a couple of times with my family. The space is intimate, darkly lit, and really gives off a warm and comfortable atmosphere. It's even nicer during the warm weather, when you can have a nice breezy table by the open storefront. The service has always been friendly and affectionate as you would expect in an Italian restaurant. It can be slow sometimes since the place can get filled up by 7pm. With so many people in there talking so animately and the place being so dark, you might have to motion several times to get attention but they always remember you. My wine glass was never low, food always came promptly, and coffee was served hot. The food can be a hit or miss. Most of the items are great, but some should be skipped. The pappardelle with rabbit and thyme is certainly a favorite, even my dad who is the pickiest of eaters liked it. Loads of flavor, pasta is fresh, and the rabbit is stewed tender and moist. It might be a bit salty for some but I'm a salt addict so no problem there. The mushroom truffle pizza is another hit. The crust is very thin and very crispy, almost cracker-like. Not a big portion in the toppings, but the flavor is there and it's delicious. My family loves octopus so that's always a first choice in appetizers. It's fresh here, but the strong spices overwhelm the octopus. It's a bit overcooked so the meat is chewy. We also had the prosciutto with parmesan, good quality ingredients, but something you can probably get in many other places. Come here for the intimate atmosphere, friendly service, and delicious but a bit pricey Italian cuisine. They have a great selection of wine, definitely a big plus. You certainly will walk away satisfied. read more

Lavagna - Prosciutto, baby octopus, pappardelle, mushroom pizza - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

A group of 8 of us met up here the other night and overall, we had a really positive experience. Everyone ordered pasta and the two favorites were the rigatoni and the pappardelle. Two of us asked for the rigatoni recipe to be made with the pappardelle noodles instead as the rigatoni dish is not made with fresh pasta (they usually use dried hard pasta). Service was good although it took a while for our food to come out. To summarize, if you're looking for a solid pasta dish and aren't in a rush this is a solid option in the neighborhood. If you do end up waiting awhile for your food, the good news is they have plenty of warm bread and high quality olive oil to hold you over. read more

Great spot. Went here with about 10 people and we did family style. Wine was great, everything we ate (octopus, pizza, scallops, various pastas, deserts) was great. Service was good. Had good indoor and outdoor dining options read more

Recommended by michelin, the place has lots of potential. Very friendly warm service. The staff looked like been there for ever. We ordered pizzette, monkfish and ravioli. Ravioli was the best, freshly made and tender. The other dishes were okay. Place has limited menu with older clientele who probably stick to what they like. read more

Love this spot - really good, authentic Italian. I have been several times on date night with my husband, and recently took my Mom when she was in town. Make sure you get a reservation - the restaurant is small and always crowded. They will not rush you at all once you sit, but will turn over your table for eager guests the minute you leave. Also come during summer - they have an open air configuration that pours into the street once the weather gets nice! read more

Simply amazing!!! Come here to eat pasta!!! I'm Italian and I can tell you that the homemade ravioli and rigatoni are amazing!!! I order twice!!! read more

Lavagna - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

The food that we ordered was good. My overall concern with this place is the cleanliness. My server told me to use the restroom that was behind the waiter station. When I went in , I was struck by how disgusting the restroom was. I immediately noticed that the wallpaper was peeling from the wall, maybe some Water damage ? The sink also appeared to be separating from the wall and where it touched the wall was lined with either black mold or mildew, I'm Praying it was the second. I'm happy to report I did not get food poisoning but I would Not risk going back. read more

Come here if you're looking for a romantic, SLOW evening. The ambiance is dark, intimate and candlelit but really loud. For some reason it took almost half an hour for my party to be seated. We could literally see the table ready just waiting there yet were told multiple times that they needed to prepare it. The Rigatoni is delicious but the sauce is a little heavy if you're trying to be mindful of that. read more

I have been there twice and Iike the look of the restaurant and the food is good, not fantastic and not purely Italian either. My real problem at LaVagna is with the noise level. During both visits, there was a table of 4 or 5 very loud young men, literally shouting across the table to one another in a small space, not pleasant at all. read more

Amazing, traditional italian food! We had the rigatoni, pappardelle, and baby rack of lamb and almost every guest cleaned their plates. We also ordered the foccacia and prosciutto for appetizers - also great, although the foccacia was a bit overdone. Service was good, but we were seated outside and the heaters weren't quite cutting it. Would definitely come back and try to sit inside! read more

absolutely loved the focaccia + the spinach/ricotta ravioli! would go back to try the rack of lamb and the octopus. loved the ambience, felt intimate and cozy. read more

Stopped here for an early Father's Day meal and was overall super impressed. + sat near the Open sliding Windows and there's a nice outdoor seating area on a rather quiet street + the mussels were delicious, and the tomato sauce they came in were even better. We couldn't stop dipping bread in it. Yummmm + the rigatoni is as good as everyone says. Perfectly al dente and very filling - more of an older family vibe than a hip spot - pizza was good but nothing spectacular...very thin crust and small for the price Would come back soon for the mussels and pasta! read more

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Food was wonderful!!! Slightly over seasoned, but other than that 100% recommend. Definitely the place to splurge on an app, wine, & meal. Staff was very friendly and knowledgeable, attentive, etc. they have daily specials in each category and the table next to us loved them, we didn't try them though. Great date night spot or celebratory meal!! read more

Favorite local restaurant! Service is fabulous food is amazing. Loved the kale Caesar salad and of course the rigatoni which I order every time I'm there. Super great ambiance, can't wait to go back! read more

So enjoyed our meal at Lavagna! We made a reservation for two but changed to four the day of and they were very accommodating despite how intimate the restaurant is. Absolutely one of the most delicious meals followed by an even better dessert. We enjoyed the specialty pizza of the day, the cod which was delicious, and the rigatoni- one of the best pasta dishes I've ever had (the sauce is delicious!). We finished with the apple tart. The staff was very friendly and the environment, so cozy! Highly recommend this place- be sure to make a reservation! read more

Lavagna - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

I am never one of those people to waste my time and go out of my way to write a silly review. But this to me was a necessity! Honestly, This place is great! The food is amazing, time and time again! My favorites from what I have eaten off the menu is the pork-chop, monkfish and the steak. It is located on a quite block in the east village the ambiance is romantic and intimate, mostly lit with candles. I love going there during during the spring, summer and early fall because i can walk my dog there and sit outside and have a glass of wine and pizza. what more can girl ask for?! =) read more

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This review is too long, but you can't say it isn't thorough (I hope)! This place is a little gem. My bf and I were celebrating our 5 year anniversary and we were looking for a semi-romantic ambience (umbeyonce) that wasn't too stuffy. There is a very quaint feel here with the dim lighting, but a nice hum of noise since there are an abundance of tables. We were running a little late for our reservation so we called ahead to let them know and they were very nice about it. When we got there about 10 minutes past our 8:30 reservation, they still got us seated quickly. It was about high 40s out, but it was warm enough inside to utilize coat check. Our waitress had only been working there about two weeks, but she was already so knowledgeable and such a sweetheart. She read us the specials and put her own suggestions in there. She was pretty attentive at timing our appetizer with our entree (I know because I heard the conversation with the chef). We were sitting pretty close to the kitchen, but didn't even notice any excess noise. Although that may have been my entertaining company keeping me distracted. Alright food time...we started off with the prosciutto with shaved parmesan, arugula, and cooked fig. It was delicious and it would have paired excellently with wine if I got a glass there. Now for the entree, I got the rigatoni. If you have no idea what to get, then definitely get this. The sauce is flavorful and the sausage pieces were well blended into the sauce. Le bf got the fish that I want to say was mahi mahi. I wanted to devour that fish because the flavor was wonderful and the fish was so well-cooked, but I was getting full from the giant portion of rigatoni I was not willing to sacrifice. We ended with dessert which was apple crumble (more streudel-like) drizzled with buttescotch a la mode dusted with cinnamon sugar. It completely hit the spot in the second stomach girls save just for dessert. In total, our appetizer, two entrees, dessert, and one old-fashioned cost $82. I've been to far more expensive places for less flavor and smaller portions, so we were pretty happy here. The only reason I left four stars is because, while our waitress was so sweet, the rest of the staff wasn't quite on par. They definitely were not as charming even on an average comparison. When it came time to get our coats, nobody was even willing to take a moment so we waited about 5 minutes. Eventually our waitress helped us out and I stopped freezing my heiny off. There were a couple other instances with the staff, but honestly it wasn't the end of the world. It certainly wouldn't stop me from returning, but I'd probably keep my coat this time :P read more

Lavagna - My giant rigatoni with sausage that blended quite smoothly with the sauce. And blurred in the background is mouth-watering flavorful fish. - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

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best italian restaurant in EV!!! we come here frequently and every single time it's amazing. the food and the service are impeccable. truly a great spot and highly recommend!!! read more

Food was excellent. They were very accommodating to our party when a few members of our party were running late for our reservation. It is a tight spot so our party size was probably the max they could accommodate at 7-8 people at the round table in the back. Food was plenty and wine was flowing! read more

Simply the best. Consistently high quality food run by the same professional, courteous, and welcoming staff. A restaurant for all seasons- cozy and intimate in the winter and then a wall of doors all open to a quiet east village street in the summer. Specials are always creative and tempting but everything on the regular menu is excellent top to bottom. Here are some favorites: -artichoke app- such a warm and cozy thing to eat, especially during the winter -scallops- always perfectly done -pizza- from their wood burning oven. Honestly my favorite in the city. Gooey mozzarella in the middle and then charred and crispy cornmeal crust. -fresh papardelle with rabbit- nice, light, flavorful pasta -the fish, whether on the menu or the specials, is always excellent -rigatoni- somehow it is perfect every time and fitting for every season / mood. Not too creamy, the peas add sweetness, a little kick from the sausage, the pasta is always perfectly al dente. After a few years I asked Yorgos to tell me the secret and he pointed to the kitchen and said you need to have the same person making it for 20 years. Sounds easy enough. Place is perfect for a special occasion, casual date night, or to meet up with friends. Perfectly executed classic cocktails and extensive but approachable wine list. Places like this make the neighborhood. read more

We went here as a party of 5 recently, and the experience was fantastic. The food was delicious. We ordered the rigatoni, the pork chop, the pizza special and several others. And all of them were great. The wine list was well curated. And the host, and service overall, was friendly and flawless. read more

The food was decent but the roaches turned my appetite. I went to Lavagna for dinner with my friends. I ordered the mussels as an appetizer and the short rib special as my main. The short ribs were OK, nothing to write home about but the mussels were solid. However, in the midst of my meal I witnessed a roach on the table and then another on the wall. I get that this is NYC, but roach infestation in a restaurant is unacceptable. The service was decent and management was good. They offered us free dessert as a result of our poor experience. The food wasn't good enough to make up for the roach problem unfortunately. read more

Has potential. Our server was fine. But...2 hours after seated, no food? C'mon man. Never approached by a "manager", very poor and weak. Unfortunate you lost a cook,not to be to d bag, and I'm generally pretty understanding, but can't do it now. Please staff up guys. read more

I've been coming here for years and it's the number 1 place I bring my parents when they are in town. I recently enjoyed a meal there, al fresco, and it was delightful! We had steak, pork chop, and lamb, all were done perfectly! Great wine list, too! Thank you Lavagna for keeping us fed through these crazy times!! read more

Amazing. Great food. Wonderful wine selection. Do yourself a favor and get the special, whatever it is and the ravioli. The pizettes are great for app sharing. read more

Came here on a Sunday at 8pm. The restaurant was half empty but still good amount of people. As I walked in, the owner seemed to be flustered and walking everywhere as if there was a gazillion people that needed his attention. I didn't say anything to him and gave him a few moments to catch up with whatever he was doing, and eventually he showed us to our table. After sitting down, 5 minutes passed, 10 minutes passed and no one came to even give us water. Normally not a big deal, but I was fasting and I needed to break my fast. Again, it was not busy and half the restaurant was empty so I was confused about where all of the waiters were. Finally a female waitress was setting up the table next to me and I asked her for water. 5 minutes later, the owner comes back to take our order.. as I am asking him questions about the special he is literally grabbing the menu out of my hands like he needs to rush over somewhere.. I'm so confused at this point.. like do you want me to order or leave?! I'm about to order a side dish and he says "no thats enough food" and I say "no I want the broccoli". He doesn't even look at me, nods and leaves... uhh ok. A couple gets seated next to us and in a matter of 5 mins they get their water AND bread basket.. I'm there for 20 mins at this point... barely get water and definitely no bread basket. Entrees come, and at this point I ask for the bread basket (which they gave without butter) and still no refill of water... My side of Broccoli never came. Food was ok. Definitely no reason to go back. read more

I went here with some friends to grab a bite to eat for dinner on a weeknight. The place was decently packed (and it's a small restaurant), but we were able to be seated right away at our reservation time. To start off the meal, I decided to go with an order of the kale caesar. This dish shocked me the most on the night, as it was one of the best caesar salads I have ever had! For my meal, I decided to split an order of the famous rigatoni and the special of the night pasta with Brussels sprouts and a white wine sauce. The special pasta was sort of run of the mill in my opinion and all of the components did not quite come together for me. The flavors were good, but a little disjointed overall. On the other hand, the rigatoni is worth the hype! The pasta was cooked perfectly and the sauce was so delicious and rich and the flavors came together flawlessly. We finished up with an apple tart and chocolate mousse cake, both of which were decent, with the chocolate probably being my preference. Overall, this restaurant provides such a unique atmosphere--small, quaint, but also lively--and the staff was some of the friendliest I have had in NYC. Add to that the fact that they serve up some great, affordable food in the East Village and you'll be happy you checked it out. read more

Incredible food! Really high quality ingredients that highlight the natural flavors of each dish. The wine selection was also great. Highly recommend the spinach ricotta ravioli and rabbit stew pasta. Can't wait to go back! read more

The Blonde rude hostess was very rude. Though I enjoyed my dinner, this bothered me the entire time.

Great food and atmosphere. The artichoke mushroom dish is to die for. Very old school, cool, crazy atmosphere. Highly recommend!

Ask for a wine Rec. And ask the owner for a story. House made pasta. Make sure someone at the table orders the rigatoni, or get a plate to share. read more