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    Rafele Ristorante

    4.2 (591 reviews)
    PriceyItalian
    Closed 12:00 pm - 10:30 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    Rafele Ristorante Photos

    RAFELE RISTORANTE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Rafele Ristorante

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    Kurtis J.

    This is what American-Italian in New York is all about. Enjoyed all of our dishes and the service was great. Would recommend.

    Pizza
    Wendy Z.

    The service was fast and super nice, they put us in the basement at request because one of my friends is super loud and thinks sound travels in one direction. Food is great too, for an Italian spot I'd say it's on the lighter side because I felt good after eating a lot. Not too salty. Great spot!

    Adam S.

    Food was good overall, and the inside was very ambient! The service was slow to start out for our group of 5, which made sense because they want you to order everything at once when they are ready for your order. I would recommend the pizza over the pasta dishes. And for appetizer the side of Brussels sprouts were amazing.

    Marinara Pizza
    Jennie S.

    This is just an amazing Italian restaurant. The food was made fresh right in front of us. You can see in the photo I tagged the chef is making the pizza fresh. The eggplant rotini was amazing. The ricotta cheese was so soft and creamy. The sauce was perfection, and then we also got fresh focaccia bread. The service was so good I loved how it's an open kitchen concept and you can watch the chefs cook. Everything was also super fast.

    Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe Tagliolini al Funghi
    Jad F.

    The lighting sets a cozy atmosphere, and the tables are spaced just right--close enough to feel the energy of the room but not so close that you're eavesdropping on your neighbors. We ordered the Tonarelli Cacio e Pepe and the Tagliolini al Funghi. The mushroom pasta captured the essence of the dish; if you appreciate al dente pasta, this place won't disappoint. The Cacio e Pepe was enjoyable but could have been a bit creamier to meet my personal preference. The service was commendable; our waiter checked on us several times, ensuring that we were satisfied but not interrupting the meal.

    Found ourselves in the West Village and stumbled upon Rafele's. Unfortunately weather was terrible but made it a perfect time to stop in as it was not too busy. Food was fantastic! Gnocchi Alla Sorrentina was a table favorite and perfectly cooked. If you find yourself in this area definitely stop in you won't be disappointed.

    Great service and drinks are top notch. Let not forget about the great food. Nice small spot with a lot of attention

    BEST cheesecake
    Kristie P.

    Came here for restaurant week. They have a great deal of 3-course for $30 and there's a lot to choose from. The restaurant is super cozy and we never felt rushed even though we sat around chatting long after our meal. I started with a Hugo spritz which was made perfectly. They also serve complimentary bread that was still warm. I had the arancini which was very crisp on the outside and delicious on the inside. It came sprinkled with some Parmesan cheese, just so good. I went with the paccheri all amatriciana after ready it was really good on Yelp. I think I liked my dish more than others did theirs so I definitely recommend going with this option. The pasta was cooked perfectly and the flavors were awesome! But the real star of the show was dessert. The cheesecake was SOOO GOOD, definitely the creamiest cheesecake I've ever had.

    tables and chairs in a restaurant
    Dom M.

    We were on our way to photograph the Greenwich Village Halloween parade. To beat traffic, we took an early train and hoofed it downtown. My friend wanted Italian and, as if by magic, we passed Rafele Restorante. A quick glance at the menu told us we found dinner! We sat in the airy street side outer dining area and watched the world pass by...traffic, people in costume and, ahem, more traffic! Our waitress was prompt seating us and taking drink orders. A tray of perfectly toasted bread arrived with a cup of tapenade ... quite tasty. I always ask the wait staff for recommendations and our server, without hesitation, said the pasta bolognese was her favorite. My friend and I had already zoned in on that offering and we both picked it ... we each chose different pastas to go with the meaty ragout ... yum. We picked a tray of mini pizzas for our appetizer and the perfect crust and sauce as good as my mamas ticked the review into 5 star heaven. With the steaming, generous dishes of pasta and meat sauce in front of us, our waitress heaped Parmesan cheese on as we grinned like a kid on Christmas morning. We dug in and made yummy noises until we saw the bottom our plates. We stopped up sauce with our second helping of that excellent bread. This was the perfect start to our Halloween adventure and if we weren't in a hurry, the dessert menu help temptations worth exploring. Service, a talented chef at the helm and a date night quality atmosphere racked up 5 stars ... something I seldom do on one visit but here, well earned.

    Priyal A.

    Absolute gem in NYC! My fiancé and I got engaged the day before and he planned a surprise here with a party of 16 people, which you know is extremely difficult to find in the city. The staff were extremely warm and helpful and made our celebration so amazing. The great thing about Rafele is they have a downstairs area which almost feels like a private seating room. Besides our table of 16 people, there were only 2-3 other parties there, so it felt like we had an intimate space to ourselves. We started with some cocktails and everyone loved what they got - I personally recommend the Paper Plane if you're into bourbon drinks. We also got a few bottles of wine, and the servers ensured that everyone's glasses were always full! They sure know how to host a party! Everyone also loved the appetizers and food they ordered. If you're looking for solid Italian food in the city and a place that can host large groups, Rafele is your spot!

    Focaccia
    Marian S.

    Gorgeous, delicious food, impeccable service, and a classy, approachable ambience perfect for friends, family, or date night. I ordered my first cacio e pepe and it absolutely blew me away. You can tell they make their own pasta, oh my word. Divine. The focaccia they brought out at the beginning was divine as well, although I will say I didn't touch the topping they brought out with it, as I'm not a bell pepper fan at all. If you are, though, I'm sure you'd love it. I just made reservations for my whole family when they fly out for Thanksgiving. I can't wait to go back!

    Caesar salad
    Elise B.

    Absolutely amazing Italian food! Waiters and staff were amazing and the food was to die for. Such good Italian food. The inside was so cute with a lot of tables and they have bread for free. Decorated for Christmas but you will not go wrong here. So good! Recommend the soup and chicken parm as well as the clams. Can't go wrong!

    Eggplant dip, the best!
    T. G.

    Classic spot. Great neighborhood. I've been before and was so glad to come back many years later and reconfirm the starter complimentary eggplant dip is in fact phenomenal. Seriously so good and just as I remembered. We ordered cocktails and decided to share a few items. We ordered Tagliolini Con Funghi (mushroom pasta) so good and the special, which was a Spaghetti Puttanesca. Very good, little spicy but my friend loved it as I knew she would! We also split pepperoni pizza. Everything came out all at once which was a little overwhelming but everything was hot and quality was good! They do have both indoor and outdoor patio seating and service was good. You can also make a resi! I would recommend, great for groups!

    Gelato

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    The food here is great. Lots of nice vegetarian options. The service is good. Solid spot to share small dishes. Good date restaurant.

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    2 years ago

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    L'Artusi

    L'Artusi

    4.3
    (2.7k reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$$

    Chic restaurant with open kitchen and a small upstairs private dining room. The restaurant felt…read moreromantic but also has several families and friend groups. The pasta was al dente perfection and most importantly there were generous sauce portions. Our waiter was attentive, friendly, and personable. I dined with a friend and we ordered 3 pastas instead of an appetizer (fantastic choice). We tried the following dishes: *Garganelli Mushroom Ragu and Ricotta Salata. This was by far our favorite dish. It was bursting with flavor, had tons of sauce and cheese and was perfectly cooked. If you enjoy mushroom you MUST order this!! *Tagliatelle Bolognese Bianco (Chicken, Veal, Pork) and Parmigiano. Which was so delicious and has plenty of meat and sauce. The tagliatelle was amazing and tasted to fresh. *Bucatini with Pancetta, Tomato, Chilies and Pecorino. We thought this was good but our least favorite dish of the 3. Honorable mention to the spaghetti that my friend had at her last visit. She said it was fresh and delicious but almost too rich which she mostly owned to it being a white sauce.

    We really enjoyed our counter dining experience at L'Artusi, especially the chance to watch the…read morebustling open kitchen in action. We started with the housemade focaccia and Wagyu carpaccio--both were outstanding, with the perfect balance of crispy, flavorful, and fresh elements. My partner and I shared the pasta, hangar steak, and potatoes, which turned out to be the ideal amount for two. We finished with the famous olive oil cake, which we loved for its subtly sweet, moist and tender bite. Served with lightly whipped cream and raisins, the combination was surprisingly delicious. We were also touched by the complimentary anniversary scoop of ice cream. The interior seating is a bit snug, but the decor is beautiful--elegant yet homey. The service was good as well. Overall, we highly recommend L'Artusi for a special night out!

    Photos
    Kitchen area
    Kitchen area
    Tagliatelle
    Tagliatelle
    Bucatini Nero

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    Bucatini Nero
    Trattoria Trecolori

    Trattoria Trecolori

    4.1
    (3k reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    It was difficult getting a reservation for the time we wanted so I booked for 45 minutes later. We…read morearrived at our desired time, told the hostess we were early and immediately seated. Water and excellent bread arrived immediately and the waiter was helpful describing dishes and giving advice. Salads were fresh and crisp. Caesar was nicely dressed and the mixed salad was a nice combination with well balanced herb vinaigrette. Seafood dishes had large amounts of fresh seafood and the veal picatta had the lemony flavor you expect without excessive acidity. Dessert was tasty and innovative. The ricotta based cheese cake wasn't as smooth as the cream cheese form but the citrus flavor was great. Throughout the meal water and bread were refilled, plates from completed courses removed and next delivered without being overly hovering. All in all a really great meal.

    Delicious and dependable! I've been going here for years and it's still one of my favorite spots…read morebefore or after a Broadway show. It works especially well for a mixed group since they have plenty of options including dishes without meat and everyone can find something. Even my picky niece and nephew were happy. My favorite entree is the Capellini Puttanesca, with capers, olives, basil, and anchovies. It's super tasty, satisfying, and the perfect portion. I also love that they offer wine by the glass and the service is consistently attentive. The waiters are always moving through the room, checking tables, refilling water, and making sure people have what they need. It's good, reliable, and near Broadway. NOTES/TIPS: **Reservations recommended via Google, Open Table; wheelchair accessible; clean bathrooms.

    Photos
    2nd floor dining area
    2nd floor dining area
    Capellini puttanesca - super tasty
    Capellini puttanesca - super tasty
    Passion fruit mojito

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    Passion fruit mojito

    Rafele Ristorante - italian - Updated July 2026

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