With a bunch of reviews already posted, I'll attempt to be brief. Top marks for great ambiance with the dark cave like interior. We started off with the traditional bruschetta as an appetizer and a nice bottle of chianti, which were both delicious. Uva has an extensive wine list especially for an amateur wine conisseur like myself. For dinner I ordered the Penne Gratinate a pasta dish with mushroom and marinara sauce. She had the Ravioli Caserecci which she thoroughly enjoyed. The date ended up being a little pricier than I would have liked but, in the end the experience was well worth it. I would definately come back to try out some more of their wine but with so many wine bars in the city it will be a while before I come back. read more

I loved UVA! We waited a bit to get a garden table in the back, which was well worth it since it was much quieter and I was meeting friends I haven't seen in a while. The Italian fare was great. I highly recommend the bruchetta appetizers and the sea scallops. read more

Very enjoyable experience at Uva this past week. The back patio was relaxed, quieter, and nice vibe. Inside was a whole different deal, loud and a bit cramped. Reservations only for 6 or more. Front door staff very pleasant, appreciated us waiting. Wine list was excellent, many fairly priced Italian wines. Traditional bruschetta, grilled shrimp skewer, cheese plate with grapes, prosciutto, Italian olives were all excellent. It may be a better move to go heavy on the appetizers and split a pasta dish rather than order full entrees. They give you a nice portion on the cheeses and charcuterie plates. The baked penne pasta entree with porcini mushroom was very flavorful. Fried artichokes were so-so, a bit oily devoid of flavor. The grilled rosemary lemon chicken entree with vegetables was the only hiccup in an otherwise excellent dinner. It was overpriced and was just a poor dish. For the neighborhood, I would rate Uva the top Italian restaurant. read more

Uva has a cool atmosphere that is cozy for a date or a chat with girlfriends over a glass of wine or 10. The food is good, their wine list extensive. They also have a pretty back garden area for a beautiful night. You really can't go wrong, can you? read more

What a disappointment. Went here yesterday with 7 people for a friend's birthday brunch. Not only did the waiter fail to get a simple question about a pasta sauce answered after forgetting twice (at which point I gave up and ordered a salad with no dressing, which naturally arrived drenched in dressing), it took over a half hour to get our order TAKEN. This only occurred once the waiter was flagged down by one of the 7 people at the table. He seemed annoyed that we had asked if we could order! Such an impressive work ethic. Eventually the food arrived, after what felt like another really long wait. When dessert arrived, we had to yet again flag down the waiter. This time to request utensils. Unsure how anyone could eat tiramisu with hands alone. At no point did we receive an apology for any of the multiple delays and inability to do the simple task of asking the chef a simple question about whether or not there was dairy in the pasta (pomodoro) sauce, or about forgetting utensils. Regrettably, we still tipped 20%, but it was one of those instances where the service was was worth 0%, but we did not want the other workers to suffer because of one lazy, inept waiter. Needless to say, with thousands of restaurants in Manhattan, I will never go go back to UVA, thanks to some of the most incompetent and unfriendly service I have experienced. read more

This place gets my vote for one of the best restaurants on the Upper East Side! The decor is beyond charming - it's like being in your grandma's kitchen somewhere in the Italian countryside! Lovely dark woods with antique furniture and wall fixtures make this place cozy and inviting. The wine list is truly impressive. The pastas are heavenly. You can come here to enjoy a nice romatic dinner or just be seated in the bar area where you can enjoy some delicious tasting plates of cheeses (they have one of the most outstanding selections I've ever seen at a restaurant), olives, flatbreads, etc., paired with one of the many wonderful wines. Be warned - come early or make a reservation for dinner as it tends to get crowded after 7 pm, but it's well worth the wait! read more

This place is an absolute gem, and their use of oils/ unique ingredients to add diversity to an Italian menu is brilliant. The atmosphere is what really takes this over the top as it feels you are in a downtown restaurant while being uptown. The crowd is diverse (young and old alike) all enjoying a very rustic yet romantic interior. There is an outdoor garden which tends to be a little more quiet than the interior (if you are looking to hold a more intimate conversation). read more

Very good ambiance at Uva. My date and I had the antipasto misto to start and loved how fresh the meats were. It was a huge platter as well. It does serve two people but if you just want to eat something to kick start your appetite for what's to come this platter can serve 3-4 people. Their wine menu is extensive and I loved that there was a lot of wine to choose from by the glass. We split the Gnocchi with black truffle and chive sauce because we knew it was going to be heavy. The gnocchi were like little pillows in your mouth. The biggest surprise for me at this place was their table olive oil that they served with the bread. It was easily one of the best olive oil's I've ever had. It had a ton of flavor and aroma. I ended up dipping the antipasto meats in the olive oil. I will definitely go back there. read more

I came here for dinner with a few girlfriends, and it was just perfect- intimate but not too crowded. I loved the decor and the food was amazing too. Our server was helpful in picking a wine, and his accent made the whole experience feel very authentic. Can't wait to go back! read more

I've been waiting to try this place for a while and thankfully it as lived up to the anticipation. We went on "Meatball Monday" so we stuck to the prix fixe menu ($35 for three courses and a glass of house wine). The kobe beef meatballs with porcini sauce (appetizer) were good however the polenta on the side lacked flavor. For the entree I decided to be boring and have the spaghetti and meatball. The meatballs were a bit disappointing (dry and lukewarm) however it was hands down the best pasta I've ever had (and definitely homemade). My friends tried the meatball-stuffed ravioli and practically licked the plate clean. Desserts were great as well - I'd recommend the truffles. Server was attentive and you can't beat the ambiance at this place. read more

Lovely little Italian place w cute decor! Came here on a Wednesday evening around 8pm and the wait was only about 30 minutes, enough time to have a glass of wine at the bar. Once at the table, served bread with olive oil and requested balsamic vinaigrette. Not sure if I was extremely hungry or what type of olive oil they use, but it was delish! Ordered the truffle gnocchi and bolognese parpadelle which were both flavorful and nicely cooked. The gnocchi was melt in your mouth with a great touch of truffle without being overbearing. Friend had the duck that I sampled and remembered being tasty as well. Would return here if I were ever uptown again! Great, friendly service too. read more

This place is by far one of my favorite Italian go tos. It has a cute outdoor area. YOU MUST TRY THE GNOCCHI!!! I'm really not a big gnocchi person but this is just mouth watering. read more

Last night I went here for the third time, and I'm happy to say, it's just as good as the first and the second time. Their wine list is great and you have a good range of wines that range from $28 and up, so you really have a pick of what you want to spend. Even the mid-range to "cheap" wines are good. The place is adorable and cozy and the service is great. The food is delicious and you can gorge yourself on pastas and breads or you can go "tapas" style and order a variety of cheeses, meats and flat breads. It's a prefect place for dates, catching up with a friend or grabbing dinner with out-of-towners. The only thing that sucks is that it's so good, if you don't get there before the rush, you're not getting in at all. read more

This place was delicious! Reasonably priced and huge portions! Servers were extremely nice and made me and my friend feel extremely comfortable. read more

Just went to Uva last night - meeting three friends for dinner. I have mixed reviews. We were seated relatively quickly, which I was happy about since I called and was told that they don't take reservations for 4. We had a nice table in the heated covered garden, but it was a relatively crowded space. I had my chair bumped into more times during the night than I can remember - it got pretty disconcerting after a while. Service was prompt, although a bit too insistent on taking our orders. We were trying to enjoy our drinks (which we got at the bar while waiting), and catch up on some old times - and the waitress came by to take our order. One of my friends told her that we hadn't even looked at the menus yet - it hadn't even been five minutes. She said OK - but then I caught her rolling her eyes....what was that all about? (Well, I know what that was about, but come on - it's not like we were sitting there for an hour.) Anyway - about the food - a fairly large and complex menu. We all had appetizers and entrees - I went with two of the specials - butternut squash soup (it was freezing before we came in and I needed to warm up!) and a homemade ravioli with a mushroom cream sauce. The pasta was nice - a bit al dente - but so were the mushrooms. They could have been cooked a bit longer - but it was flavorful. We didn't do the meats and cheeses during this meal - but they had some nice selections to go with a pretty good wine menu. Overall a nice time - visually a nice spot - but I don't know how anyone could have a conversation in the indoor dining space - music was blasting. Definitely don't go if you want a quiet romantic dinner. But, if you don't mind yelling at your date and missing half of what they say, I guess it would be a good "date" spot. Now, despite my '3 star' review - it's not that this was the first time I've been there. In fact, this was the third - so they get a star for each visit. If they turned down the music a notch, figured out a way to blow out the walls to make the place bigger, and prevented waitress eye-rolls - I'd move it up a star. read more

This place is so delicious! I came here with a group of my girl friends to have dinner. We sat outside and it was just lovely! The food is really good! I had a group of 6 girls and each one was literally raving about their dish! The service was great, it is reasonably priced and we just had such a great time! I absolutely recommend this place! read more

Really comfortable enviroment. I had the beet gnocchi and enjoyed it. Nice cheese plate as a starter as well. Extra credit for a decent amount of vegetarian options. read more

This little restaurant is a gem. The services is fast and attentive (even at 11 pm on a Sunday night!) we were seated outside in a cute little table with candles. My bf and I ordered the duck breast and truffle gnocchi. My mouth is watering just thinking about it (we were vacationing in NYC 2 weeks ago, my memory cells only apply to culinary expereinces). The duck breast is sizable serving, around 8 oz worth of quacking beauty. It was cooked perfectly with crispy skin. It was served on a bed of spinach, potatoes and some delicious sauce (prob duck fat and wine reduction). Worth every penny. The truffle gnocchi was also an experience. The little treasures melts in your mouth and you can see tiny pieces of black truffle. I kid you not. the gnocchi was served with Gorgonzola and in cream sauce. It was transcendent. Located in the upper east side, the price tag was not too outrageous. The neighborhood is safe and the bread was warm and savory. I cannot wait to go back to NYC again and UVA will be my first stop. read more

Good service but the food is just ok. We ordered cheese to start, then the ravioli, ragu papardele and the shrimp pasta - none of them were that good, just ok. For desert we ate a hazelnut pie and it was also just ok. Despite the food, the atmosphere is nice, but downstairs was too noisy. read more

Fit for foodies, charming decor & prompt service. Went in a group 6 plus 2 kids, we were running late and they held our table and we're accommodating with the kids. Everything we ordered was very good & wine is reasonably priced as bottles(compared to glass). They have a lovely garden in the back with an open roof. read more

Pros: Great wine list (bottle or glass), open late, perfect portions Cons: Very loud, can be busy Review: Great neighborhood wine bar with a good vibe and a great waitstaff. The place does get real loud and can be very busy so there is usually a wait. I would suggest this for a great casual date place or a fun double date. The portions are perfectly sized. You can have as large or small of a meal as you would like, which is a nice change. read more

I came Monday night and usually most of the restaurant or wine bars do not have the right vibe. This did not happened to me at Uva! Wonderful place, very nice decor and authentic "finally" italian food and wines!! I was welcomed by i believe the hostess and i believe her name was Patrizia. She treated my friends and i like kings. Perfect music. It is the perfect pick for dates and big party. I will go back very soon when back from the Bay area. Good job Uva read more

My go-to date spot. Food is always on point and perfect sized portions. You have to try the gnocchi! I always want to try something new but I seem to land on the gnocchi every time I have too hard of a time deciding. Lol. read more

Ate lunch on October 7th with wife. Though food was good, waitress was one of the worse ones we have seen in years. Check #4638...waitress with eyeglasses who ignored us most of our lunch. In addition to her pathetic/rude service, the male manager appeared to be getting into arguments with other staff. Never seen anything like it. Horrible experience all around and last time we return. Not sure why business was so good because service was horrific....terrible. Manhattan Guy who know good service when he receives it. read more

My go to Italian spot in the UES. I usually order the Cavatelli Al Pesto--one of the best pesto pasta dishes I've had anywhere. I've also tried the Strawberry and Mascarpone Pancake, Bianca Frittata, and Salame Del Papa. All were good, especially the pancakes, which are large and fluffy. The decor is rustic and quaint, and there is a cute outdoor garden seating area in the back. I've also ordered delivery through Postmates, and found the food just as good. read more

What an awesome and amazing experience. I held my 23rd birthday party here, and I don't think I've made a wiser choice in terms of choosing for such an occasion. The service was great, the staff were so friendly, and the atmosphere was comfortable with a hint of romance (perfection). We started off with the proscuitto platter as an appetizer for the entire table, and all I remember from that night was that every one of us was sampling from each other's plates to try all the food varieties they offered. Talk about Italian style. I had a great time. Prices were affordable, food was great, and the staff was amazing. Uva is another example of how having good food and good company has nothing to do with your wallet. read more

Uva is really the standout restaurant in the Upper East Side. It exceeds in vital areas: food (truffle gnocchi, say no more), ambiance (sexy winery feel), and minimal wait time (never more than 30 minutes). It's my go-to for out of town guests since it never disappoints and offers that New York je ne sais quoi. If you can, request to either sit in the basement (wow) or out on the enclosed patio (quieter than indoors). The ricotta/truffle/honey crostini appetizer is a must. If you don't think you're in the mood for dinner, Uva would also be a great date spot for a glass or two of wine (note: flights are available before 7 pm)...although I doubt you'll resist the urge to eat too. read more

I've been here a couple of times and unfortunately, it's not the food that's the issue but the level of service, attention to details and overall management of the restaurant. When we spoke with management regarding issues with their service, they seemed indifferent and dismissive. I really wanted to like this place but the feeling wasn't mutual. read more

Awesome brunch place. However the staff can go under some customer service training. Food was on point and the ambience is really nice.

the atmosphere is nice but busy. appetizers were ok-had sort of a mushroom bruschetta. since it was cold and i was not expecting it ,would not be my fav. I really liked the flat breads with the rosemary and olive oil as well as the calamari. I had the gnocchi, it had good flavor and was creamy and rich. The tiramisu was a nice finish to the meal. All in All i like the the service and the food was good quality , nice portions and decent. read more

While we didn't try any of the food, Uva is a great place to get a decent glass of wine on the UES. (Most glasses ranged in the $9-$12 range--me and my girlfriend both had a lovely sauvignon blanc and prosecco.) The decor was also cute (think vintage rotary phones on the walls) and would be perfect for a date. The only downside, which you can't fault them for, is that this place gets absolutely packed on the weekends. read more

My first experience here was incredible with a great waiter & excellent food and wine. The second time I went we were so rushed our entree came out before our bottle of wine - when we told the waitress she had no apologies just stated things move quickly here...the food was still great so we returned. My most recent time we had a very similar experience and were rushed to put our app in which then came in under 5 minutes again before the bottle of wine, if I had not held off on placing our entree order I am sure they would have come in a similar fashion. Great food & a great environment but if they continue to run their service in this manor they will not be successful. read more

This place is supposedly one of the best places according to some locals and on Yelp. With such high ratings, my expectations of coming here were definitely not exceeded one bit. While on my trip to New York, I wanted to make it a mission to eat the best food around, and UVA wasn't horrible, but I don't think it was the best Italian food that I had. They had some great pizza options but my mother and I are NOT huge fans of pizza, and it was already so hot on this summer night that we wanted something to slurp on. We did not purchase alcohol here even though the selection seemed really good. The only reason why I am giving this restaurant a 4 four star rating, was because I think that my scallop dish was beyond expectations and taste. I ordered the diver scallops with a pancetta coating, and it covered a bed of gravy sauce spinach, which really complimented the dish greatly. There were six scallops in the wrap of the pancetta, and it was seared to perfection. I've never had scallops this big, and I was really surprised, because they were all of generally the same size, and really juicy and not overcooked. The whole piece looked very big, but I ate it within minutes, because it was so sweet! This is probably the best scallops I've ever had before in my life, and that's really rare, because I've had all types of different scallops, from Chinese cooking to american style cooking as well. The outside sear was just crispy enough, and when you cut into the scallops, it was still intact, and you get a little bit of the spinach with the scallops was a perfect combination in your mouth as the scallops practically melt into your mouth with the salty pancetta. The only downfall that I will say is that I think the spinach was too salty, because the gravy was drenching the spinach so it got to a point where it would be too salty, because the pancetta itself is salty enough. My mom ordered the Pappardelle Al Ragu Di Vitello. The pasta was cooked to perfection, but it was a little bit bland. Although the texture of the meat was good, it wasn't great, and they didn't give a lot of it. It was almost like ground tasting meat, but the pasta sauce had a more rich flavor, but it was very one note. No different dynamics of the tasting were presented and there wasn't a WOW factor that threw me off. The pappardelle was tasty and good, but nothing else! There needed to be some color or a little bit of greens to offset the one toned color. For the appetizer portion, we ordered the Prosciutto and Mozzarella. This was so so good! I love cured meats so I felt as if this cured meat dropped out from heaven and it did, because as soon as I took a bite of it, it melts in your mouth so salty and smooth! I think the quality of meat was very tender and salty, and the pieces were sliced not too thin as well. There was rarely any fat on the meat, so I didn't feel as fat eating it, and with the complementation of the fresh mozzarella cheese, it definitely was the icing on the top of the cake. Not only did I think that the meat was good, it was also just a refreshing way to start off the rest of our night! It's a great size for two people, because me and my mom both really like cured meats so it was gone in a few. The server seated us quickly even though we didn't have a reservation, because it was two people, and it was on a Saturday night, so I was really surprised, because we got seated. The only thing is that we were seated in the basement, so we had to go down a very narrow flight of stairs, but it was cooler down there, but hard to get the servers attention. Because we were downstairs, I think that is the main reason why our food wasn't as cold, because they bring it down through a service elevator and forget that its in their before they serve. There were all big parties in our seating area as well, so I think the service was not top notch! I would definitely come back and give it a try again, but with reservations. Just on food, I think 2 dishes trump one that was somewhat of mediocre, but the scallops wrapped around in pancetta and the prosciutto was so flavorful, and tasty. Service needs slight improvement, but it was an overall good experience to have. read more