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14th Street (PATH)
14th St-6th Aves (F, V, L, 1, 2, 3)
14th St-8th Ave (A, C, E, L)
Mon-Thu. 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sunday thru Thursday 10% off for Yelpers (cash only). Lunch specials all week for only $12.50, come join us and see what the Yelp is about
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Propietor/Chef: Matteo Boglione
Oh, what can I say Gradisca that will set this restaurant apart from others? I'll try to paint a picture.
We were late for our reservations and therefore had to wait a whopping 15 minutes before we were able to get seated. Off to a rocky start, we seem to have inundated the waiters, by standing opposite bar side by the kitchen, where the waiters kept going in and out wtih hot plates of food. Advised to stand by the bar, there was simply no other space we could have waited, as all the bar seats were full. I calmed down once more after sipping on a crisp prosecco.
For appetizers, we shared the pear arugula salad slabbed with fontina cheese and the gorgonzola polenta w/ italian sausage and chanterelle mushrooms. The fried polenta was so delicious we had to order another round just to satiate the 4 little tummies that wanted a bit more of the cornmeal action. The meatballs were notably tender & juicy.
For the main entree, a gf & I shared the "Maltagliati di Pasta Fresca al Tartufo Nero" badly cut pasta with black truffle cream sauce. It was savory and rich in its own right, down to the very last bite.
For dessert, we each picked the panna cotta, tiramisu and I the flourless chocolate warm cake. I wasn't too impressed with any of it... each bite seemed very generic to me. Which was ok by me, I couldn't indulge anymore even if i wanted to.
Our waiter was super nice and humorous to say the least. We ended with a round of sambuca shots, the Italian's way of properly saying goodbye.
Gradisca is a completely warm, intimate and rewarding restaurant. It's a sure hit among all of our friends.
I came here due to it's easy walking distance from the meatpacking district where I was staying and the good reviews. Wow what an amazing experience!
We arrived on time for our reservation but it was too full. This is understandable, it is a very small space with few tables. They led us to the bar where there were also no seats. So we just held our drinks there. The staff continually checked on us to make sure we were OK, and then gave my GF a free glass champagne with blueberries and raspberries when the wait increased. It was very good and very nice of them to do.
The total wait time was probably about 20 minutes, not too bad and they were very nice to us during the wait. Once we sat down we were very pleased with the interior of the restaurant dining room, its cozy, candle lit, beautiful and intimate. It's loud in the restaurant in general but fun.
The food..oh the food. So so so so good. You must try the badly-cut pasta. It has an amazing truffle sauce that will haunt your dreams. The tiramasu is creamy and fluffy, it tasted like a mix of a creme brule and a standard tiramasu. I loved everything I had there, and the prices are very reasonable.
This is an amazing Italian restaurant and my favorite Italian in Manhattan. Don't miss this gem.
The lady friend took me out for a birthday dinner to Gradisca and the place deserves my first yelp review. Great Italian food and romantical. The menu had some good options for pescetarians, and the apps were wonderful. The waitress was nice, and the staff seemed very genuine. Recommendations all around.
While my eggplant cavatelli was quite satisfying and well prepared, and the lady enjoyed her lasagna, the Piadina with spinach and dop cheese appetizer was amazing. Maybe try a different salad option than the seasonal, the only drawback. We also had a great wine, and the couple next to us (also celebrating a birthday) had some fun looking cocktails. Overall a great date spot, would definitely visit again.
This place is divine. Late yesterday afternoon I was searching for a place with good italian food and a nice buzz but was keen to avoid an unwelcome noise fest . This place fit the bill perfectly. The italian food is some of the best I've tasted - period. We had a selection of the pasta dishes - these are homemade by nonna and are soooo good, you're full but it feels criminal to not cram in as much as you possibly can. A friend and I met at 7 and didn't leave until midnight - its just the kind of place that makes you lose track of time helped along by a good bottle of red. We didn't feel rushed and the waiters were attentive but not overly in your face. Come again - yes please!
Innovative yet rustic Italian. The pasta is handmade and sometimes you can watch it being made. Incredible dishes are created with it as well as phenomenal apps. Their gelatos are worth saving some room. I wont go into specific dishes because of a seasonal menu.
The service is flaky and unreliable and it is a little pricey but still worth at least one visit to decide for yourslf. I hav ebeen their time and time again.
I haven't experienced a better restaurant in New York. Have been here many times, and while not every dish is spot on, the overall effort is so good that I just don't think you get a better experience with this kind of consistency in the complicated choreography that is a modern restaurant in a top U.S. city.
I think the restaurant is a good value, if not cheap, and the very essence of what one has headed to the Village for in dining for decades.
The variety of the wine-by-the-glass daily selection is wonderful, their daily specials interesting and always good, often great. Their stalwarts are consistently satisfying: reserve prosciutto, arugula salad, ahi tuna, tiramisu, gelatos. Well paced, unobtrusive, friendly, knowledgeable service: what more do you want?
The mother of one of the owners who makes the fresh pasta in front of everyone when she's in town is a living testimony to the culinary arts. Some know-it-all said that many nations and cultures had great food, but only four had a true cuisine (France, Italy, Morocco, and China, for the record). I just got back from China, and it was great, but I have my doubts. France, okay. Morocco, don't know enough. Now Italy. Here is one of their overseas redoubts. A great place; you must give it a try if near the Village.
I want to be clear from the outset: I am giving Gradisca three stars rather than four because of their prices. This place has very nice food, but they overcharge for it.
Gradisca has been recommended to me many times from many sources, so it was with some excitement that I finally headed to the Village last Friday night to investigate its claims to greatness.
The first mark in the favor of this tucked-away little place was the genuinely warm welcome and great service we received. We were given our pick of seats (even on a Friday night, the place never quite filled up), were tucked in with warm words and cold drinks, and were generally treated like old friends. As the evening progressed, the flow and rhythm of the arrival and departure of menus, drinks, and dishes was well-timed.
The food, also, was of sufficient quality, inventiveness, and flavor to allow the relaxation and comfort that derive from knowing you will be well-tended, satisfied (but not, I am sad to say, dazzled). In all, we enjoyed this twinkling, cozy place and were happy to eat their tasty dishes (some recommendations: tuna tartare, steak carpaccio, lamb ragu)....but not, I think, for the price. Gradisca serves great neighborhood fare (maybe even excellent for a local spot), but it is charging unreasonably high prices--the prices of a destination restaurant (*without* wine, our meal came to nearly $80 per person).
I suspect that if Gradisca charged just a little less for each item on their menu they would have no trouble filling all their charmingly rickety tables. Maybe as the recession wears on, Gradisca will do just that and we will return.
Excellent dinner. Reminded me of an al fresco dinner in Rome with Italian friends.
The bread was good, the olive oil was great, the olives were fantastic. The ruchetta salate was nice, simple but good. My friend had the cavatelli con pomodoro e melanzane - excellent, good mix of ingredients, very good homemade pasta.
I had the lasagnette di farina di farro - amazing. The waitress, who was exceptional all around (and from Venice), described this well as an unusual dish, where the bottom is warmed but the top is cold ("it would melt the burrata if was hot throughout"). Very good mix of flavors and textures.
Ended with the panna cotta, great creamy richness with shavings of white chocolate and the crunchiness of passion fruit seeds.
I highly recommend this place.
Excellent, fresh dishes with lots of good flavors. Great staff. We had a large group and the food and staff (and the WINE) made it a very special night.
I saw a bad review, but--at most restaurants--sometimes you get a bad lemon, even if rarely. Maybe we lucked out, but it could be that it's just a great place.
One of my pet peeves is restaurants that are just about empty but still make you wait just to seem exclusive.
We got to Gradisca and 90% of the restaurant was empty. The bar was packed. Why? Because the hostess was telling everyone to wait there until they had a table available!
There was only ONE couple dining in the *ENTIRE* back room. There were about 4 parties eating in the front room. This leaves oh... about 50+ empty seats while 15 people are packed at the bar waiting for a table.
There is NO WAY that ALL those tables were reserved for guests to come.
EITHER GRADISCA HAS REALLY BAD MANAGEMENT OR GRADISCA'S HOSTESS IS A COMPLETE IDIOT!!!
We asked how long the wait was and the hostess told us 10-15 minutes. That may not seem long in NY. But mind you, 90% of the tables remained COMPLETELY empty.
This is at the peak of NY dinner time - 8 pm ish.
I might understand if they were short staffed and just not using the back room. But this was clearly not the case evidenced by the ONE couple eating in the back room.
Gradisca was always one of my top restaurants but I refuse to stand for this kind of incompetence.
No matter how good the restaurant is there is just no substitute for common sense and good manners. Gradisca is just not worth it.
I will DEFINITELY NOT be patronizing this place ever again.
There is a recession going on, people. Fat chance on staying in business. Let only the strongest survive.
Loved this place. I am still thinking about the creme brulee appetizer with the carmelized onions… Read more »
Great food, lovely service, really nice ambiance. First of all, trying to arrange a dinner with anywhere from 5-15 girls can be a total nightmare with coordinating schedules etc. I had to change the number on the reservation a few times, and even so, we had the wrong total, and a few people came late. The restaurant staff accommodated us wonderfully. While we waited for latecomers at the bar, the bartender was really nice and helpful with suggestions for some that needed creative non-alcoholic cocktails / mocktails. Let him whip you up the persimmon drink, it was amazing and made with fresh persimmons and topped with starfruit (I think they're called something else but they're shaped like stars). There were also nice bowls of nuts and olives, as well as a nice chunk of parmagiano reggiano cheese. Mmmmm.
The food is outstanding. We tried a number of appetizers and did it family style. The zucchini, salad, prosciutto wrapped cheese etc were all very good, but the knockout dish was definitely the savory creme brulee. It is so unique and difficult to describe but it is delicious. The pastas were all amazing. As noted by all, they're made by a sweet grandma by hand at a table near the front. She's adorable and she does amazing work! Between us we tried 5 pastas and they were all hits. A particular standout was the lobster stuffed cannoli. Someone got the fish and loved it as well. Tiramisu for dessert was ok, not as mind blowing as the savory dishes. The waiter helped us select a few bottles of very nice wines which were all reasonably priced (a nice rose was $38, a few nice reds in the $40-range).
Great place to go on a date, as the candlelight is very flattering! Great service, great food, reasonable prices, highly recommended.
This review is easy:
Overly annoying waiters who check back on diners way too much... to the point where you are feeling like you are eating lunch during your break from work... it's not pleasant, and the food is over-rated and over-priced for what it is. We were rushed to order our appetizers and dinner all at once, which was very annoying.
You can find delicious Italian food in Manhattan all over Little Italy. Don't waste your time... only reason I'm not giving this review one star is because the decor is pretty nice and comfortable.
Fantastic restaurant-- ask no questions and just visit for the excellent food and service.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Wow......
That's how good Gradisca's food was. But let me start from the beginning. I first went to the bar since my friend didn't arrive yet. The bartender gave me a drink menu but I just wanted a coke with lots of lemon. Well, that's just what I got. He took a half lemon and squeezed the juice into a cup, then he put 4 slices of lemon inside the cup, grinded the lemon slices inside the cup and then poured the coke. I was in heaven!
It didn't take long for my friend to arrive. To start ,we ordered the spinach creme brulee which had a very interesting taste, it was very creative and new. Then, I ordered, if I can recall correctly the name, imperfect pasta with truffle sauce. As soon as I took my first bite, nothing else registered but the fine, subtle taste of truffle oil, which was exquisite. My friend was talking to me and I just belted out a orgasmic noise because my dish was so good.
What's more, the ambience is perfect. It was a nice and cozy atmosphere, a perfect place to have a date. If only I was on a date.
Back to the food, it was lovely. Though I wished their portions were a tad bit bigger. This place had to have had the best pasta because I've never had better pasta anywhere else but here.
Have to upgrade my review from 4.5 stars to 5 stars. Had an amazing dining experience here a couple of weeks ago. The food just blew me away. It still is not an inexpensive meal, but I have decided it is definitely worth it. You must go.
P.S. - Had the truffle pasta and the tuna tartar for the first time here last time and they were unbelievable. The tuna tartar is actually a perfect dessert, a cool palate cleansing dish to end your meal.
4.5 stars. Excellent meal. The decor and ambiance of the restaurant is amazing (and can be… Read more »
I dined at Gradisca recently as part of a group of five Yelpers, all first-time visitors to this West Village trattoria, eager to sample its much-touted menu on a rainy evening.
The restaurant has a striking appearance that combines rustic charm with a non-traditional décor, maroon-colored and exposed brick walls, and candles. The cocktails are well made. I had the acai margarita, that retained its flavor throughout the dinner, aided I am sure by the crushed ice, that defied melting. Our table shared appetizers, including the crème brulee with marmalade and the flatbread with mozzarella, that curiously looked and tasted like cheese quesadilla. I chose the cavatelli con pomodoro for my main course. It was mediocre at best--the pasta didn't seem well-cooked, and the sauce didn't have the chunky consistency that I have come to expect and like. The granny smith apple tart dessert had an appropriately crisp, flaky crust, but tasted like it was not freshly made--well, they claim that all their desserts are made on the premises, but then they don't specify when.
All said and done, while I enjoyed the diversity and company of the Yelpers, I was left confused by the variety of signals I picked up from Gradisca.
Confusing mix of signals Diverse group of Yelpers
---------------------------------- ----------------------------------
Woman cooking by the door Pinstriped dessert guru
Constantly dimming lights History major-sports buff
Wait staff dressed in black Funniest de-Elited Yelper
Menu peppered with Italian Rule-based Yelp reviewer
Meatpacking-like hip decor Friends = Reviews addict
I hope Gradisca figures out its identity, and quits striking a crude mean between being a hipper version of Fig & Olive on one hand, and feebly portraying a Piccolo Angolo-like homey feel on the other.
Mixed message is the theme of the night. Coming into the warm cozy restaurant - the exposed open bricks, dark wooden floor, lends a homier feel. The hominess is than juxtaposed with a very attractive wait staff that is dressed in all black, rigid row of table lined with straight line of wine glasses that reflects the flickering candles which gives an element of formality and sexiness.
Contradiction. There's a grandma - but you can't hug her, for she is partitioned off with a red velvet rope. A hardy matronly woman, in clogs/stocking and a pink frock, is in the front of the room demonstrating how to make pasta. I feel like I can almost go up to her, and hug/ kiss/thank her for the wonderful meal she lovingly cooked for me. But the velvet rope signaled to me, that she is not really a grandma - but a display. She was cute. She spoke Italian too. A nice touch that left me wondering, who left their grandmother here - squinting in the dark flickering candle light, while she slowly stuffed tortellini, cut wide sheets of dough into pasta? If this is the pace that pasta is made, than that explains the high price of the dish.
Grandma is then contrasted with our very cute waitress, who also is Italian and spoke Italian. She can share stories of tiramisu, and tortellini. She is like the Italian granddaughter or the cousin, but at the same time - our waitress.
Looking at the dinner/dessert menu, and the folks they put in the front- it seems that Gradisca aims to be a traditional neighborhood restaurant, serving quality authentic Italian, but at the same time wanting to appeal to the majority. No - flair or the newest hotness, instead its approach is to use fresh ingredients and a labor force of grandmas to roll out the pastas.
I can only comment on the cavetelli, which I really enjoyed, because the pasta was firm. The eggplants were roasted or pan fried on high heat before being put into the sauce. Gradisca goes the extra step of roasting and making their sauce from scratch. I do suspect that many Italian restaurants use canned tomato sauce as the base, but that certainly was not the case here. My disclaimer is that I've only been to terrible and expensive Italian restaurant to the point that I usually avoid Italian. There's simply too many and finding the diamond in the rough is too tough.
Not only was Gradisca giving me mixed messages, but my four dining companions left me even more perplexed. (Yes, guys. I choose the word companions instead of partners or friends.)
The sleep deprived academia, who in my opinion is one of the several queen bees of yelp, is not queenie, smug, or sucks at being a human being at all. She is rather charming and down to earth, and that is what makes her qualified as being one of the several queen bees of yelp.
The ASCI artist , to my surprise, did not create a visual aid whenever he spoke. There was even a big sheet of paper conveniently placed on the table, readily available for him to illustrate on. But no - he did not- leaving me confused with each witty point that he made.
The all American male at the table-who looks nothing like his profile picture - is actually rather gentlemanly. To my delight, he even offered me a sample of his delicious orangetini.
And what is the king of pie, the prez of pizza even doing here?!?!?! Shouldn't he be at a pizza joint eating a margherita or at least demand that they custom make a pizza for him? In all fairness though, he did order the flatbread - which is basically a folded up margherita.
Boy, did they confuse me! I swear interacting with folks in person is different than stalking - opps, I mean -interacting with them online.
Spotted: Five Yelpers leaving Gradisca, dancing and singing in the rain. What a glorious feeling, they're happy again. Now the five of them weren't necessarily laughing at clouds, though it was dark up above. They were laughing because of the good times they shared at Gradisca.
The restaurant was bathed in colors of red, with lots of candles lit everywhere, creating a homey feeling. Sort of like the van der Woodsen palace. When you walk in, there is a woman making homemade pasta by hand. Why there was a velvet rope, nobody could figure out. Could she have been the inspiration for Gradisca itself? It's quite possible.
Rude Boy had the lasagna and an orange martini, and quite the combo he'd like to add. The lasagna was cooked well-done but it wasn't hard to chew. Queen S. and the A-Man had something or another - it looked white and it looked delicious (that's what she said). Meanwhile, Mad Damsel and Mister S had the Cavatelli, which was pasta with eggplant and....yeah, I would stop at the eggplant too. But the two of them found it delicious.
Rude Boy's orange martini left him feeling quite happy. Now I wouldn't say he was dancing on the ceiling, but if he could he would've been cartwheeling straight down 13th Street. That was how good his drink was.
What did they all talk about during dinner, you ask? That's one secret I'll never tell.
Romantic... check
Good service... check
Good vibe... check
Food... almost as good as everything else
Gradisca came highly recommended by multiple people so for my anniversary I got my wife and I a table in the back corner of the back room. It felt romantic but not isolated... a nice compromise. The decor is reddish and there are lots of candles. I also liked the fact they had a standalone bar in the back room.
Our waitress was cool as hell. As we got to know her she made sure we knew that Gradisca WAS a neighborhood joint with many regulars. I think she decided we were worthy and should come back.
I have to mention the old lady making pasta behind a velvet rope when we came in... I liked the concept... but couldn't quite figure out if her work would somehow make it to my plate. I also wondered why she was behind a velvet rope. Did I need to know the bouncer to speak with her? Did her pasta only come with bottle service? At any rate...
I love Italian food so it is pretty easy to please my palate but difficult to wow me. Gradisca did the former, which given the hype, was a bit of a disappointment. That being said, the food was pretty yummy and presented nicely. We had spinach/cheese flat bread to start and although it was probably heavier an appetizer than I would recommend it was tasty. I had the "badly cut" pasta with truffle sauce probably because I imagined the woman in the front had made it. Truffles are good and so was the pasta but it didn't beat other similar dishes I have had. I felt it might have been "heavy" on the truffle.
Summation:
1) Great venue that really invites you in.... good for a group of friends, a date, or a special occasion.
2) An old lady behind a velvet rope
3) Good food but not the best
I am sure I will be back again to try some other dishes.
I read reviews for a few dozen Italian restaurants in Manhattan before settling on Gradisca for a rather important dinner. 4+ stars meant the place was probably pretty good, and 68 reviews meant that it was popular, but not a total wasteland of trendiness.
At first i felt like i'd been overly cautious getting a reservation, as when we arrived at 6pm the place was nearly deserted. However, by 7 it was well over half-full, and by 8 it was packed.
In short, we were delighted.
Between the six of us, we got two different appetizers, six different entrees, and 3 different deserts, all of which were wonderful (the flourless chocolate cake was so dense i couldn't even finish it, and i never leave reasonably-portioned deserts unfinished). The wine list is extensive; the bottle we selected was fantastic. The waitstaff was friendly, attentive, helpful, and left us alone when we didn't need them.
In addition to all the other greatness, the owner's mother was in attendance the day we were there, set up by the front door making pasta from scratch.
Gradisca is now my go-to place for a nice dinner. My only suggestion to others would be to go relatively early, as it did get a bit loud as it filled up.
I had a charming experience the first time I went. our waiter was friendly and attentive UNTIL our food started coming out and then we never heard or saw him again until we asked for the check. nonetheless, the appetizers (we had flatbread and artichoke croquettes) and the pasta (lobster cannelloni and gnocchi - though barely enough for one person) was good enough for a second visit.
then last week, 10 of us went to celebrate my husband's birthday. this time, the food was lackluster and the pasta even more meager than i'd remembered. once again, we were ignored by the wait staff after placing our orders and before the check came. we paid cash ($$$$ for 10 ppl) and i personally counted the money THREE times but low-and-behold our waiter comes back to tell us we are $20 short. i insist that he count it again and he insists that it's short. so we had no choice but to give him another $20. then he tells us he needs our table. rude rude and more rude.
6 words: Cannelloni All'aragosta In Salsa Di Crostacei
It's lobster wrapped in the most delicate of pastas in a tasty shellfish sauce. So - Good.
Honestly I feel like most Italian restaurants get off too easy, is there really a huge difference between two spaghetti's or two pizzas? It's kind of like trying to pick between two donuts or two cupcakes they're all decent (heresy gasp!). For the first time in my Italian eating history I felt like Italian food could be a craft rather than just a comfort food. Perhaps this is the way it's always been and I was simply never exposed to the right Italian restaurants. Well hallelujah, glad it finally happened.
The restaurant is fairly large, but feels intimate due to it's low ceilings, warm lighting, and brick interior. Definitely date-worthy. Service was good, and our waiter after describing his favorite cocktail decided to bring us all a taste gratis, most appreciated.
Off the beaten path in a relatively quiet area, but only a few blocks from the Meat Packing scene.
Go now, before it's overrun.
This was a fabulous dinner. The server knew his stuff and gently steered us towards better choices.
The yellow fin tuna tartare with sweet orange, balsamic reduction and capers starter was delicious. Get it!
For mains, we had the Fresh egg pappardelle sautéed with hand-ground lamb ragout (yummy but very small portion) and Pan-roasted all natural pork filet, grilled peaches, yellow pepper flan and Parmigiano-Reggiano fondue (my wife loved this one).
The wine the server suggested was solid. To end the dinner, the pear grappa was amazing. My wife was brought a bit of amaro so she wouldn't feel left out. And, we shared a huge portion of tiramisu.
Great meal! Go there now!
Like the other reviews state, Gradisca is a great place for a romantic, casual and elegant dinner for sure! As it turns out.. it's also a great little spot for dinner with a small group of 6-8.
For starters, our peppy and gracious waiter was quick to pour small samples of the cucumber martini, since I was undecided on the all important pre-diner cocktail. It was indeed a very refreshing and intoxicating elixir, perfectly suited for a warm summer evening.
Next up: appetizers - I personally like the tartare. Though admittedly, no one else seemed to enjoy it as much as I. The artichoke appetizer was also a stand out for me!
Entree: the Lobster cannelloni, was rich and delicious. The portion size was on the smaller side, but for me it was the perfect serving size. I was content and smiling by the end of dinner.
I peeked into the back room while we were there. I was surprised at how large the backroom was. It makes me think that this might also be a good venue for larger group dinners, but you might want to call ahead to ask about that first.
Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me!
My boo took me here for my bday the other night.
Why my boo/Gradisca is a winner:
1. He found this place based on other rave yelp reviews (thank you Yelp!)
2. He picked this place because they have a dish with truffle oil (my current obsession)
3. Very romantic
4. Very delicious (yes both of them)
HUNGRY HIPPO PICK(s):
1. creme brule cheese app
2. "badly cut" egg pasta in a black truffle cream sauce (one of those cases when bad means good)
3. grilled sliced prime angus filet with balsamic reduction (sofest filet I've ever had, I even gobbled up the beans which I normally hate)
4. Tirami Su (definitely made on the premises)
Everything about this place strongly suggested that I would like it. It's located on a quiet, quaint strip of 13th Street, the host/owner is most gracious, the bartender was wonderful, and the ambiance was casual and potentially romantic. Unfortunately, the service and food fell a bit short of what I would call a good experience.
For places that are between the high end and the low end of dining, I expect a certain level of service. When you're sent to the bar for ten minutes to "prepare" a table that was already empty and looked exactly the same as when we walked in is a little grating. When said table is in the tiniest corner of the entire establishment while other tables are available is also grating. When my primi piatti arrives with my date's insalate, that's getting into rookie territory.
The food was slightly above run-of-the-mill Italian. I think to a certain extent, we're so accustomed to a higher standard of quality in restaurants that sometimes I have to ask myself if I'm not being too harsh. I did just this assessment over this meal, and I have to admit, it's still just slightly above mediocre. The artichoke croquettes were a bit soggy, and the accompanying olive tapenade was overly oiled. The lobster-stuffed pasta was good because the pasta is homemade, but the lobster filling did not taste fresh and the sauce was a bit bland. On the upside, they will happily accommodate dietary restrictions more so than at other places if requested in advance.
Overall, not the worst place in the world for Italian, but there are definitely better options.
I love how their logo/mascot looks like Ursula the sea witch from The Little Mermaid!
Cute quaint lil' place. Very romantic-my best friend and I were the only non-couple in the place. Service was friendly and very Italian. We ordered two apps, two entrees, and one dessert. What stood out the most was the apps-the cheese creme brulee was a unique tasty concept. But the mini meatballs were mmmm mmmm good! I was very tempted to order another order!
Great place to take a date and know that afterwords you'll prolly get some ass due to the romantic atmosphere of this place ;)
Well if it's Hot On Yelp, then it must be good, right? :)
The answer, yes. I definitely enjoyed my time and my meal here. My friend and I arrived early and decided to cop a squat at the bar and order something of the light, crisp and refreshing variety. The bartender then poured us a sampling of the Gavi and it was perfect! Just the right glass of vino for our parched selves.
The rest of our party then arrived and we headed to the table to partake in the deelish. We ordered a few appetizers including the artichoke balls, the tartar, the arugula salad and the buffalo mozzarella and tomatoes. All were good, but I really liked the arugula salad and reminded me that I don't eat arugula nearly enough!
We then moved on to main courses and this is where I was a bit let down. Whenever I see the following things combined in a bowl I get giddy. Lamb, fresh parpadelle and bolognese. And so I ordered it and decided to share the lobster cannelloni with my friend. When the portions arrived they were tiny. I mean, really tiny, which was such a contrast to the healthy sized appetizers.
As for the taste of these dishes, I was kinda bummed with the bolognese. The lamb was good and in chunks but the overall ooomph of the dish wasn't really there. The lobster dish was extremely light and I wasn't a fan of the texture of the little cannelloni rolls, just a bit too tough I think.
And so I would say, come here for some wine and some appetizers and enjoy the beautiful decor and romantic ambiance with a date or even with friends. It makes a great backdrop for fun conversation and a good time with friends.
Oh also, if you like cucumber, try their cucumber cocktail. it is really good and packs a hefty punch.
I totally agree with maria below. I've noticed that they make you wait at the bar for like 30 minutes! I don't drink, so get me a seat already~
I will definitely avoid this place for valentine's day. This place is always empty, but they always make you wait! You'll notice that the waiters and hostess just stand there and do nothing! I've noticed that several over hyped, 2 star with horrible food restaurants use this tactic. I only goto this place for their appetizer, so when they send me to the bar, i usually walk outta there..
UPDATE: Like i said.. for guys, avoid this place.. full of old.. i mean old people standing around the bar, wating for empty seats.. yes! empty seats!!! Why would you keep 25+ empty seats and make people wait 15 mins! WOW is right... luckily, i'm not retarded enough to realize that i live in NYC and don't have to wait for a empty seat to be available for me after 15-30 MINUTES!! So, don't waste your time here. Go somewhere else.. NYC has plenty of great restaurants that are actually full and worth the waiting!!!
This is NYC, there are plenty of restaurants that will sit you right away. If you're a guy looking for a place for your girl friend or a date, go somewhere else. Trust me, food aren't that great either.
What is it about my second trip to Gradisca that wasn't quite as magical as the first?
First, I must say this:
Similar to the scoring in Olympic gymnastics, I think Yelp should consider a larger range of available stars. Four for Gradisca seems a bit harsh, but five? It just isn't there. My first time here, I fell in love. The winter menu was cozier - better - and memorable. While I enjoyed everything I had yesterday,
(Appetizers:
Filet mignon tartar in extra-virgin olive oil with summer black truffle cream sauce
Prosciutto di parma and cantaloupe melon marinated with Port wine, Artichoke croquettes
Poached octopus
Entree:
Pan-roasted all natural pork filet, grilled peaches, yellow pepper flan and Parmigiano-Reggiano fondue
Dessert:
Flourless chocolate cake)
it just wasn't *quite* as good. The appetizers were the main disappointment, whereas the pork and dessert were definite winners.
I will definitely return, but likely on a weekend evening, as Tuesdays tend to be uber-quiet, and when I do return, I'll opt for the pasta and the winter menu whenever possible.
The sangria, though, is excellent.
I'm kind of in a 'love-hate' relationship with Gradisca. Well, its not quite that severe on the negative side but I don't think its worth the bang for the buck. That said, let me immediately contradict myself: the appetizer of artichoke fritters was made by Jesus himself. Don't like Jesus? Ok, fair enough - but some sort of deity. That thing was just straight up genius front to back. And the pairing that they did with the black olive tapenade and the creamy cheese just added fuel to the fire. However, I went with my mom, and we also had the red rice salad and it was really just 'ok'. But when I spend $12 - $14 on very small appetizers, I kind of want enough to remember it by. Does that make sense?
Again, to flip flop on myself here - the Montepulciano D'Abruzzo house wine for $7 a glass is a steal. I had two and my mom had one. As she noted, that was the best deal on the menu. I had the special lasagna which was again, very good but the portion size of about 2.5 inches by 2.5 inches for $22 just left me wanting a bit. And the noodles were just slightly overcooked but I can't complain there too much as it was just too good.
Our meal got a bit strange after the appetizers arrived as my mom realized she would indeed need a main course given the size of our dishes. Unfortunately, our waiter, who had been pretty good thus far, kind of up and disappeared. I tried to get our bus boy to grab him which worked only once I transitioned into spanish. He was really doing his best and proved to be more helpful than our assigned staff (couldn't really tip him directly though) but just didn't speak much english.
My mom had the branzino which was also awesome but we were starting to feel a bit neglected by the wait staff. Not only had our waiter disappeared, but he had been replaced by the waitress who was nice enough when she was around but that was a rarity.
About face: the apple fritter desert was a meal fit for Jehovah. Extra points for the reference on that one. Simply put: straight genius. But there were these four tiny little balls on the plate and, after one appetizer, one salad, two main dishes and a desert, I went home to eat some more food.
You can't really go wrong here in that the food will be fantastic. Most of what other people recommend looked really good as well but if I had a night and wanted really high end Italian food, would I spend it here or at Dell'Anima? Probably Dell'Anima. Its a little loud, I know but that spicy chicken is too good for words and I get enough on my plate to know that I paid for something.
Beautiful and dimly lit restaurant in a easy to reach location. Definitely a date place.
From what I can gather, Gradisca means grandma. And they had a real live "grandma" looking older woman at the front of the restaurant making some tortellinis. While it could have been perceived as cute, it was kind of sad to see a small frail old woman there rolling out pasta as a show.
The food was delicious. My date and I shared two appetizers. The pecorino creme brulee, which came with slices of flatbread and sauteed sweet onion. We also had some mozzarella wrapped in prosciutto drizzled with pesto. Both appetizers were great. Our entrees were the roasted sea bass with olive topping, and a grilled tuna special. Both entrees were solid, the vegetables it came with were more interesting and scrumptious than the fish itself.
All in all, a great date restaurant that's not too expensive. I'd probably go back one day, skip the entree and just order several appetizers to share.
Love this place. They had great service. For dinner, we called in about an hour before our arrival and they were able to accommodate a party of 8 on a very busy night. We hung out at the bar while we waited for our table and got a good buzz going. The waiters and hostess treated us very nicely and set up our table even before our whole party got there.
The food was also delicious. I had the pollo in crosta and it was juicy and scrumptious. Just the perfect amount of food too. The ambience is fitting for a date or if you have a big group such as we did. The only thing is it's only got a one toilet bathroom. You may have to wait a bit to use it.
Perfect.
Iam so happy i went here tonight. My meal was delicious. I had the vegetable lasanga, it was so good light and full of vegetables. I also had the artichoke appitizer that was very good. The service was attentive and the place was cozy. I will defenitley be back here.
I went here for dinner on Saturday night with a group of 6 people and we all thoroughly enjoyed the meal. The restuarant is very quaint, but has an awkward layout with the bar in the middle of the restuarant. It's pretty loud and boisterous in the dining room, but you were still able to hold a conversation with the person next you without having to scream.
We all split the spinach flan and octopus appetizers. The spinach was very good and something unique. The octopus was ok. A friend also had the fried white corn polenta, and thought it was excellent.
As for the entrees, I had the cavatelli. They were delicious with a flavorful sauce and just the right amount of ricotta cheese and eggplant to go with the pasta. I also tried the pappardelle, and thought they were good.
Others had the veal, steak, chicken, and tuna. I think the ahi tuna was the best of those, but there were no complaints about any entree.
For dessert, we all split a piece of tiramisu. It was perfect. Very light and fluffy and a great way to end the meal.
This is a fun place to go for a meal. It's a little pricey given the size of the portions, but the quality is top-notch.
Tried out this restaurant after reading so many wonderful reviews, but honestly, the food did not live up to my expectations.
The restaurant had nothing to fault but the mediocrity of the food, and that's giving it more credit because truthfully, the food was pretty flavorless.
Except for the creme brulee appetizer which I thought was okay, and the ricotta gnocchi, which was actually pretty good (but which I did not order for myself), the food was bland. I ordered the zucchini napoleon for an appetizer and the olive crusted branzino as a main course. I know the zucchini itself is a bland vegetable, and though the dish itself was beautifully presented, it just lacked something something.....later I realized it was salt! That should never be the case.
I got the branzino because I read so many great reviews on it, but in the end, it was completely overpowered by the sweet peppers, and the fish itself was bland and tasteless. The encrusted olives probably would have done better spicing up the fish had they not been completely dry themselves.
Anyway, I was really let down after eating this food, as so many people left Gradisca glowing reviews. The restaurant itself was also very beautifully decorated and the service was great, alas.
I would give it 5 stars if the lasagna was as great as everything else was.
The wine choice, by the waitress, was great.
All the food was magnificent.
Although, we did have to go to the Duane Reade on the corner to buy some Maalox to cap the evening off. It was definitely worth it.
I would definitely recommend this place for an intimate evening. The waitress did mention that the place gets really crowded on the weekends, though.
Wholey crap! This place rocked my world. The entree I have to recommend: seabass with an olive crusted top on a bed of red peppers, OMG I think I just had an orgasm writing that. I still have dreams about it, seriously. This place was perfection. It doesn't get much better in this planet we call earth. The staff of Gradisca did an amazing job. Everything was served perfectly on time and the waiter did the wine thing perfectly. I was really impressed.
Please is pricey $200 for two, but if you're going big, why not pick the best :). This place is perfect for a romantic date as well... She will love you for it.
I went here a couple of weeks ago to celebrate my sister's birthday, hoping for a great Italian experience. Gradisca almost delivered.
The interior is pretty funky. It's long, narrow, and dark, with no clear unifying them to the design. But we were all feeling it. We ordered some cocktails and a bottle of wine and settled in. Great, comprehensive wine list. Also, great cocktail menu. But, they're a litttttle pricey. $14 for a cocktail? Hm.
We started out piadina romagnola with prosciutto, which essentially was an Italian quesadilla. This tasted pretty good, but was a little on the messy/greasy side for my tastes. Honestly, I prefer the offerings at Piada (http://www.yelp.com/bi... ). Also tried the mini meatballs, which proved to be pretty tasty. Though the sauce was nothing to write home about.
Moved onto the arugla salad and wasn't impressed. Wayyy too much arugala with only a few walnuts and no other veggies. An unfortunate salad.
Until I got my entree, I was totally pleased with our service. However, when it showed up, I found that my grilled filet was served with the same salad that I started out with! Hey waiter, maybe you could have pointed this out? That kind of left a sour taste in my mouth. The meat with fine, pretty good actually, but the salad was more of the (not so great) same.
Dessert was a highlight. Went with the puff pastry apple tart and the more traditional tiramisu. Though Bianca's (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) tiramisu is the best I've had, this one ain't bad. This was Italian dessert done right.
Overall though, I didn't really feel like the food we got justified the relatively high prices. It was OKAY, still had a great birthday dinner, but nothing amazing.
Had a wonderful experience here!!!
-The atmosphere was amazing
-Main Courses were extremely Tasty (recommend the Scallops, Ahi Tuna, Pasta with Veal, or the gnocchi of some sort... can't remember the name)
-Desserts were great as well with Tiramisu and the Apple Fritters
-Wine selection was very pleasing (be sure to read up on Italian wine selection before visiting the restaurant ;-)
The only reason I'm not giving this establishment a higher score is because I can't give half a star for 4.5
The only reason they aren't getting a 5.0 is because I wasn't a fan of the appetizers
We had the Veal, Flatbread and one other that I can't remember right now.
All of them were good, but I don't feel like any of them were as exceptional as the rest of the meal.
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Neighborhood: Park Slope
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Category: Italian
Neighborhood: West Village
Category: Italian
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