Ino
Categories: Wine Bars, Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhood: Manhattan/West Village21 Bedford St
(between Downing St & Houston St)
New York, NY 10014 (212) 989-5769
- Menu: MenuPages
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Late Night
- Best Nights: Sun, Thu
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking: No
- Coat Check: No
71 Reviews for Ino
If it weren't for the slightly under-seasoned soup this small, welcoming eatery would be getting 5 stars. The sandwiches were incredibly tasty -- richer than any I can remember. The staff expertly explained the various dishes and fielded questions, giving the strong impression of expertise and well thought out food. It was quite crowded, even on a rainy night, but I still felt comfortable and was able to enjoy the experience (though the noise level did reach a difficult level toward the end of the evening).
Highly recommended! Quite, nice neighborhood, too.
Take Otto, replace the vast space with a tiny room, the super-trendy set-up with a more rustic, homey atmosphere, and the celebrity reputation with one that speaks for itself, and you have Ino.
Unlike Otto, I loved Ino! We got there around 7:20, and to our horror, there was a sign on the door saying they were closing for a private party in about an hour. The waitress promised us a table in 15 minutes, and assured us that we would have time to eat before the kitchen closed. She kept her promise, and a few minutes later we were munching on bruschetta and sipping wine (they have many reasonable choices-- my glass of Riesling was $8 and wonderful-- and a bottle would have been an even better deal).
We shared several different kinds-- we especially liked the ricotta and the butternut squash ones. They're a perfect appetizer. Eating light is easy here, as you could simply snack and get some wine and be content. We opted for some panini and salads, and each was delicious. The best-- my sister's with their creamy pesto, although we liked the prosciutto and sopressata too.
This place must have a huge following, as couple after couple was coming in and being (politely) turned away because of the private party. We took a nutella panino to go, which was goopily chewy and chocolatey. YUM. I would make a special trip back here, no doubt. HIGHLY recommended.
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The size of a wine crate, 'ino still manages to be romantic and cozy and a place where everyone clearly wants to spend their night.
My friend and I had to wait about fifteen minutes, but once a party of six cleared out we were seated immediately (me essentially trapped behind the table and between others) and greeted by our Proseco-sweet waitress.
We decided to get two bruschette, namely the spaghetti squash with pine nuts and the special of the day: white anchovy. The spaghetti squash had a pleasant sweetness to it and a hint of olive oil, but the true show-stopper was indeed the anchovy. Fresh and not too salty, it went down wonderfully as we each took three bites of the deliciously crusty bread it was placed upon.
For our main meal, we each got the soup with half of a panino. Molto bene. The Tuscan white bean soup was not riddled with whole beans or escarole, but instead was made from pureed white beans and topped with a swirl of tomato sauce and croutons. It was unbelievable, and a great, almost hummus-like dip for the sandwich halves.
Now, onto the panino. My friend adored his, which consisted of portobello mushrooms, sun dried tomato pesto, and grana formaggio. It was really great, though I'll admit I liked mine best ;). Filled with the great melting cheese fontina, the crunchy bread also harbored artichokes and fennel, though I could have done with more of that lovely anise flavor.
We do not really drink alcohol, so our bill came out to be considerably less than what I imagine others' would be. Regardless, two dollar, delicious bruschette and rather large and filling sandwiches with hearty soup for only $10 is quite exceptional. I'd definitely come back, perhaps for take out.
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Always good. They are the best at what they do which essentially panini, salads and appetizers (haven't tried their brunch) and wine. The vibe is unpretentious and neighborhoody. I would love to give this place 4.5. The only complaints I could have are limited seating and smallish portions, but nothing to warrant subtraction of an entire star.
Edited on 5/1 to say that their espresso is divine. I love that it's a tiny cup with just a generous swallow of coffee. What is it that they say? "Anything more than a mouthful is a waste"? So wonderful!
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Heaven on earth. Seriously. Quaint, charming, but so absolutely special you'd think someone sprinkled fairy dust here.
I loved it. I loved it.
I loved it.
The bruschetta is, honestly, inspiring.
And Ino is not pretentious.
It's cozy - maybe too cozy at times - but everyone wants in to Heaven.
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After a massive hunt for a grilled cheese with truffle oil and a failed attempt at Employees Only I ended up here. I really enjoyed the food, but you may wonder why I'm only giving three stars. Well it's because although the food was great the experience was less thrilling. After begging my friend to go all the way downtown for a grilled cheese I had to beg her to stay when we arrived and could barely fit in the door. We were the second party in line waiting for a table and it was so uncomfortable. After about 20 mins we took a couple's spot at the bar. I finally ordered my truffle oil, but while eating I was constantly bumped off my stool by a strange girl sitting next to me.
OK enough of the bad stuff. The waiter and bartender were very helpful and friendly. When I finally got my grilled cheese I was pleased (still not sure if I really know what truffle oil tastes like). The bean soup was delicious. We even sprung for the bruschetta dessert, and it was quite pleasant.
HUNGRY HIPPO PICK: Tuscan White Bean Soup
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A great West Viillage standby. Probably due - in part - to their exceptional general manager/wine director (M.S.: ahem.). Cozy and intimate. Good place to take a date or to get over an ex-lover.
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I often came here after work with some of my favorite people. At 11 or midnight, the crowd would have died down a bit, and it would have been much less chaotic and cramped than if you came at 8 or 9. It's super dimly lit, intimate, and the food is delicious and inexpensive! They have an extensive list of bruscetta, and I can always count on a tasty salad or panini here. So, 5 stars for great atmosphere, great food, and great times.
This place was really nice..very cozy. The waitress was sweet and we had a GREAT white wine (Cortese, Gavi, La Battistina) The biscotti tasted a lot like it had fennel in it (and that was the Tom's of Maine toothpaste I used this morning) so I didn't really like it. The hot chocolate was really good and i had to order some to go. I went early afternoon and the brunch crowd was just about ready to leave with the token artsy type facing the window with his glass of red and a dreamy look in his eye..
But as it came closer to 5:30 the lights came down and the candles started going on each table I just wanted to drop down and make a baby right then and there. This is a really great date place if you want that person to feel like there is nobody in the room except you.
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Ino is a really cozy and dependable Italian restaurant/cafe. I went with a group of 5 friends to catch up and we were lucky enough to get a table without waiting on a Saturday night. Though as the night progressed, though it became pretty packed and lots of people were waiting outside. So if you're going on a weekend night, go early, or plan to wait outside.
If you're a claustrophobe, this is probably not the place for you, but if you don't mind having your neighbors hearing your entire conversation, then Ino is a great place to come for some good wine and great sandwiches (and fabulous wine).
We started with an assortment of bruschetta, which were all really good and then each moved on to a pannini. I had the three cheese pannini and although it was really a glorified grilled cheese, i really loved it. We really wanted to try dessert so we got the bruschetta with nutella, at our waitress' recommendation and it was a little odd, but delicious.
Overall, all of the food at Ino is delicious (although most of it comes on some kind of crispy bread), the service was good, and it was a great place to have an affordable and fun dinner with a date or friends.
Tiny place...but definitely a place I can count on for light dinner, the pannini is one of the best I've had...love their anti-pasta. Went for 1st time with some friends on Thursday (and again on Sunday) Expect long wait though... but I had a pleasant time (that's because I also went with some cool friends^^) You're sitting pretty much elbow to elbow but it was candle lighten so can't see much to be bothered with...the staff was very attentive too. I forgot the name of the red wine, t'was a good pick...bit spicy & nutty & aromatic for sure.
'ino is... sexy. In fact, people were making out all around me. It's the lighting, the olive oil, the best wine in the world, the coziness, the brush of a knee against a knee, a nutella panini, you get the idea.......
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This is my absolute favorite place in Manhattan. I discovered it my first week here and when I lived in the village I went at least twice a week!
The best feature here is the Antipasti plate- it's perfect split between two people. I love being able to mix and match my own cheeses and other antipastis like the goat cheese with fennel fronds or the roasted red peppers or my personal favorite, the marinated onions- they are all SO good.
I've also tried several of the paninis, the chicken and roasted tomato is a good, safe bet but you should try to branch out and try something that sounds a bit more daring. I tried the currant, radicchio and smoked mozarella and it was a pleasant surprise. The odd combination of flavors came together so well. The italian BLT tremazzini ( a smaller, crustless sandwich on soft white bread) is delicious. I also loved the olive and goat cheese one, the unique textures and flavors were a surprise.
The wine list is great, and I love the staff at this place- I swear they must sutdy flash cards in order to memorize all the different ingredients on the menu. In short, go to this place and you won't be disappointed. Not to mention it's open till two and is a perfect late-night date spot.
Tip: Prepare to wait if you go after 7 or on a weekend for brunch- it's super small and usually really crowded at that time- but grab a glass of wine or a mimosa at the bar and enjoy. Also, be sure to ask what the bruschetta specials are- my favorite being the fig, arugula and balsamic.
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Thanks to all the Yelpers for their very helpful reviews on this. I asked my husband to pick a Friday night date spot and recommended that he view my bookmarks on Yelp for suggestions :-) So glad he did!
This place is intimate and cozy yet casual. Since it was chilly the night we went, everyone packed into the bar area while waiting, which was crowded but ok. We were told our wait would be 10 minutes, which turned into 25, but after enjoying a 1/2 bottle of wine and getting seated, we could see why people wanted to linger. Our bruchscetta (two of the classic and two of the butternut squash) were very tasty, and our paninis (chicken, asiago, tomato and greens) and my hubby's (something with sausage) were perfect comfort food on a cold winter night. While seated, we asked for a bottle of red under $35 dollars (their wine list is extensive but confusing unless you really know your stuff), so we enjoyed our bartenders' pick.
I think I'd enjoy Ino even more over the summer, when you can wait outside as opposed to huddling in the crowded bar hovering over the tables. I would also suggest it as a late lunch spot. If you're hungry and want to split some appetizers or paninis to hold you over, this would be a great little place to park it and chill out for a bit before your next stop.
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Ino is great! It is cozy in that fire-hazard way... we went on a rainy day and everyone had their coats hanging all over the place, with candles burning everywhere on the wooden tables. Yes, it is cramped and there may be a wait, but the food is quite good. We got the antipasto place with a delightful assortment of veggies, cheese, and meat. The wine was reasoably priced and good. The panini sandwiches were excellent. I had a half panini and half salad. When the waitress gave me a whole sandwich, she immediately said Oh I'm sorry and got me a salad, and offered to wrap up the extra half sandwich. Memorable items on the antipasti plate: the sweet onions and the asparagus with truffle oil. I would definately come back. You don't think these little appetizers and paninis will be filling but they are quite filling indeed. I would not come here with more than 2 people. Waitresses are so nice and friendly, and unpretentious. Love it! My only suggestion would be to offer wheat bread or some kind of whole grain bread to healthy it up a bit.
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Top notch. The place is tiny, with eight tables at most. I've been a few times, and I've never had to wait for one. Upon reflection, this seems bizarre. This place is too good, and too well known not to be packed. But there's something magical about this place. Also, I probably just didn't go on a weekend.
It's dim, with only candles lighting the room. The small tables are tight, but for some reason you aren't bothered by the conversations occurring right next to you.
The wine list has a good number of inexpensive bottles that are just as tasty as anything you could want. You can have an excellent bottle for $30. Just take the waiter's recommendation.
I felt pretty funny ordering $8 panini, made from nothing more than two slices of grilled Tuscan bread and a thin spread of nutella. But it's good. And so what? It's New York. Things are supposed to be pricey.
The truffled egg toast is about as wonderful of a thing as you can put in your mouth. Make sure you order it. I mean, this isn't so much of a suggestion as a mandate. You are morally compelled to eat it.
The cheese plates and the other panini are right around that $10 price range, and they're all very good. I think the cheese plate is a great bet. It's got a wide range of interesting cheeses, and it's fun to share.
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As others have noted, this place is tiny, and I think I would have only given it four stars if we didn't luck out and get a table as soon as we walked in. It was cold out the night we went, and was too chaotic inside to stand safely in four inch heels - there's no place to stay out of the way of the waiters and customers. I was dizzy from spinning to get out of the way for the brief time we had to stand while our table was cleaned.
But we did sit down quite quickly, and had an amazing meal. I love this kind of dining - where we order a ton of little bites off the menu and have no idea what's what when we get it. It makes me slow down and think about what I'm eating, forces my taste buds to figure out if it's sweet onion or garlic, goat cheese or something else. Each bruschetta that we ordered was fantastic and we ate slowly, drank our wine and had a great conversation. My favorite was the sweet onion and cacio - a wonderful balance of sweetness and cream. Another favorite was the butternut squash, walnut oil and asiago.
We'll be back, but may wait until springtime when it's pleasant outside and we won't mind standing out there, not spinning in heels to avoid the staff, making the evening last a bit longer.
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'ino is 'abulous!
Right, so 'ino does a brunch, and I'm happy to announce that eggs benedict and smoked salmon were nowhere on the menu! Seeing non-typical brunch fare was refreshing, the only problem being I had no idea what to order.
Luckily, our waiter was really cute so I knew I could trust his judgment. I ended up with a panino, which is no surprise because other than an egg dish and a salad, the menu was 90% panini.
I started studying Italian yesterday (really) and I learned that panini is the plural of panino. Now i'm gonna be annoyed every time I see it written wrong at every restaurant ever. But I digress. It had grilled onions and cheese, and it was toasted to delicious perfection.
My friend saw a picture on the Internet of their truffled egg toast, which is the reason we went to 'ino in the first place. I don't know why it appealed to him so much because it looks like a square version of the "egg" on a McMuffin, but whatever. We thought it was all egg, so we were surprised to find bready carbs underneath. (Refrain from defining 'toast' for me, I know what it means.)
Anyway, it was delicious with this really strong flavor. I was jealous of his meal until I remembered that truffles are mushrooms.
The only problem I had with this place is the portion size. My food was just filling enough, and it came with like three tiny carrot cubes next to it. My friend's egg toast was rather small and was surrounded by some tiny pieces of asparagus that hardly amounted to one stalk. AND since carrots and asparagus are disgusting, it was pretty much a main-course-only deal. Some sides would've been nice... or something to help me walk away feeling full. Like an Egg McMuffin.
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Love this place! Dimly lit, cozy, and a sublimely chill atmosphere. Went with one of my friends from out of town at around 11:30 on a Friday night, before going out on the town. We loved our wine and the bruschetta we ordered--a great way to catch up. Get ready to hobnob with your neighbours though, Manhattan-style--which is what we did, and thank goodness for that because I ended up befriending the girl sitting next to me :) It's nights like these that make me love New York.
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The White Truffle egg toast, served with steamed asparagus, is out of this world ! They have the best cappuccino !
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We got lucky and didn't have to wait in line like most people did. Went over to Ino for lunch and tried their famous "truffle egg toast". My bf said he had the same toast over at inoteca and it was bigger. But overall it was a pleasant experience, love the bruchettes!
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This is definitely a 5 star place for what it is. I learnt that a panini is an entire grilled Italian sandwich whilst a panino is part of a panini, being half of an entire grilled Italian sandwich. Great atmosphere and very attentive service. May I also make a point of the great seating? I got the chair in the corner where they pushed the table in to trap me in to the seat near the back window... the submissive side was really into it. But aside from that gratification, the food by itself was wonderful... great soups and sandwiches. A+
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Went late - after a dinner elsewhere - sat at the bar and sampled many different wines. There were only a few other people in the restaurant. Manager and bartender were friendly and helpful. Cozy and intimate. No need to fight the crowds - go late!
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Wow, am I glad I discovered 'ino!... This place is really a wine bar (Italian wines exclusively), but the food selection is also quite remarkable (and very reasonably priced). The place is really tiny, with just enough tables to sit 20 people or so. My boyfriend and I went there on Sunday afternoon for some wine and bruschetta. The bruschetta is particularly cheap ($2 a piece), and very tasty: we shared a bunch of them, and everything was amazing. Some of the highlights were the asparagus in truffle oil, the roasted garlic, the braised fennel and tapenade, and the fresh tomato and basil: so delicious! For dessert, we ordered the fresh strawberries with balsamic and black pepper (good), and the peach bruschetta with mascarpone and honey (to die for). All this food and 1.5 bottles of wine later, we left the place full and happy... I can't wait to go back.
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this place was super crowded at first and our "20 minute" wait turned into 2 hours, but it was nice once we ate (at the bar).
the sink in the bathroom was undeniably cute. but i don't remember there being hooks...
They have nutella panini for dessert - that really sums it up.
This is one of my most favorite places ever. The food is superb and the service is great. Now that I'm back on the west coast, I can only dream of eating here every night...
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In the cutest neighborhood in a cute location.
The prices are reasonable for how nice the place is.
I had the cheese platter....It had 9 different types of cheese, and they were all amazing....The truffle egg toast was also very good, but smelled funny due to the truffle oil....
I normally dont like writing reviews on places far away, but this place was THAT great.
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This is a great little place. Stopped in recently, late afternoon. It's tight seating, but it's not so bad. I'm a big-time red wine fan, but don't know a damn thing about it, so the bartender gave me a couple different tastings - all were smooth. Had no clue whatsoever to order off the menu, and was put on spot by the busy bartender, so i just threw out 3 different kinds of bruschetta ($2 each) - mostly with goat cheese or tapenade. Really tasty. Also got the Truffle Egg Toast. It rocked - but the truffle flavor was a bit overpowering i thought. Still delicious though. And then the shrimp pannini. Was good - not outstanding. Overall, cute place, i'd go back with a good friend.
Cute place to take a date. Really tiny space, so be prepared to wait at the bar on a Thurs, Fri, or Sat night.
Usually get the sampler of paninis, salad, and a wine.
Sister shop of inoteca, which also has an even more amazing selection of wines.
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Tiny, tiny place. Everyone was inviting and we were seated within five minutes on a Thursday night, so not bad. They have a great wine selection and it's affordable if you share a cheese plate with prosciutto. It can be a bit romantic but it's a much better place to have wine and cheese with your girlfriends (my boyfriend wanted a pizza after our meal).
I'd been here before tonight and actually really loved it. However, things changed quickly tonight when I was treated more horribly than I can ever imagine at 'ino. I've worked in many restaurants, and I've had a number of frustrating experiences that made me grumpy and ruder than I probably should have been, but I never forgot that the job is hospitality. I can't imagine EVER treating someone as rudely as what we encountered. The short, stocky, blond woman at 'ino needs a vacation ,or perhaps a change of career, IMMEDIATELY. She was incredibly rude, and her nasty disposition made us RUN out the door in horror. The good news is that we ended up at lovely Centro Vinoteca, and the wonderful folks there provided the delicious wine, food and kind service that we needed to put our awful experience at 'ino in the past. My philosophy in serving has always been, when customers get under your skin, exercise TACT. Tact is telling someone to go to hell, and having them look forward to the trip. If you can't manage to do that, you should be replaced at once.
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It seems that warm wine bars will be the theme of this summer. Ino is not very big, but the two of us didn't have to wait long. It can get very cramped on a busy night, but the food is quite good (we tried various bruschette, a smaller sandwich, and a larger panini), and we were able to sample a half-bottle of Italian wine. This place is a good option if you're looking for a simple, unpretentious meal, to be enjoyed at your own pace.
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I have nothing original to say about this place--everyone who's written seems to agree that it's pretty awesome--except that I typically don't like 1. wine 2. drinking during the day, but I recently had an experience here that made me wonder if I've changed. (Weirdly, as I get older, I become more amenable to things I was supposed to love, but hated, when I was younger.)
The situation was pretty ideal: My boss was taking me out to lunch (i..e. free) on my second-to-last day of work (i.e. vacation), the weather was amazing, and for the first time in a while I felt like I had nothing to be anxious about. [Even as I write that I think, well actually, there's-- but I'll ignore myself.] Matt ordered us red wine--he's into wine and I know nothing about it--and it was weirdly delicious. Usually, to me, wine is either drinkable or not drinkable, but this was in a different category.
We had a cheese plate to start, with several different kinds of cheese including a great ricotta, and then each got the quattro panini plate, where you choose four different panini and get a small portion of each. Luckily for me, Matt's a vegetarian so I got some bites of his and he could only try two of mine. I could remember what I had if I really needed to, but I probably had bites of eight sandwiches that day, and they were all amazing. I mean, I like sandwiches in general, but toasted ones are often lackluster, and these were exquisite.
My only regret is that we didn't have a nutella panini at the end, but I didn't want to seem like I was milking my company's good will (and I wouldn't have been! I just really love nutella.)
Anyway, I got back to work drunk enough that I had to lie around on my officemate's bean bags for a while before going back to my desk; but after that I was so focused! I guess I should drink more red wine.
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Ditto. Not much else to say. Just go and enjoy!
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Probably one of my favorite romantic spots for wine, cheese, and meat. Affordable yet full of atmosphere. And the food - paninis, salad, etc. is all good. It's too bad the place is so tiny and there is almost ALWAYS a wait (at least 30-40min) no matter what night you go.
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I took 4 friends here and it was fantastic. We came in for lunch and each had a few bruschetta's and panini's. I love bruschetta so you can imagine I was in love with all the choices. I loved and keep raving on the grilled asparagus with Parmesan shavings and truffle oil, I had the ricotta cheese one with sun dried tomatoes, a goat cheese with fennel and the pesto one. I also tried one of the anchovy bruschetta and I'm not a fan of anchovies but it was also fresh and delicious. I had a couple of bites of my hubbie's fontana cheese and sausage panini... wow. so good. I'm not sure what beer we had up there but it was fantastic too. I also had a glas of prosecco and, yum, fantastic. If I lived in the area I would hang out here and take everyone I know here to give it a try. Awesome!
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Wine tasting for breakfast? Need I say more?
Originally I was taken here by a friend at 10 AM who was looking to drown his sorrows after being cheated on the night before. So if I was going to be the shoulder to cry on we were going to do it in style at Ino.
We found abundant solace... in the runny yolk of the superb truffled egg toast and a glass of Friuli. Just as he was getting to the climax of the blow by blow (pun only slightly intended), I was busy not paying attention and depositing the last of my butternut squash and fontina crostino into my mouth and reaching for the dregs of my world class cafe au lait.
The moral of the story is try this place for breakfast, especially on a weekday. Kick back and meditate to the whine of the radiator, flirt with the girls at the counter, and grub on some seriously sexy and inventive Italian-style tapas.
One of the best places to read or been seen reading the New Yorker??
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This is my favorite neighborhood wine bar....at least in my new neighborhood. Great wines that I don't even know the name of, for a reasonable price....it seems in NYC it is really difficult to find a glass of wine for $ 7-8...but INO does!
delicious panini, bruschetta and my favorite thing of all time that I have tried to replicate....truffled egg toast. It is heaven on a plate....if you like truffle oil and runny eggs.
Yum! who wants to meet me there?
Great wine. Great cheese. Great paninis. Great music. Great staff. Great prices.
Inevitably, 'ino stopped being a secret a long time ago but it is still absolutely worth it. Go during off hours and you will reap all of the benefits without any of the long waits.
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Paninis galore!
This West Village Italian sandwich spot encompasses everything you would want in a cozy panini shoppe. While the menu isn't huge, they offer a taste of everything in their sandwiches, including cheese filled, meat filled, veggie based and usually topped with some savory pesto sauce. On their brunch menu is the truffled egg and asparagus dish which is heavenly if you don't mind runny eggs so much. Their cheese plate is excellent and oh yes, the main event, the paninis!!
I've ordered a good amount here and although I've wanted to love the grilled chicken and pesto one, I always have found the chicken extremely tough and dry. No more wishful thinking Irene. No no, I've found my dish in the roasted vegetable and goat cheese panini. Light and tasty on crusty bread, it was great with the white bean soup. Ino is a great place to chat with friends over a hearty meal and regional Italian wines. Make sure you bring your loud self since it gets fairly busy and very loud as the night progresses.
I do however need to mention the service here. It is usually fine but last time I dined here, there was a floater in my water... I asked the waiter to replace the glass of water and he questioned the authenticity of the bugger that was swimming in my water by holding it to the candle for a while while stating "There is?!!?". It's just water!! Please dump it out and replace with the... ahem **VERY LIMITED SUPPLY OF NYC TAP WATER YOU HAVE**.
Next time Ino waiter, please trust your customers and get them a new glass of water. This of course, was offset by the wonderful and graciously charming personality of my dining companion.
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