On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Christopher St (PATH)
Christopher St (1)
W 4th St (A, C, E, B, D, F, V)
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
Loading...
Malatesta is one of the best traditional trattorias in New York. It is no frills Italian, but Italian that feeds your soul.
I've been here several times and have never been disappointed. I love their piadini, gnocchi, and lobster spaghetti. All the menu items are handwritten on the menu on a daily basis (very cool.) The wine is pretty good too.
My favorite time to dine at Malatesta is on a warm summer's night. You can sit outside on the West Village corner and people watch.
(Please note that this gem is cash only...)
This place was perfect for a post-movie dinner with D and his mom. The prices are moderate, the food is good, and the atmosphere is ambient but casual. D and I both had the spinach gnocchi with Gorgonzola sauce - it was simple and tasty. D's mom had the papardelle with tomato sauce and crab meat, which was yummy as well. We shared a caprese salad to begin, it had arugula, which I thought was a nice touch.
We were all too full for dessert, but the espresso was nice!
This place was recommended to me by a couple people. I want to love it, I really do. I'm giving this place 2 stars - because the food I ordered was really bad, my friends' food averaged out to good, and the service was uninterested and unattentive. Now for the specifics...
I ordered the beet salad special and the grilled calamari over arugula. I'm a fan of almost anything containing beets, but this was just not good. It didn't taste fresh or well thought out at all. The grilled calamari smelled really fishy and was very very tough. I had a hard time eating/cutting it. My friends all ordered pasta - the artichoke ravioli was the best by far, the other dishes were OK. The house wine was good and cheap, no complaints there. The service was average. They did their job, and that's about it.
If I went by myself, I would give this place 1 star, just for the calamari. Out of 4 people's apps and entrees, only 1 dish was worth coming back for. That's a 2 star restaurant, my friend.
Cute place, lively, romantic, and perfect for a date... who knows nothing about good pasta.
Ok, I admit, I am being a little harsh here, and perhaps it is because I've been spoiled by great Italian restaurants, but for a better price and a just as lovely atmosphere, I'd go uptown to Celeste. There they know how to cook pasta without leaving it a sad clumpy overcooked mess. (At least it was sitting in a delicious sauce, I got the tagliatelle)
They dont take reservations (or cards), and it gets extremely busy and slightly understaffed, so patience is virtue here.
That said, the crostini misti was amazing.
Wow. Having lived in the West Village for the last 3 years, I am amazed that I've never found my way here. Yes I've walked by a ton of times but how is it that this place was never on my radar before.... that was before I was told that this place actually serves some pretty awesome Italian pasta and indeed it did at pretty affordable prices.
So I read that the owners of this place also run Gradisca and Piadina (both restaurant I really like - Gradisca is quite up there for pasta in the n'hood for me and Piadina is just such a tiny neighborhood kinda place) and expectations were high prior to coming here.
No reservations and this place was packed for Friday dinner... but the beauty of being the fairer sex AND choosing well in the dating pool is that this part's always taken care of by someone else :)
As it was drizzling that night, there was no outside seating (which would have been lovely on day with nicer weather) but we scored ourselves a great table by the window.... not only did we have an awesome spot, we were also able to make use of the extended table space provide by the ledge. Yep, in a neighborhood spot like this, extra table space is always appreciated.
I had the spinach gnocchi and it was lovely (and you thought the regular gnocchi couldn't get any better!)
BTW cash only.
On the last episode of Top Chef Masters, the Italian master chef, Michael Chiarello said that good manufactured pasta is almost always better than homemade pasta because they are set-up to make pasta exactly how its supposed to be made. Based on my experience at Malatesta, I'm not sure I agree with him.*
My homemade spinach gnocchi was to die for (just as it was at Peasant). It seems to be a popular dish at Malatesta as every table had atleast one. At around midnight, even the owner (or manager?) ordered himself one and literally inhaled it. I also tried the fish of the day, Halibut, and it was so soft and literally melted in my mouth. Note to self: Eat more fish. There are too many of them anyway, and they're mighty dumb.
It's a perfect place for a date, catch-up session with a friend over a carafe of vino, and apparently girls nights out. Seriously, every other table had a BIG group of girls, gossiping the pants off each other. That's a nice image. I'll leave it at that.
* I would say "with all due respect" but anyone who watched the last episode already knows that Michael Chiarello is a giant egotistical douche bag, so no such reverence for him.
This is a great restaurant for reliably good pasta and other Italian dishes. I find it difficult to find a good bowl of pasta in this city, so when I'm in the mood I generally head to Malatesta. While I've had several good bottles of wine at this restaurant, I've also had a couple that have been a little disappointing, so choose carefully. Also, they do not take credit cards. Plan ahead, because an ATM is a little hard to come by all the way west by the river. Another thing I have to say about this spot: the waiters tend to be very cute Italian boys. It's an added bonus.
Super cute place. The homemade pastas are def the way go to go! The tagliatelle and the gnocchi are yum! Even the sauces are quite tasty. The foccaccia bread is awesome too. This is a great place for standard italian fare (ie just pasta and sauce, no frills). If you're looking for something more than that, I would not come here. The wine selection and prices are pretty solid too.
Great for a group of 4 or so, but I wouldn't dine with more than that here. Make reservations too on the busy nights. So packed!
We scored a table outside! Def the way the to go.
Beware: portions aren't that big, so if you're starving coming here, either fill up on some bread or get some apps to supplement your entree.
I'm still on my italian kick, and still nothing beats Biancas.....not even close.
Now straight to the food!
Appetizers: Mussels with marinara (fresh and lovely, but i thought it was suppose to be in a white wine sauce?), and the calamari (I absolutely love when they leave the body as wholes and not pre-slice.)
Entree: Delicious spinach gnocci with gorgonzola sauce with a nice light cream sauce. The tasty chicken cutlet was thin and crispy but surprisingly tender. And the pasta from Penne All Arrabbiata seemed straight out of the box and boring.
Its a pretty fresh & homey itlalian restaurant, but i rather get drunk while waiting 45 mins to be seated sardine style at Bianca because its $8 for their mussels and their way more generous with their servings and their pasta leaves me full and content.
Tips:
-Don't sit inside during the summer...i couldnt stop sweating and there is NO ac, but there was no other choice since it was about to rain and they closed off the outside seating.
-Trust your waiter for their choice of wine, I really enjoyed the bottle of white which hit the spot for my description to him for "a wine just right for a summer's night."
-Pasta dishes are portioned for girls and not manly men....so make sure you order a secondi!
Malatesta is such an incredibly charming place to spend the evening. Seeing almost every alluring table sharing a bottle of wine almost broke my little heart to be on this one-month detox. (..it's really only my love of wine that gets me....)
Completely off the recommendation of our scrumptious server - we started with the grilled calamari and artichoke salad - both of which were deliciously fresh. We then sampled the infamous spinach gnocchi with gorgonzola and basil sauce - which was just beyond delectably savory without the heaviness! And, just to end it on a delightfully wisftul note - we had the tiramisu...wow.
This is definitely the type of place where you can fall-in-love...and not just with the fabulous fare. I will definitely be back...to try the wine ;-)
The outstanding atmosphere and wine list makes up for the unexceptional food. However I am Italian so my standards for Italian food are unusually high.
Ahhhh, It has been so long since i've been with internet or written a review. It's good to get back in the saddle......
Going to Malatesta was really a nice change of pace. It is a small cozy joint where you can't distinguish the patrons from the random waiters, in casual street clothing, coming to your table.
We ordered a bottle of white based on the waiters suggestion. It was a nice refreshing summer wine. WE got an order of calamari and mussels which were delightful. the calamari is not hte usual breaded fried type. It was just straight squid.
I got the penne with spicy tomato sauce. it was standard, nothing that blew my mind. My friend got the gnocci which was actually excellent. My other friend who got the chicken i thought it would be a bust since it's a pasta place. but it was actually really tasty. My bf got the flat noodles with some sort of meat that i can't recall. but that was also good.
Overall it was nice and reminded me of Bianca's. But i would say the portions were small and you may want to go eat somewhere afterwards.
If you're looking for an authentic Italian for a reasonable price, go to Malatesta.
I had the caprese and the spinach gnocchi w/cream sauce and both of them were really good. One downfall of this restaurants is that the service can get a little sloppy and it's cash only. But hey, I would still be coming back here if I lived near by. The cost/performance (mainly taste for me) of this place is just superb.
On my next trip back to NY, Malatesta will be on the list to eat. We arrived 30 minutes prior to dinner time so we walked around to kill time. We came back and had a seat outside. First, I loved how the menu was written on cardboard with great font. I like this place already. Everything on the menu looked really good. We, of course, ordered different things so we can try as much as possible. We started with a carafe of red wine (I wish Pasadena sold carafes of wine) and our first course. I got the beet salad which was greens, beets, cheese and a great salad dressing. My husband got the mushroom salad. Both were yummmmy! We each got a pasta, husband got the spinach gnocchi and it kills me that I forgot what I ordered! Both dishes were the be best pasta I ever had! So fresh and full of flavor! OH and the dessert...don't skip the dessert. We order the chocolate mouse and panna cotta...soooooooooo good.
I can't wait to go back to NY just to eat here again.
One thing that's weird...why is this place called Malatesta? It sounds good but in translation it means headache! Oh well.
Went here with a large group; our waiter had a large Mario mustache, which was amusing. Got grilled calamari, salad, and a few other things for appetizers; nothing was bad, but in general could've used more flavor and bigger portions. Wine was ok.
As part of a pri-fix they made for us special, everyone had Chicken Milanese, with a few family style sides of pasta. Pasta was NOT family style portions, and was just ok. The chicken was underspiced and in a few cases had been mildly overcooked. I did appreciate them taking our group on such short notice, but frankly we could've done much better. The food was nothing special and pathetically portioned.
Always a hit. Live in the hood and can't beat it for a simple but delicious pasta or eggs on the weekend. I feel like it is real Italian food by real Italians. Wines are reasonably priced. Try to get there early before it becomes a scene. These guys really do it right. Inexpensive too. Calamari and tagliatelle are my favorites, but the salad and sandwiches rock as well.
I felt like I was in Rome, the outdoor seating is nice, prices are nice... pretty good place to have a bowl of pasta
Really delicious Italian food in a warm, understated setting. It actually reminded me a lot of Picollo Angolo without the ridiculous wait. The pastas were all super delicious. The prices are reasonable. The location is great. Definitely recommended!
An authentic Italian gem! My favorite restaurant for a low-key spring / summer evening. A rustic setting, outdoor seating and the large open windows, on the corner of Washington & Christopher, so you will get a great breeze from the river. Also very interesting people watching on this corner ;)
CASH ONLY. GREAT FOR GROUPS (reservations recommended for large groups). The service is attentive and the wait staff is wonderful (mostly Italian themselves).
The wait usually starts after 7pm on a beautiful evening, otherwise it won't start until after 8pm.
We always start off with the steamed mussels in a tomato broth. The broth is perfect for dipping the bread afterwards (so save your bread!). The Crostini appetizer w/mushrooms, onions is fabulous. The bruschetta with tomatoes and onions is also a favorite. The appetizer portions are perfect for sharing for 2 (i'm not talking only 2 pieces, it's like 4-5).
All of the pastas are homemade and fresh. I've tried the tagliatelle with marinara and ground beef, spinach gnocci with creamy gorgonzola sauce, potato gnocci with tomato sauce, fettucini with shrimp and asparagus. They are all delectable. For "bigger" entrees, the pounded chicken cutlet is perfectly cooked and moist and HUGE.
Dinner for 2: appetizer, 2 entrees, 4 drinks will cost you no more than $45 per person including tip!
Malatesta is probably my favorite place for authentic Italian food in Manhattan. Recently I brought a party of four for dinner here and we had a great meal and a wonderful time.
It was a sunny Sunday early evening and about 80 degrees in April. We sat outside on the corner for optimum people watching. The ambiance added to the night, I'm sure.
The waiter recommended an Italian white, which we took. It was perfect; light and lemony.
We started with a plate of grilled calamari, which was doused with some really superior olive oil. The calamari was grilled to perfection. You could still get a hint of the grill which was really nice.
Along with that, we had a caprese which was very nice and light. I think they used plum tomatoes which were smaller that what you normally get with a caprese but, also made for convenient individual bites. The mozzarella was light and creamy.
For dinner we shared two pastas: Penne Arrabiata and a homemade pasta special tossed with oil, zucchini and ham I believe. The arrabiata sauce was a stand out because it started sweetly and the zing snuck up on you. The highlight of the pasta special was the actual homemade pasta, itself. And the ingredients that came along with it were a nice blend of sweet, savory and salty.
Entrees: Red snapper for two of us was perfectly grilled. It came with arugula salad and steamed spinach (replacing potatoes at no extra charge). Grilled Lamb chops for one of us which were medium rare on the nose and fell off the bone as the meat should. Bistecca for the other was again, precisely medium rare and served with shaved grana padano on top. We all shared and were all happy with this wonderful offering.
Things to keep in mind:
Cash Only
Take the waiters recommendation on wine
Try the homemade pasta
Make a reservation during peak times.
Our favorite neighborhood Italian restaurant. I love the spaghetti and she loves the veal meatballs. Great service and atmosphere at reasonable price
The price alone gives this restaurant 5 stars for outstanding homemade pasta dishes. The only pasta they do not make is penne. I had my vday here with my boyfriend.
Reasons why this restaurant deserves 5 stars:
1. Italian boyfriend who chose this restaurant and cleaned his plate and mine (couldn't finish my tagliatelle w. ragu)
2. Italian boyfriend's friends are waiters here
3. Location Location Location !!
4. We're in a recession, yes... but this is a great value. So take your dates here!
Recommendations: The spinach gnocci!!!! (Also, I saw my neighbor's spaghetti alla chitarra, chunky tomato marinara with cubes of gooey mozzarellas, it looked fantastic) Back to the gnocci.. I don't think you even need to chew. They literally melt in your mouth and I thought I knew what gnocci tasted like. I need to stop shopping at Wholefood's and buying that organic natural gnocci crap. Malatesta offers a hearty good portion for the same price and the views from the Hudson makes it a sure hit.
Cute neighborhood spot with decent but not great food. The bruschetta was really salty and sat on a bed of greens. Our server took it away before we finished the greens--I need to greens to feel healthy after carb-loading!
I ordered the piadine. Our server said it was like a pizza sandwich--it is a freaking tortilla. I ordered it for double the crust! It was nice biting into the thick mozzarella slices. Okay, so, honestly, this place might get four stars if I weren't a little bitter about the piadine. Oh, and the server asked, "Just the piadine as your entree?" Ahh, well maybe I wouldn't have gotten it if it'd been described as a quesadilla! Ahem. I'm nearly over the piadine. It was definitely good for what it was, though.
The spinach gnocchi had a thick cream sauce, but not much spinach flavor.
The desserts were faboo--how can you go wrong with panna cotta and tiramisu? Yummy light and creamy goodness with the panna cotta and the tiramisu had a great deal of thick cream.
This would make a great, relatively inexpensive date place.
This place is good. This place is damn good. One of my favorite aspects of this spot is the host (who always works on Sunday nights). This guy has an incredible mustache. I know that doesn't really add value to the food, but it sure does enhance the experience.
And the food. If you order the right things, malatesta is really delicious. Kick off the meal with their calamari (grilled to perfection, incredible flavor), a side of spinach, and the spaghetti with mozzarella, basil and tomato. So simple, but so perfect. If you stray from basic entrees (e.g., the lobster ravioli) you will most likely be disappointed.
A few notes:
-avoid this place on cold nights (the wind from the river goes right through the windows)
-get there before 6 (this place is a favorite for locals)
-bring your green (no credit cards here)
-don't bring too much green (reasonably priced)
-skip dessert (it's very meh)
-enjoy!
A great little neighborhood gem.
I dined here last Friday (got a table right away around 730pm) with a friend from out of town. We ordered salads and pasta dishes, two glasses of wine: barely broke the bank.
I had the apple salad which has the most delicious tasting homemade ricotta cheese on it. I has in heaven. She ordered the gnocchi (which I've had before) and was most excellent. The servers were very attentive, but not too much to be annoying. And all very handsome Italian men.
The space itself is pretty romantic, with loads of two and four tops, candle light. But not so close to your neighbors table that you can eavesdrop. Can get a bit noisy.
Afterwards, walk along the river. Hello perfect date night.
Wonderful little Italian spot in the West Village. Fantastic food, especially the gnocchi, bruschetta, salads, and bolognese pasta dish. Delicious breads too! Service is decent, could be better. Definitely a place to come back to again and again!!
So amazing! A friend reccommended this place and I'm so grateful. It made for the most perfect late dinner on a seriously gorgeous night. Everyone who worked there was so nice and made sure we got seated as quickly as possible. Menus are hand written and unique. The food was all amazing. And it is VERY reasonable. A lot of the pasta is all homemade too.
Only downside is cash only, and thats not even a downside, just something to aware of.
I will most definitely be back, and soon.
This place is fantastic! Starting with the wait staff, it is true Italian. We had the artichoke ravioli, which was delicious beyond description, bordering on a spiritual experience. The grilled calamari as a starter was just the right balance. Five stars across the board.
Malatesta is a great choice in the village if you want to sit outside on a beautiful day or evening. We decided to eat there when meeting with some friends who lived in Hoboken, due to its proximity to the PATH station.
We started off with some bruschetta and a pear salad. Both were very fresh and light, and are a great start to a meal.
I had the rigatoni special, and everyone else had the a dish boasting the home made pasta. My dish was fine, but I tried some of the other pastas, and there was definitely a difference in taste and texture. So, don't sleep, and get a home made pasta dish.
Prices were reasonable, cash only, service was attentive, and definitely an interesting "people watching" spot if you're sitting outside. It is a mix of tourists, locals, and Gay Hip Hoppers that you don't see in other parts of the city. Check it out - very entertaining night all together.
Great on a warm night, they have some tables outside and it's very open air if you're inside. The prices are pretty ridiculous, as in ridiculously low! I had the gnocchi, one of my Italian test dishes (I like to order it at all unfamiliar Italian places) and they passed with flying colors. Service was decent, but we ordered a bottle of wine that never found its way over... that was a bummer. I'd love to try a few more things, so think it's likely I will return...
The walk from the train station seemed much longer in the bitter cold. From outside, the place seemed much bigger, but it's really very small. on a Friday night we had a 45mn wait. Decor was very simple. I wasn't a fan of the ambiance. Too noisy! we could barely hear ourselves :-/
Food was overall good. I loved the cheese on the caprese salad but my favorite was the spinach salad. The pasta we ordered was fresh and yummy. Prices were pretty reasonable. With 2 appetizers and entrees our total was under $65. Would definitely come back during the summer and to try their seafood.
Great little place to have a nice dinner. Intimate, quiet setting. No reservations for parties under four, but we went a little early for dinner on a Saturday and didn't have to wait.
I had bruschetta and spaghetti and everything was fresh and hot. The spaghetti came with chunks of fresh mozzarella, and the sauce was thick with the perfect amounts of tomato, basil and garlic. The service was wonderful too. Never an empty glass.
BEWARE this place is cash only. Thankfully we found this out before ordering because of noise at the table next to us. They ordered $200+ of drinks, entrees and desserts and when the bill arrived realized they had to go to the ATM. I do hope the owners allow credit cards at some point. It's really too bad, because we would have ordered a lot more if that wasn't an issue.
Malatesta is absolutely my favorite place for authentic Italian food in Manhattan. The food, the Italian waiters... You just cant go wrong here!
My favorite restaurant in NYC! Not only is the food fabulous, but the atmosphere is comparable to… Read more »
A solid 4 star place but definitely not 5 stars. They made us wait outside on a cold night, which is understandable considering the size of the restaurant and such but still a pain. We could have stood by the bar out of the way. Throughout the meal they were kind of rushing us. The food was very good, though the portions could have been more generous. The carafe of wine was plentiful and excellent though! A solid meal, but probably will not return anytime soon.
My favorite Italian place for any occassion in the deep west village side.
The place is small but perfectly inviting The menu is simiple with a handful of anitpasti, primos and secondis, along with a few daily specials. We each ordered different pastas and they all came out awesome. I'll come back regularly for sure. Its cash only so bring the hamiltons - no benjamins necessary for a party of two.
I'm in love. I had the artichoke ravioli and, my god, it blew me away. I can honestly say that it was the best ravioli I have ever had. For serious. The service was a tad off. They gave me the wrong wine and forgot to bring my friend's glass entirely. However! The pasta was so good that the service didn't even bother me. I don't think my mouth has ever orgasmed that much during a meal.
the atmosphere is perfect here. its a small restaurant, but on a warm night (like this past sunday), they open up all the doors and windows so it feels like you are outside when you are actually seated inside. the whole decor is "italian rustic"- lots of wood, small tables, etc. the house wine was very well made, and the food is simple and oh so tasty. i had the gnocchi with tomato sauce - it was the most potato-ey gnocchi i have ever had- which is how it should be. when i go back though, i am definitely going to get the spaghetti (which is what my brother in law got)- really nicely made- and yes, it was homemade.
the service was a bit spotty- we waited quite some time to order and basically had to wave down a server to put an order in, and then at the end they never gave us our change. BUT for some reason, the spotty service didnt really bother me. the staff seems primarily italian, and for some reason, the whole restaurant made me feel like i was swept away to italy- and i do think service is viewed differently in europe- so i was fine with it all- in fact i liked the servers' attitude- they didnt bother us too much but when we did order, they were able to give us educated opinions/ info on the food.
ill be back- definitely glad to have this spot in my neighborhood.
Met some friends in town from SF for dinner and ended up at Malatesta. Super reasonable prices, large portions, and amazing outdoor/open air indoor seating on a warm night. Service is best described as European, harried, and somewhat overwhelmed by the continual crush of people wanting to eat here. The men in our group were not complaining about the elfin hostess and her extremely short and lightweight slip dress. It was a blustery evening and we'll leave it at that.
We put our name down and had drinks at some bar in the neighborhood while we waited. The hostess had gotten my number wrong but they were still able to give us a great window table and wine while they set it up. The caprese salad ($9) was a decent starter but the tomatoes had not hit their peak yet the way they had in CA. I went with the shrimp and asparagus linguine special, the manfriend had the tagliatelle with ragu, and I also tasted the spinach gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce as well as ravioli in pink sauce. We had a few bottles of a dry white that was $30 and perfect for the warm evening. A completely different type of Italian than Babbo, but a perfect fit on a warm night with friends who wanted something reasonably priced.
Malatesta was a good Italian food place. It was exactly what I wanted. I ordered the special which was the Lobster Ravioli. The ravioli was so obviously home made and was delicious. I had the sauteed spinach with lemon and garlic and it was a very interesting dish. It was great, and I would definitely order it again.
For $50, I was able to leave sufficiently sated (and a little drunk). The only downside is that this place ONLY ACCEPTS CASH.
I love "hole in the wall" restaurants such as these. They are diamonds in the rough of a great big city. I will return to Malatesta the next chance I get and would recommend the same to everyone who wants a unique dining experience.
Wandered in from the snow last night after a long day of holiday 'cheer' at WXOU. A very large bowl of pasta was the best decision I made all day. Prehangover strategy at the ready, we also ordered appetizers to share for the table - mussels, calamari, artichoke salad, tomato & mozzarella. Everything was good, not particularly memorable, but that's not a criticism.
Pasta was the standout. I had a rigatoni with ricotta salata & eggplant special, which was delicious. I managed to clean my plate & while the portion was definitely decent, I wouldn't call it gut busting or gluttonous. I tried everyone else's & thumbs up to the arrabiata, the spaghetti & really liked the fettucine with clam special. In every mouthful you could taste the freshness of the homemade pasta. Chewy with a bite.
I believe there was panna cota & tiramisu ordered for desert, but I had descended into a booze & rigatoni coma by then.
A lovely little evening of escape from the cold. Would classify as one step up from neighborhood food, but I'm jealous if you live the neighborhood.
Fabulous Brunch now served…
Neighborhood: Park Slope
Lunch or Dinner & a movie $28
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
Neighborhood: West Village
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: West Village
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: West Village
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Greenwich Village
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: West Village
Category: Restaurants
These are the places I liked to eat in New York.…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
A list of places visited while living it up in a…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
