Sfoglia Restaurant
1402 Lexington Ave
(between 91st St & 92nd St)
New York, NY 10128 (212) 831-1402
- Nearest Transit:
96th St (6)
86th St (4, 5, 6)
- Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
17 Reviews for Sfoglia Restaurant
Simply the best. Order the mixed appetizer plate of the day, the fresh pasta and the cooked to order dessert of the day and bask in foodie bliss! Prices are very reasonable for quality of food. I love Sfoglia!
I only ate desert here, so I can only review that and the espresso and wine. But if the dinners are anything at all like the deserts, oh my!
We had a vanilla sorbet and a some kind of flourless chocolate cake and they were the two greatest things I have ever had. No joke!
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Oh Sfoglia. Finally got here after a year of living on the same block. I was so so so excited for this meal, and it delivered. I love the feel of Sfoglia, the mismatched tables, the communal ones that have colanders of lemons or baskets of bread, the mural on the wall, the decorations behind the bar, I ate it up. We sat in the red booth by the kitchen, and felt like we had an intimate view of the whole restaurant. I ate all of the olives, and most of the bread- delish. I got the papardelle- of course and it delivered. Matt got the gnocchi and it was also delish- each bite had a new flavor and texture due to the preparation. We shared the beans which were yummy and marinated to perfection. So why does Sfoglia only get 4 stars? The dessert. We took our waiters recommendation and got the chocolate crepe. Mistake. It was filled with spicy chocolate that really turned us off- why didn't he tell us!?
I can't wait to go back to Sfoglia, I so wish it wasn't so hard to get in to. Sigh.
PS: The wine was great too- but I would expect nothing less from a full time sommelier with a restaurant small enough that she can know her customers as well as help them choose the wine.
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After hearing and reading glowing reviews, my fiance and I had the wonderful opportunity to dine at this lovely gem last year (on a Tuesday evening, but that was perfect because it was our 6 month anniversary). We've been talking about it ever since and frankly, we don't have a good enough reason as to why we haven't gone back yet!
The experience was comparable to a rustic meal in Italy -- complete with dish towels as napkins (I was convinced this must be authentic!). The chicken all mattone (cooked under a brick I presume) was fantastic, as was the gnocchi.
Mmmm I need to get back here...
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They said you needed a six-weeks ahead reservation, but my dads and I walked in for lunch at the bar, voila! No prob.
My dad is a character -- he insisted on drinking his Metamucil with lunch, mixed into his water -- but ya know, he's a paying customer and MY ABBA and he's amazing, so do what he says. I thought the woman tending bar was a bit uppity with him. Give respect to my papa, please.
The space is country-kitchen rustic. The food is newfangled Italian. Hearty, crunchy bread; great olives. I had a lovely pasta with butter, light cheese, beets. I LOVE BEETS. It was great. My did had a simple chicken, oven-roasted and it tasted like lemons and how freshly-mown grass smells.
Tasty tasty.
Also, the sweet potato soup and the kale salad. Lovely, both, although $16 for soup strikes me as somewhat ridiculous.
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S'Foglia, at least when I went, was extremely hot, having been reviewed favourably by just about every restaurant critic and food blog in the city. Having read everything, and because I could not get a reservation for sooner than 4 weeks in advance, even though it was a small party dining late (2 at 10pm), my expectations were pretty high. It must be good, I thought! Why else would people trek up to Spanish Harlem for Italian food?
The space is tiny and quaintly decorated, almost too quaintly. Maybe it's my mid-west background (read: I've spent time in the authentically down-home places that S'Foglia et al. are imitating), but the down-home country charm in a trendy NYC restaurant just doesn't really jive. This quibble notwithstanding, the mood and ambiance at S'Foglia is great: quiet conversation, pleasant lighting, and plenty of room.
Maybe it was the night, but I found myself a little underwhelmed, after all I'd heard. My salad appetiser was very tasty, and my beet-infused mushroom pappardelle was an interesting dish that I found both delicious and surprising. Dessert and wine were both great. But there was nothing to induce "eyeroll moments". It was good, in that I'd recommend it, but not so good that I'd suggest you try to slip the maitre 'd $20 to get you in without a res because you have to eat there NOW.
Don't get me wrong: S'Foglia is great. It's just not THAT great. It definitely does not hold a torch to some of the great Italian in this city, such as Babbo or Fiamma. As such, S'Foglia is definitely not in my Top 3 for 2007, but it might sneak into the Top 10. For a place that's been so overhyped, that takes so long to get into, and is located in such an awful location, I expected more. So I'd say check it out, but keep your expectations in check.
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Parpadelle with ragu is delicious; dessert specials portion is huge; order the dessert specials in advance.
The restaurant is cute, farmhouse chic is what I'd call it. Choice of music was strange, a mix of techno and the like, very strange. Service at the bar was somewhat distracted as the sole bartender was waiter for the bar diners plus coffee and drink-maker for the entire restaurant.
I think the big deal about their famous bread is that it's served piping hot...Very very crusty and flaky on the outside and the interior is nicely light but also chewy.
The menu has a short list of apppetizers, primis and entrees. The croquettes are okay, they are nicely crunchy and the whipped potato filling was smooth and creamy but the whole thing didn't have much character in terms of flavor.
The parpadelle is very filling. The regular-sized portion (you can choose regular or small) as an order on its own will be enough to fill you up. The ragu is tomato-based with a touch of cream. The dish is sprinkled liberally with shredded flat-leaf parsley and parmagiano reggiano is grated table side. The meat in the ragu was a touch on the dry side, even though the sauce as a whole was definitely very creamy and rich. The dish overall was delicious nevertheless, very satisfying and perfect for a day when it's cold and you're in the mood for something comforting and homey.
The dessert special I had was the lemon custard with sliced pear and crushed macaroons and vanilla ice cream. It's a plate large enough for 2. The custard was very eggy and the dish as a whole, evoked feelings of having something totally home made and very unstructured and casual but still complex enough to make it a treat.
Reservations are probably best made by emailing the restaurant. They're pretty responsive and quite accomodating.
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Hello Sfoglia! Why has it taken me so long to eat here? I only live 3 blocks away but it feels like it's taken a lifetime to get here! Ever since I read the review on New York magazine I was really excited to eat at Sfoglia. There is an air of exclusivity around this place. It could be the heavy curtains that keeps the restaurant private and low key. Or it could be the small and rustic atmosphere but it's definitely quaint and lovely. Apparently, Tom and Katie, Gwyneth P and Kathleen Turner found it worth the time to travel up to the UES. Since they were all here recently! Loved the complimentary steamed veggies and salads that came out right after we ordered our dinner. It was better than the appetizer salads that we had ordered! If I had known, I would have gone with the sweet potato soup! I also like that they do half orders of pastas. You can try more stuff and not feel guilty! We ordered the gnocchi and the tagliatelle. Which were both excellent!!! My fiancee said that it could have been the best gnocchi he's ever had and I thought it may have given good competition to The Spotted Pig's gorgonzola gnocchi. Tagliatelle was really good, too. (As we were ordering an elderly couple insisted we tried the Tagliatelle, because they liked it so much.) Nice, hearty portions and flavor to both pasta dishes! Sfoglia obviously doesn't skimp on flavor, for sure! We also shared Nonna's polpette, which are pork meatballs served on their delicious homemade bread - like an openf aced sandwich. YUM. Talk about comfort food, Italian style. The entire dining experience at Sfoglia was just that... really good Italian comfort food but prepared in that high-end quality way. We finished off with the Semifreddo and special of the day which were the chocolate crepe-ish dessert. Both rich and decadent! I don't know how we packed all that food into your system but packed it in, we did! I wasn't all that impressed with the dessert but the primi and secondi entrees were excellent!! I can't wait to go back! (Maybe I'll call the day of and see if they have cancellations like they suggested, instead of the 6 week advanced reservations. Way too much planning for me!)
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We had lunch here on a Saturday afternoon. The food was excellent. The server we had was not. He had this annoying attitude about him. He was relatively nice but didn't answer our questions at all, and acted like he could care less. It was like Ben Affleck having a bad day, and being made a server in a Italian restaurant. To their credit we were approached a few times by the other server working that day and he was really nice.
We ordered an antipasti platter to start, pappardelle with bolognese sauce, and the chicken dish. Everything was delicious. The only thing I didn't like was the cheese on the antipasti plate. It was just too pungent for me. Everything else was excellent. The chicken was slightly spicy, tender and juicy. The pappardelle was so good that I couldn't stop eating it even though I was stuffed.
The atmosphere was rustic and really pleasant. They had big bowls of lemons, fresh flowers, and a mish mash of different tables and chairs. It was very cozy and a really comfortable setting.
Overall it was a great experience minus our server "Ben."
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Sfoglia, praised by New York Magazine's food critics, is the identical twin of it's Nantucket flagship. As the name conjures one to believe, the origin is indeed Italian, but rustic, Italian. It's a tiny hidden gem, the kind that you would often find amongst the beautiful lush greeneries in the countryside of Italy, or so I believe it to be. The one room is filled with warm glowing lights from the charming chandeliers and brightness of the skylight shining through the large windows. Filled with a few long wooden tables unadorned with nothing but big metal vats filled with fresh picked lemons and flowers, the restaurant is warm and inviting, and perfect for a gathering of friends mulling over great literature, history, and art. Indeed, I believe that was what was happening over in the corner table when I walked in.
Greeted by a handsome waiter, I was brought to a long table where a pot of Chamomile Tea and a plate with slices of a Frittata and Croissant style bread greeted me. Ok, so I had to order it first....but it sounded so much better saying it the other way. Oh, the internal struggles of my mind as I write. But I digress... A Frittata as some of you may know, is an open-faced Italian omelette. The Frittata I had at Sfoglia was soft, buttery, and filled with Spring Onions, Carmelized Shallots, and Parmagiano. It was heavenly. A perfect little breakfast to perk up my appetite for what was more to come that day.
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This might be my new favorite italian restaurant. its not a very big place (under 10 tables) but the food is out of this world. the pasta is so fresh- usually, when you eat a bowl of pasta you feel stuffed right? well here, after a bowl of pasta, you're full, but not bloated. the prices aren't even too expensive, per Manhattan standards. the bread pudding dessert has to be ordered when you order your appetizers, but its well worth the wait.
the staff here is also the absolute nicest, they will describe each dish in detail, and even tell you how each one tastes. they are really accomodating and didn't try to kick us out when we finished our meal.
the decor in this place is beautiful- there are chandeliers, lower lighting (mostly candles but it doesn't seem too dark for some reason), and communal tables separated by large bowl centerpieces.
this is a great place for a date or a group of friends, or even for a team dinner.
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This place is absolutely wonderful. If you're looking for an uber trendy place, this is not the place for you, but if you're looking for a hidden gem, please give this place a try. Great date place, very romantic and cute. Located on the Upper East, so the customers are representative of the neighborhood. Seats about 35 - 40 people. Sit at the bar if you're a friendly person and enjoy talking to new people.
My boyfriend and I came here tonight b/c I've been wanting to try this place. Took exactly 30 days to get a reservation. Definitely worth the wait. We sat at the bar. The bartender, Paul, who has only been there 7 weeks ,was awesome. He let me sample a few wines b/c I was unsure of what I wanted. Also, b/c he was really busy and we had to wait for our bread, etc, he gave us complimentary glasses of dessert wine to pair with our dessert. Also, if you like wine, they've got a great selection of Italian wine.
Now to the important stuff, food! The bread was amazing. I'm not sure how it's made, but the inside was light and fluffy and the crust was a little hard, but still great. Went well with the olive oil. They also give a bowl of complimentary olives, which my boyfriend enjoyed. For entrees, my bf ordered the Sfoglia chicken and I had the rigatoni. Both were delicious, but the chicken was out of this world! Generally I have a rule of not ordering chicken dishes at restaurants b/c they tend to be dry, but this was the complete opposite. Extremely moist, tender, juicy, and full of flavor. It's pan seared and then put in the oven. The rigatoni was handmade and the tomato sauce was yummy! There are only three pastas that are homemade. Now to the dessert. Paul, the bartender, highly recommended the bread pudding. We went with his recommendation and we were so glad that we did. The BEST bread pudding I've ever had! It was huge too. Be sure to pre order this b/c it takes awhile to make, so order when you order your entree. It's not a cheap dessert, $18, but it's huge and tastes magnificent! But I learned this is only offered in the fall and winter.
I have to say the menu is quite limited. I think there are about 6 pasta dishes and three meat/seafood entrees. A few appetizers and a few sides. The menu changes every month I think.
Food, ambience, and service = 5 stars.
Recap:
Pros: Sfoglia chicken & bread pudding = musts; def get a pasta that is homemade; romantic; great service
Cons: limited menu; reservations need to made so far in advance
Tips: call one month ahead to make reservations
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Disappointing!!!
Could only get a reservation for 2 at the bar at 5:30P (called over a week in advance) on a Thursday.
They didn't open till 5:45P.
Sat down at the bar, and it just got worse.
The sliced meat app was overpriced. Although, my friend had the soup and enjoyed it.
After hearing SO much about the brick chicken (and the only reason we came all the way up here), I wasn't bowled over by it. Don't get me wrong, it was good. The JUS that it comes in is very staining and splatters easily. I have the shirt and pants to prove it, as does the woman who sat next to me!
Dinner for 2 with a bottle of wine (2 apps and 2 entrees)= 136.00
Overpriced for not spectacular food!
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Oh, hell yeah. It took a month to get a table and we sat at the bar, but WORTH IT. The service is very relaxed, but attentive and not too casual. The food is in perfect portions, well balanced, and complex. It kind of knocked me out. The space is very intimate and inviting, a good blend of formal and whimsy.
A word on eating at the bar--- it's huge, deep, and they give you plenty of room (it could proly seat 12 and there are only 6 chairs), so don't let a bar seat scare you. Also, if you like to eat late, a few walk-ins came in just before 10.
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Dinner at Sfoglia was without doubt the best dining experience I've had in New York. The restaurant opened about a year ago, though its sister location on Nantucket has been open for longer than that. It's a little gem on the Upper East Side, and I can't recommend it too strongly. The place has become quite popular, and getting a reservation for dinner can be difficult as it is often booked six weeks out, but it's certainly worth a try. My friend and I were lucky enough to get a table last Saturday night, and I enjoyed every bit of the experience.
The place itself is beautiful. Don't be misled by the simple appearance of the foyer: the dining room, which only sits about 40 people, is gorgeous. The decoration is simple and homely (communal tables, baskets of fruit and vegetables, wine shelves), though quite sophisticated. With dim candle lighting in the evening, this makes the perfect spot for a romantic date.
Where to even start about the food? The cuisine is rustic Italian, but don't let that deceive you: every dish we ordered had clearly been precisely designed with each ingredient carefully chosen. The menu changes every other two months or so, so I suggest asking the wait staff for recommendations. Everything I tried was delicious. My friend and I started with an appetizer of wild mussels, which come in a tomato, garlic and fennel sauce with slivers of salami... and not to forget: homemade sourdough bread (amazing), which will come in handy as you won't want to waste a drop from the sauce. We then moved on to the lobster risotto, with corn, peppers and mint: lobster... enough said. For our main course, we ordered the fish of the day: ahi tuna steak, with a side of sauteed greens and beans, and we also shared a side of tomato and watermelon salad in a pesto sauce. The tuna was tender and perfectly cooked (rare): delicious. Finally our dessert, a mixed berry tart topped with gelato, was equally impressive. I left quite full and more than satisfied.
They also have a fairly large wine selection. They only carry Italian wines, but also have a full bar. Having grown up in France, I am not familiar with Italian wines but was pleasantly surprised with everything we had. We started with a bottle of rose di pinot, and then moved on to a bottle of negroamaro "Alberto Longo", which was recommended to us by the manager and couldn't have been a better choice.
And last but not least, the service was impeccable: the wait staff and the manager clearly went out of their way to make our evening as enjoyable as possible. I had a wonderful time at Sfoglia, and can't wait to go again in the future!
Tip: getting a reservation for dinner can be an ordeal, but lunches are typically less busy. Also, after discussing this with one of the waiters, I hear getting a table for a late dinner (after 9:30pm) is sometimes possible when a reservation gets canceled (call the day of to check).
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i must be the luckiest person on upper east side this evening!
without a reservation, i managed to get into sfoglia restaurant, which boasts a dinner waiting list of 6 weeks!:)
it all started with a casual email enquiry about whether they could accommodate me for lunch.
their reply came slightly late for me to make lunch and i wrote back to ask if i could do dinner today or lunch tomorrow.
the reply was that they are closed on sun and their manager, jennifer(who was very helpful via email) suggested i come for breakfast or lunch on mon.
i was feeling lucky and decided to just turn up at opening time for dinner(5.30pm) anyway.
i got there at 5.15pm and hung around outside the nice cosy corner restaurant waiting for opening time.
as jennifer was visible through the restaurant window, i signalled to her my query of getting in.
she came out to answer my prayer and told me she can accommodate me for dinner if i come back at 5.30pm.
so that i did and was seated soon after.
soon the restaurant started filling up and it was full in no time.
another couple who showed up without reservation was turned away!
another 2 behind me also did not have reservation but got in after someone else cancelled.
so much for that.
now for the service.
i was promptly attended to and the wait staff know their menu and were friendly.
choice of drinks were offered and the complimentary olive appetizer came soon after.
i am not an olive fan but this small selection of assorted olives was lightly seasoned and fresh. very pleasing to the palate and a good start to dinner.
the wine list was reasonably priced and my fellow diners at the next table gave it the thumbs up.
next came the bread.
freshly baked sourdough bread.
crispy on the outside and smokingly hot, airy and moist on the inside.
the only complain i can come up with is that it was slightly charred.
i chose the poached asparagus, crab, polenta cracker salad, mayonnaise $12.
it came in no time and the colour, texture and flavour was very well balanced.
the crab meat was fresh and mixed with diced peppers, celery and italian herbs. the cracker gave the starter a crunch and compensated for the lack of it in the asparagus.
i think the asparagus was slightly limp from overcook.
i also think the wild mussel starter which my neighbour diner had would have been a better choice.
the main course i chose was potato gnocchi, smoked mozzarella, sausage, english peas, tomato $24.
this was magnificent!
the gnocchi was so light it melts in your mouth!
once again the flavour, colour and texture was carefully blended into a major success.
the mozzarella was hidden below the gnocchi and exploded with flavour and texture when uncovered.
the sausages that came with the dish was sublime.
you could taste the flavour that can only come from the sausage's oil but yet you do not feel overpowered by it.
needless to say i polished everything clean.
my fellow diner highly recommends the sfoglia chicken main course and after seeing them eat it i strongly agree with them!
i am not a dessert person but i had to try their much hailed bread pudding right???
wrong!
it was only available for winter!
alas, what now?
on the advise of the helpful waiter i secured 1 of 4 available order of a chocolate ice cream brioche sandwich served with chocolate shavings, crushed nuts and fresh cherries.
and it did not disappoint.
again the attention to colour, texture and flavour was evident.
so what more can i ask for?
er......future seating for dinner without reservations???:)
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This little italian restaurant will put you into a comatose state of tastebud oblivion. Everything they serve feels special. The bread is the creation of the chef/owner's wife and is baked fresh daily( crunchy on the outside..oh soo moist on the inside) The sweet potatoe gnoochie will melt in your mouth...the whole moist orata is cooked just right in a tight little package of parchment paper..be sure to top it off with the bread pudding
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