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Thank God for NY Times food critics because if it hadn't been for Julia Dunham's article on the Bronx's Little Italy, I would have missed this place.
Nestled between other storefronts, the restaurant looks pretty nondescript but once you enter the restaurant and pass through the bar, you walk into a beautiful space that has a rustic, warm feel representative of Italy. (There's a brick oven which adds more character to the space.) My friend and I ordered their pizzas--I tried the La Riccardo, recommended by Dunham while my friend tried the Capriccosa. Let me tell you, if you love anything butternut, then you will love the La Riccardo. (Don't get me wrong, I like pizza in its pure form, but gosh, who can resist pizza with butternut puree? That's simply something I cannot pass up and boy am I glad that I tried it!) Aside from the olives, my friend enjoyed his pizza.
Given that I rarely come out to the Bronx, I wanted to try their dessert (even though we planned on hitting up some bakeries afterwards). Unfortunately, I can't seem to determine what the dessert was called but it was a petite lady finger cake filled with light cream and topped with sliced strawberries and almonds. The consistency could be similar to a tiramisu, but without the espresso liquor finish. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed it except the price seemed a little steep for something you can eat in 5 bites ($7)--seriously, I'm not kidding!
Whenever people rave about Little Italy in Manhattan, I have the overwhelming urge to roofie their drink*, and drag them to Zero Otto Nove in Belmont, the Little Italy of the Bronx..because it's that good/better than Manhattan.
And take this as you may, but I am comforted by the fact that the waiters speak with heavy Italian accents and can actually recommend appropriate and affordable wines from the various regions (it doesn't hurt that they're eye-candy, too)...especially when you're sharing an hand-tossed, chewy-crusted, brick-oven baked soppresseta, mozz and basil pizza with a perfect bottle of chilled Lambrusco as an appetizer...
..followed by the two entrees we split from the daily specials menu; fall-off-the-bone tender osso buco with risotto alla milanese, rigatoni tossed in a light herb sauce with mushrooms, peas and artichokes, and the butteriest bottle of Syrah in my price range.
The best part about this place is knowing that even though we looked like death and probably smelled worse after a LOOOONG day at the Bronx zoo, somehow the open air, skylight adorned atrium added a comfortable casualness to our 5:30pm-ish meal.
When all is said and done, did I mean to drop a Benjamin and a half on a solid early dinner for two that left me stuffed stupid? No...but that won't stop me from doing it again soon (only next time with less wine.**)
*But I never would...or would I? :::raises eyebrow:::
**Who am I kidding?
This place is fantastic! There are so many good places to eat in the Arthur Ave area of the Bronx, but Zero Otto Nove is without a doubt one of the best.
I've eaten at Zero Otto Nove a bunch of times and was never disappointed. Some people think the prices are a bit high, but I disagree! The price range is $8-$25 which is more than reasonable for the quality of food they serve. The food is authentic southern Italian, none of this Olive Garden crap, its real, its fresh, and seasoned beautifully.
My recommendation for dinner is the Pasta Al Forno, YUM!!!!!!!!! Baked fusilli with meatballs, ricotta, eggs and soppressata, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.
The back room is charming. Basically when you walk into the restaurant there is a narrow corridor you have to walk through to get to the dining area. It's a large room decorated to feel as if you're in a quaint, little southern Italian village, the walls are painted to look like balconies and doors, the high ceilings are major plus, and the dim lighting at dinner gives a warm ambiance to the place.
I think they've hired too many servers, there are always a bunch of off- the- boat Italian guys standing around, but I'm not complaining, the service is top notch.
I recommend this place to anyone in the NJ/ NY area. Yes, I think it's worth crossing the GWB or taking a taxi from Manhattan to eat at Zero Otto Nove.
So you know how I raved about Patsy's pizza in harlem and how it is definitely my favorite pizza in the city? Well, it now has a competitor. The margherita pizza was phenomenal. The dough was chewy and light yet so fulfilling. The sauce was oh so saucy and flavorful. The mozzarella is from case della mozzarella -period.
TALK ABOUT FOODGASM OH MY GOD.
I just absolutely love this place. The pear salad was extremely refreshing. The polipetti affogati (baby octopus) was so soft and melt in your mouth goodness. And the pasta with copious amounts of calamari and seppia with spicy black ink sauce was I think better than the black ink pasta I had in Italy. No. Joke.
Just remember, foodgasm. Once you go, you'll know.
For starters the place is beautiful, feels very authentic like a villa in Tuscany, Which brings me to the wine.... a tuscan wine....heavenly. The pizza? perfect crust and smoked mozzarella... have you ever? Arugula salad oh so fresh... 60.00 bucks for lunch... two personal pies and one shared salad a bit much but oh so good. A do over for sure.
best pizza in ny hands down!
This Place is a Fantastic Addition to the real little Italy, in the Bronx. From the outside it looks like a little Bar but when you Walk into the Dining room in the Back of the Restaurant it opens up into one of the most beautiful dinning rooms in any Borough. I've been there twice, first time I met my in-laws there for dessert got there early and tried alittle Lamb Chop very good. the second time had Lunch there with a coworker i had a pasta special that was Fantastic. I believe it was orecchiette pasta in a cauliflower sauce with Pig Cheek sounds gross but I assure you that it was great...
Oriana J. as far as their "heavy Italian accents" sorry to break it to you the waiters accents are heavy Albanian accents.
Ended up here-as Roberto closed for vaca this week.
Big space, more causal, busy and noisy inside-not in a bad way, just different from Roberto.
Service way ok-our waiter seemed a bit less helpful than others, and a bit abrupt with us.
Food a bit bland, nothing memorable really.
I did not try the pizza. If I go again, that's what I'll be having based on reviews here.
Overall, a decent place to eat. Doesn't hold up to the original and only Roberto, and not worth a separate trip. But if you can't get into Roberto-ok, you'll eat here.
This is for service. I didn't even get to eat here. Seemed highly rated online. We went after a wake at 5:30 with the deceased's 85 year old father, and told them we would be 10 people, and we would be out of there at 7 pm becuase we had to be back at the funeral home. They would not let us sit until everyone was there. The place was EMPTY. I protested, that the others were coming and we would all be out of there in an hour and a half so we couldn't wait. The 85-year-old had to lean against the bar for 10 minutes. So we called to our family and said, "OK, we'll go to Mario's across the street", where they let stagger in. We spent $500 in an hour and a half. Not sure what the issue was there, but people should use their brains. We would have been out before the dinner rush. Will not go back on principle, though I would have liked to try it.
I really need to make my way up to this neighborhood more often! I was in the Fordham area for a friend's graduation, and she picked this wonderful trattoria for lunch afterwards. I felt like I was walking into a trattoria in Italy. Wonderful, kind of rustic decor with an open wood brick oven. The menu has everything; appetizers, salads, pizza, pasta, proteins. This place is perfect for a large group as there will likely be something to satisfy each person's unique taste.
Everything I tried I absolutely loved. I ordered a pizza, couldn't help myself, I love potato pizza. When I lived in Rome & Florence that is all I would ever order! Delicious, and this one was no exception. Perfectly cooked, well balanced and I was actually able to finish the whole thing (except for maybe some pieces of crust)
PATATE SALSICCIA E PROVOLA - Sliced potatoes, sausage, smoked mozzarella
Some of the things I tasted were:
LA RICCARDO PIZZA - Butternut squash puree, smoked mozzarella, pancetta, basil
PASTA AL FORNO - Baked fusilli with meatbails, soppressata, ricotta mozzarella, sliced egg, tomato sauce
RISOTTO Special - Peas, sausage, mushrooms.
The butternut squash pizza was so unique with the combination of ingredients and tasted so comforting, warm and smooth. Delicious. The pasta al forno was also very good though my friends complained about the egg that seemed to be randomly placed on that dish for no apparent reason. The risotto special was spectacular. I wish I could have had room to eat both my pizza and this risotto!
The service was very good and efficient, water glasses constantly being filled and we did not feel pressured to order up quickly, eat and leave despite what seemed like a full house that day. Although they do not take reservations, you can call ahead to have your name placed on the list. Just remember you'll only be seated once everyone in your party is present!
As soon as I walked in I was impressed by the decor and ambiance. You walk down a hall and then it opens up to a room with painted walls, a skylight and a brick oven to make you feel like you're sitting in a small courtyard tucked away in a back alley in Italy.
There wasn't a long wait and the service was very good and attentive. We got the usual bread basket that come with Italian Restaurants.
My husband ordered the QUATTRO FORMAGGI, their 4 cheese (Smoked mozzarella, gorgonzola, provolone, fresh mozzarella) pizza. It was so good! The cheese combination was a perfect match for brick oven pizza.
I ordered the PASTA AL FORNO, which is baked rigatoni with meatbails, soppressata, ricotta, mozzarella, sliced egg in a tomato sauce. I was very pleased by this dish! The pasta choice was a bit too large for me (I don't like big pasta), but not so much that it hindered my enjoyment of this fantastic dish. The meatballs were memorable.
We also ordered Tiramisu and a Cannoli, the latter of which is homemade. Both were delicious!
The prices are high, but well worth it and I'll definitely come here again. It's great being just a hop, skip and jump away!
Biggest mystery? Why this place thinks it is too good for reservations.
My parents and I had a lovely dinner here back in the fall of 07'. I don't remember what I ate, but I know it was delicious, and that we were all dazzled by Chaz Palminteri's looming presence on the other side of the "piazza." It left a good impression, and I've wanting to go back ever since.
Last weekend, I thought I'd have a nice birthday dinner with friends at Zero Otto Nove. I called twice to make sure that a party of 15 would not be a problem at 6:00 on a Saturday, and was assured that we would be accommodated. The hostess was equally confident when we arrived, but explained that we could not be seated until everyone arrived. It's a bit of a trek up to Arthur Ave for a good number of my friends, and the final stragglers didn't make it until just before 6:30. We then waited patiently for a table until 8:10! They needed to clear two tables in order to seat us, and they clearly seated a new party at one of those tables before us, rather than holding it open for us while the second table finished. We hung out at the bar in front and ordered drinks, but the bartender was "too busy" to ask the kitchen for a bread basket, and the owner did nothing to ease the drawn out wait.
Once finally seated, the waiter was rather businesslike, and even asked me for ID when I ordered my drink. Unwise when the cranky, 23 year old birthday girl has been waiting more than two hours for a table!!! Hungry and anxious to get the show on the road, we all cut straight to the chase and ordered entrees. They did not arrive until 9:15. In the mean time, management could have easily made amends by offering us a complimentary plate of antipasto, but this courtesy, like all others, eluded them. I must admit that my pork oso buco, (one of the night's specials), was incredibly tender and tasty, and I also loved the accompanying white bean risotto. However, at that point it was far too little, too late. I was so visibly irritated, we didn't even order birthday cake.
I do not understand why they would not seat us when we were there at 6. We would have happily drank wine and ate appetizers while we waited for our stragglers to arrive! The way they handled seating us is just baffling to me! Luckily, my friends were all much better sports about the whole ordeal than I was, and enjoyed themselves. I got a little stressed out, but it is a wonderful thing to be surrounded with friends you love on your birthday, so in retrospect, it didn't put TOO much of a damper on the evening.
The food is far too good to give this place two stars, but I was extremely disappointed in the level of service we received, especially at these prices. When I dine out, I expect to be treated as if my time is valuable, and I did not have that experience here. I would still recommend Zero Otto Nove, as the food is among Arthur Ave's most interesting and delicious, on par with Enzo's and Roberto's. Just don't try coming here with a group, be prepared to wait if you get here after 6 on a weekend evening, and be warned: the food may be authentically Italian, but the hospitality is NOT.
I remember reading about this place on yelp and it got good reviews so my friend and I went there for dinner. I guess my judgment was clouded by a combination of high yelp reviews and hypoglycemia because it only struck me as a date place after entering and being led to our table. By then, it felt too late to leave. I ordered a pizza and my friend ordered a calzone. I didn't really like my pizza. The crust was floppy and not tasty. Not bad. Just not tasty. And the toppings were salty. Her calzone was also salty (although.. that could be because of the capers, olives, and anchovies).
The service was really good and the specials sounded nice. Maybe if I go back I'll just eat at the bar and try something else. But it was a long trek for us and don't think I'll be back for a long while.
What a great place to have lunch in the dead of Winter! Our fresh, hot pizzas had light, chewy crusts and the dining room's high ceiling, skylight, and open feel made you as comfortable as if you were dining in a courtyard on a nice Spring day.
There is a nice bar in the front, which I would definitely visit regularly if I lived in the neighborhood, and an elegant looking chandeliered dining area upstairs as well.
My grilled pear and goat cheese salad was awesome, as was my cappuccino, and the non-pizza menu also sounded quite delicious.
I shall return.
A new favorite for sure. I love the high ceiling and sky light. The "back streets of Italy" decor is actually kind of charming on a nice day.
The fire oven makes the pizza pies here delectable! Also had amazing appetizer of sausage, squash and blue cheese. Not sure who thought of that combo but it was served in a radish leaf and was AMAZING!
Great for families and larger parties. Reasonable and an awesome, unassuming place to stop for lunch or dinner .
Best italian style pizza i have ever had. Cool spot, nice staff and good decor. Well worth the hassle of parking by Arthur Ave. Even a couple of friends straight off the boat from Italy said its the best they have had outside of Naples itself. So thats a decent testimonial i suppose!
I find myself always going for the pizza as an appetizer, and then having the butternut squash pasta w/peas and mushrooms as a main course. They make a nutella pizza for dessert. Repeat: Nutella Pizza.
The pizzaiolo was brought here from Salerno, so you know they are serious.
You do not get more authentic Neapolitan than this in the city.
My pizza travels have taken me across the length and breadth of the five boroughs, and beyond. They have allowed me to discover this great city in ways that my previous 7 years did not. I did not realize that the tourist trap called Little Italy in Manhattan pales in comparison to the Arthur Avenue section of the Bronx that also bears that name. Even though perhaps few Italian Americans actually live in either section, it was abundantly clear that they actually do come in to shop at the many bakeries, grocery stores, etc. and dine in the pizzerias and restaurants in and around Arthur Avenue.
Zero Otto Nove (089) is the area code for the owner-chef's place of origin, Salerno. As I made my way past the front bar and through a narrow, arched passageway I came to a high ceiling dining room, centered around a brick, wood-burning pizza oven. The seating area is skylit and muraled, and resembles more a Broadway set for a medieval Italian Piazza. The Trattoria is generally filled with Italian speaking patrons who know each other and are often talking to someone across the room. The servers are also Italian, mostly FOBs (Fresh off the boat) and usually in their teens.
When Zero Otto Nove was launched earlier in the year, the wood burning oven was manned by the pizzaiolo Ricardo, who had quite a reputation in Salerno. He spread Zero Otto Nove's fame with his pizza wizardry leading to the restaurant being featured as one of the best pizzas in the country. While Ricardo has since left for home, Zero Otto Nove is still churning out fantastic pizzas.
I've been here on more than a couple occasions, and thought that their quality was consistent. Thin crust pizza, well charred (not too much, but not burnt) at the bottom, crisp, but airy at the edges. Compared to Luzzo's I found it a bit thinner in the middle, less airy and a bit crisper. The creamy mozzarella is one of the richest and freshest that one is likely to find, the basil and olive oil are perhaps the best coordinated in the city. Usually I have found that either pizzas are bathed in olive oil (even the great Dom is guilty of it at Di Fara) or the basil is withered because it is too dry. 089 manages both of these elements perfectly. The one weak link is perhaps the tomato sauce, which has been somewhat bland on occasion. Nevertheless, all of the elements of a great Margherita pizza come together almost perfectly. This is an exceptional pie.
The service is polite and attentive. My glass has been filled promptly, the bread brought to the table at the earliest, and all my queries attended to with courtesy. Compared to Luzzo's Italian staff, I find those at 089 to be more proficient in the English language.
Comparisons to Luzzo are inevitable, and I have to say that other than the pizza which is almost comparable (Luzzo's a bit ahead), Zero Otto Nove is far better on all other counts. Their pastas are some of the best in the city, and that is to be expected with the owner also running the famed Bronx restaurant, Roberto's. I have found their desserts to be much superior as well. I liked the Pastiera (Italian Ricotta Cheese Cake with candied fruit) more (better textural variations), and the Tiramisu was also the most superior version of all the pizzerias I've dined at. It's been a while that I thought that not just the mascarpone cream, but the ladyfingers were also executed exceptionally well.
I can not endorse Zero Otto Nove enough. Sure, the round trip travel time adds up, but then you will not have to wait a couple of hours for your table, that is inevitable at a great pizzeria in the city. And, even though 089's ambiance and surroundings might suggest that the fat lady is about to sing, rest assured that the pizza travels continue :)
I've been twice now, and friends who live in the Bronx go more often. The food has always been top-notch. The decor is a bit of a mish-mash, but for me this is a minor point--the food and service are great.
Yesterday, we had a pizza Riccardo (with smoked mozzerella, pancetta and butternut squash puree)--really, truly delicious. The pizzas here remind me of those we ate in Naples, which are the best I've ever had--light airy crust, but not too thick, a nice balance of toppings. We had absolutely delicious soft shell crabs--big, meaty, and with a thin and crisp coating--simple perfection. The desserts were also great--Tiramisu is so often a disappointment in American Italian restaurants--but here it was great, light, not too sweet. Ditto for the American cheesecake. The service is very professional.
The question for residents of other boroughs, of course, is "Is it worth the trip?" I say that going up to Arthur Avenue, visiting the Italian shops, and having lunch here is a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon--and throw in the zoo or the botanical garden, and it makes for a great day trip in the city.
First time ate in Bronx. Went there for brunch today, wasn't that crowded in the Sunday afternoon. Ordered Ragu' Salernitano & Calzone Napoletano with Tiramisu and Espresso. Mezzarrela was so fresh. Home made meat ball is amazingly good. Really big portions. Everything was so tasty. REALLY TASTY. I never been to Italy but frd told the decor there is very italy. Already thinking about the next trip.
In a year where I have been fortunate enough to have some tremendous meals in all corners of the world, this place goes down as my personal "Find of 2008". Simply tremendous.
I have wanted to go to this place for a while, as I've heard it many, many times mentioned as an answer to that somewhat-rhetorical question of, "Who makes the best pizza in New York?". This, I'm sorry to disappoint you, is not a question that I dare to tackle in this review, as for every opinion of a place which deserves this honor, there are a thousand people who will disagree. Let's put this to rest for a moment because, believe it or not: It's not all about the pizza! (although the pizza is certainly damn good!)
Nestled on Arthur Avnue, Zero Otto Nevo could easily get lost among the rest of the trattorias, pizzarias, "clam houses" and everything else that tries to lure you in with their garlicky aroma. What you have here, however, is an exceptional, truly-authentic Italian dining experience that you're going to find in few and far places between here and Italy. The owner is a true Italian, the staff are true Italians and the food makes you want to set fire to every Olive Garden and Macaroni Grill that exist this side of Tuscany.
A group of us made the trek over with one mission: Taste as much as we could in a single evening. And that, we most certainly did...
We started, of course, with the aforementioned pizza. Expertly-crafted and finished in their wood-fired oven, the end result meets ethereal levels. The crust is that absolutely perfect combination of crispy, chewy, slightly salty and tasty. The toppings are perfectly proportioned, delicious and in many cases, pretty unique. The Capreicciosa with ham, mushrooms, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, olives was superb. The Patate Salsiccia e Provolo with sliced potatoes, sausage, smoked mozzarella made me want to order another. Is it the best pizza in New York City? I'll let you decide. But I have tried all the contenders and this certainly ranks up there, without a doubt.
Moving on, a simple salad of arugula, fresh lemon and giant shaved chunks parmigiano reggiano was a great way to clean the palate (and good enough for two). The sauteed sausage with butternut squash and gorgonzola is similar to something that my grandmother used to make and was simply delicious. As with most of the menu, the antipasti choices range from the classic to the inventive.
For the mains, a simple Pasta al Forno with meatballs was cooked perfectly while the Pollo Capricciosa (a huge piece of breaded, thick, chicken cutlet with fresh mozzarella marinated tomato, pesto) looked like it would be incredibly heavy and over-fried, but was probably the lightest piece of sauteed chicken breast I have ever tasted. Note: These dishes are clearly made for sharing.
For dessert, a medley was required. The filling for their classic cannolis was perfect and their fresh, homemade shells melted in your mouth. Tiramisu was surprisingly light and flavorful and their signature Nutella Pizza was whisked from the wood oven to our table - it was truly unique and delicious. The espressos, as you might imagine, are perfectly crafted.
The atmosphere here is great and is perfect for groups. The service was incredibly attentive and well-orchestrated. You could see that dishes moved from kitchen or pizza over to your table within seconds. The wine list is varied, with all price ranges, and there is a full bar up front if you do have to wait (our wait was 20 minutes at 8:30 on a Saturday). I believe the closest subway stop is about a mile or so away, so be prepared to hitch a ride or get some sort of bus out there.
...or just walk. Or swim up the Harlem River. Because it's definitely worth the effort.
Being the highest rated pizza shop on Yelp, I decided to check it out. Once again, Yelp didn't let me down. This is definitely one of the best pies in NY. The crust is less crispy and chewier than other famous NY pizza shops but it is full of flavor. The quality of ingredients is excellent especially the buffalo mozzarella. Happy eating!
I don't give out a lot of 5-star ratings. Why? Because I don't want the masses to start going to the places I really like, resulting in long lines and long waits.
But Trattoria 089 is a special case for which I will make a rare exception.
This is THE ABSOLUTE BEST PIZZA IN NEW YORK, bar none.
In fact, it's some of the best pizza I have ever eaten at any time anywhere. (And believe me, I eat a lot of pizza.)
The sauce, the crust, the deliciously heavenly creamy fresh cheese ... oh the cheese! And the perfect toppings. I don't even know what the other food here tastes like because I always get pizza, it's so good.
Not to mention the extremely efficient staff and the surprisingly attractive decor (you walk off cheezy Arthur Avenue, past a bar up front, down a long narrow hall, and find yourself in, SURPRISE, a tastefully decorated loftlike dining room that almost tricks you into feeling you're dining in a chic restaurant in Southern Europe). Even the bathroom is spotless (and in the Bronx, no less).
If it's available, top your meal off with a serving of torta di fragola alla Romana, a luscious treat of soft ladyfinger cakes layered with vanilla cream mousse, fresh strawberries, and strawberry syrup.
Now you know what's on the menu in heaven.
We got the pizza and the pasta in squid ink sauce, and both were wonderful. The pizza was absolute heaven, with some of the freshest mozzarella I have ever had. The service was fantastic, and I will make my way here again. The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the tiramisu, which was a bit too soggy for my taste.
my companion and i have become accustomed to talking about what we'll end up having for dinner about an hour before either one of us is actually hungry because we're both equally indecisive and easygoing. once one of us actually decides on what we want to eat, the other almost always agrees, and it's settled. except of course when he suggests pizza. i pretty much never want pizza and respond to this suggestion with a short, curt head shake 'no' followed by a nose crinkle that also says 'no, thank you but NO'.
a few weeks ago we were at Casa Della Mozzarella buying fresh mozzarella and we found out they provide all the fresh mozzarella to the restaurant Zero Otto Nove, and it was settled then that we needed to check this place out very soon.
last week at almost- dinnertime my pizza loving companion suggested we try Zero Otto Nove and i relented. Casa Della Mozzarella has amazing mozzarella (but that's a whole different review) and i was eager to a pizza covered in it.
the menu is extensive. they offer about a dozen pizza pie options, pasta that looks incredible, about a dozen antipastos, fish, poultry, veal, beef and pork entree options, and a variety of desserts. i almost ordered this great looking seafood risotto but my boyfriend was under some assumption that i'd promised him i'd get pizza with him, and i relented (again!) and just sucked it up and perused the pizza options.
we decided to each get a pie and bring home leftovers, so this left me with the option of selecting whatever i wanted. this was difficult because they all sounded really great. the pie options ranged from simple to decadent. i chose the diavola pie, which consisted of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and a very spicy soppressata. he got the san matteo pie, which had fresh mozzarella, porky pork sausage, and broccoli rabe.
his was UNBELIEVABLE. mine was even better than unbelievable. the crust was soft, thin but not too thin at all, and baked to perfection. the sauce was also exceptional, very sweet, mouth watering even. and the cheese and fresh ingredients used all were full of delicious flavor.
one bottle of chianti soon turned in to two, and we ended up eating a lot more than anticipated, and honestly, spending more than we anticipated to as well. the wine list ranges from the affordable to the very pricey, so be sure to scan the prices again and possibly select something less expensive if you're inebriated when you order your second bottle and don't intend to spend over $150 on dinner at a pizza place.
luckily, we did have leftovers to bring home which were nonexistent within 24 hours. Zero Otto Nove makes probably the best pizza i have ever tasted in this city, it's quickly become one of my very favorites restaurants, and i will be back soon, and often, to try at least a dozen other entrees on their incredible menu.
Now... To say that this pizza is perfection would perhaps be an understatement. The crust has this elegant, soft, chewy, moist crumb with just the right amount of crustiness. The toppings, like potate e porcini are wonderful.
The prices are reasonable. The service was perhaps a bit curt, but very attentive and speedy. A fantastic wine and beer selection is on hand.
Be sure to check the hours before heading over as they are closed for a time between lunch and dinner.
I've done the NYC pizza thing full-tilt: from the dive pizza joint at 4am (to soak up booze) to the fancy napkins and table service (to snootily judge.) Lombardi's, Patsy's, Fornino, Grimaldi's, Arturo's...I've stuffed my face at all. The one conclusion I've come to is this: everyone's idea of the perfect pizza is different. Mine is the stuff sweaty Italian men would be shoveling out of an oven on a tiny street in Italy. Authentic, fresh, simple and FABULOUS.
Finally I can put an end to the constant probing, the researching, the love handles. Trattoria Zero Otto Nove hits the mark in every way. It is The Best Pizza I Have Ever Had (cue confetti). And it's nestled in the Little Italy of the Bronx, ma certo!
The brick oven itself has been transported from Salerno, Italy, where the owner of this spot hails from. Mercy! It doesn't get more Italian than that. The crust was chewy, charred and crumbled under the weight of the fresh mozzeralla (made daily from the cheese shop down the street). The sauce was sweet and busting with ripe tomato flavor. A 10" personal pie is just enough to leave a lasting impact. Like, forever n' ever.
Well, at least till I get to Naples.
Atmosphere is absolutely amazing. Decorated like a quaint Italian outdoor cafe, dimly lit with candles on the table. Basically a great place for a nice relaxing meal.
Had the quattro formaggi pizza and the neopolitano calzone - both were literally to die for. Crusts were crispy, but not dry - I am usually not a big fan of pizza crusts but I was pretty much stealing them from everyone at the table.
A little pricey but definitely worth it.
Great pizza- hands down. Nice char in the brick oven, and toppings are fresh. Whether it is sausage and broccoli rabe or porcini mushrooms and basil, I have not been disappointed with the pizza at this joint.
The place really is like stepping through to a different area code for sure. The decor relaxes you, making your choice of food your only concern while you are there. Staff is friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating.
I had two minor complaints, though. One- there is only baked pasta on the menu...what's wrong with a little noodles and sauce? Two- I am a late diner totally. These guys close up around 10-11 pm depending on the day of the week. They really don't mind you staying-trust me, I have been one of the last tables to leave everytime I have been there- but the staff tends to hover. If you don't mind me staying, relax and go find something else to do while I finish my meal.
Such a far trek for salty pizza....
So, as a non-local, I guess I was expecting some fantastic pizza from this place. Got a pizza and a calzone (since when do calzones not have cheese in them???!!!) My calzone was full of veggies, anchovies, and olives...one salty combo!
The pizza varieties sounded delicious, but the cheese was a but salty...odd.
Anyhow, I wish I had tried the corner pizza shop at 187 and arthur...
Note. This place is definitely a date place, it has a cute fiat at the door and awesome decor.
Pizza was very good, served by pies only though. The sauce used was especially standout, very sweet and tangy but not at all overpowering.
The dining area was especially cool, you enter the restaurant and walk down a long corridor to a huge 2 level dining area lit by candles, wall scones and the skylight.
Roberto Paciullo (Roberto's) has opened another restaurant in the heart of Little Italy in the Bronx. The brick oven pizzas (around $13 for individual pies) are spectacular, with a wide variety of pastas, entrees, desserts and wines as well. Ingredients are incredibly fresh. It's a little pricier than some of the neighboring Arthur Ave. establishments, but their service and ambiance make for a wonderful dining experience if you're willing to make the uptown trek.
Note: No website yet, and they only take reservations for large groups.
Where do I start? Let's begin with the smiling hostess who invited my bf and me to acquaint ourselves with the bar. While I warmed up my palette with a delicious house chianti, I basked in the romantic glow of the dimly lit bar. After only a few minutes we were led through a longish corridor with stucco walls a great wooden doorways. When we emerged we found ourselves in Italian courtyard complete with a brick oven in the corner and rustic stucco and brick walls. We started by sharing a fresh, lemony tasting arugula salad with huge shaves of Parmesan cheese. The waiter rattled off all the specials--there were at least 17 thousand of them and he remembered every detail--and my bf chose the lamb chops roasted with mixed mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and potatoes. I had the breaded chicken cutlet topped with fresh diced tomatoes and melted mozzarella. Both were delicious, huge servings, and my date and I couldn't stay out of each other's plates. We finished the evening with a nutella pizza that we watched in the making right in front of us at the brick oven and lattes. The staff was attentive and accommodating. I also noticed and upstairs area with chandeliers and an even more romantic ambiance, but no one was seated there. This place is a gem!
From the moment that the hostess walks you down to their main dining room you know its going to be interesting! The decor and overall aura of the place reminds me of Naples & Sorrento, and the foodddddd....definitely! I had the pollo alla milanese and a Diavola pizza and both were one of the best since living in Italy, in general Little Italy has great pizza but this place is the real deal, the ingredients are so fresh from the bread basket to the last slice of nutella pizza with powdered sugar...oh yeah did I mention that..dessert is always my favorite part of the meal but here they take it to a completely different level, pizza crust with a generous spread of fresh nutella and powdered sugar to top it off, i couldnt eat carbs for a week after that but it was totally worth it...I highly recommend this place, simply one of the top trattoria's in the neighborhood.
From the front, it looked stylish, polished, and small. The hostess offered to seat us at once and led us down this hall further and further...where were we going?? We ended up in the large room with a skylight and murals on the wall. There was a balcony on one end that looked really cute, but nobody had been seated there yet. The large menu has a few classic Italian dishes, lots of pizzas, and lots of high-end "new" Italian dishes. We ordered across the spectrum, and it was all DIVINE. And the desserts...mere words can not describe! I'm giving it a 5 based on the food, because I thought the layout was a bit odd and led to the room being noisy. And our waiter was rather inattentive. That said, I can't wait to return!
Being a huge fan of Roberto's, I was curious to see what this more "casual fare" would entail. Much larger, and in some ways more extravagent, than Roberto's, Trattoria Otto Nove impressed. The pizza selection was great and the entree dishes were the quality I expect from Roberto. Definitely worth a trip if Roberto's is too packed.
Being 8 months pregnant, when I want a certain kind of food, I want a certain kind of food and I want it now. Right? Last night, I wanted brick oven pizza. We didn't want to go into Manhattan, so we looked in Westchester. Then, my genius husband suggested Arthur Avenue, right here in the Bronx. I know all about the legend that is Arthur Avenue ("Bronx's Little Italy") but I never made it over there... until last night. I googled "Arthur Avenue in the Bronx Pizza" and the first hit was Trattoria Zero Otto Nove, or 089. 089 is the area code for Salerno, the town from which the chef hails. One point for authenticity right there.
We hopped in the car, not sure if we'd find parking but willing to try. It seemed pretty quiet for a Saturday night... on the street, anyway. We found parking on Arthur Avenue near the restaurant, but there's also a municipal lot nearby (much cheaper than a private parking garage!) if you can't find on-street parking.
There was a shiny blue FIAT parked on the sidewalk, coming out of the restaurant, whose front was completely open. The front room is a bar, which made my husband take one look and keep walking while I stood there bewildered. Where was he going? "Hey, come back here!" The tables are in the back, duh.
The hostess was very nice and extremely attentive, emphasis on the extremely. She updated us every 5 seconds on when our table would be ready, which wasn't a long wait anyway. We sat at the bar until the table was ready. We followed her down a long corridor that opened up into a room (with an upper level) designed to make you feel like you're in an Italian plaza. If you've been to Italy (and we have), if you tune out the noise, you could very imagine yourself in a little piazza, for sure.
Speaking of the noise... that's the source of the missing star. The place was packed, a good sign, but incredibly noisy. The sound just bounces off the walls and high ceilings. We had a hard time hearing our waiter but we got through it. Other than that, the ambience was familiar and friendly.
We started off with a pizza. A pie is cut into 4 slices, so I would order one pie per two people (or if you just want a light appetizer, order one pie per 4 people in your party). The pizza was made in the brick oven across from our table, and delivered piping hot. All their pizza choices sounded good but we decided on a house special called La Carminuccio, a tomato pizza with pancetta. It wasn't the best best best pizza we've ever had but it was pretty good! We also ordered a dish of mussels in marinara sauce (you can get mild or spicy), which were yummy and a special treat for this pregnant lady who can't eat shellfish to her heart's content.
We washed it down with a glass of red wine. The wine list is pretty good and extensive (the whole back side of the menu) but wines by the glass are not listed, so ask the waiter.
We finished off dinner with a yummy tiramisu that was heavy on the espresso and had a faint citrus-y aftertaste.
Overall, it was a good experience and we'd go back there again for sure. They don't take reservations, unless you have a large party but on a Saturday night, even with a crowd, we only waited ten minutes for our table. (Regarding Lori's comment about feeling rushed, we didn't get that experience at all... we nursed our wine for awhile and had to ask for the check when we were ready to go. Not sure where the deli comparison comes from because this place is nothing like a deli.)
PS The ladies' room was nice and clean-- a good sign, for me anyway!
Trattoria Zero Otto Nove has some of the most authentic Italian food that I have ever tried. It almost made the trek to the Bronx worthwhile. I have to say that the people of the Bronx where unbelievably friendly and helpful. I had never taken a bus in the Bronx before and after getting to Fordham Road off the 4 Lexington Avenue line, I had to take the Bx12 to Arthur Avenue. I didn't know that you have to put your Metro Card in the machine to get a receipt. I still don't know why they make you do that. But, I really appreciate that the Bronxites noticed we didn't get the receipt and not only helped us out but explained how to get to Arthur Avenue. Anyway, even though the trek was a pain, the restaurant was superb. The servers were extremely professional, friendly, and soft spoken. All of them. They were a team. It wasn't like in other restaurants where you have one server pretending to like you to get your tip. These people worked like a team all equally helping you out and were very sincere in their efforts. The atmosphere was very much needed after having walked so far in the frozen slush. The interior walls and architecture were very cool. Take time to look around the room and appreciate everything. They were very quick to refill your bread or your drink. For my meal, I got the pollo capricciosa. 2 pieces of breaded chicken cutlet with melted cheese, marinara, pesto, and covered in chopped tomatoes and olive oil. It was outstanding. I tried other dishes too. My friend had the pollo scarpariello which is chicken on the bone sauteed with white wine, rosemary, and lemon juice. I was in heaven. Furthermore, my other friend couldn't finish her cheese and spinach calzone so I had the pleasure of finishing it off for her. I was very impressed with the authenticity of the food and the friendliness of the staff. This place is definitely a winner and I can see why people love the Little Italy of the Bronx.
Neighborhood: Belmont
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Belmont
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Belmont
Category: Specialty Food
Neighborhood: Belmont
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Belmont
Category: Coffee & Tea
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