Giorgio's of Gramercy

Giorgio's of Gramercy holds a special place in my heart. It was the restaurant my (now) husband took me to on our third date. And a few years later, my husband surprised me at Giorgio's of Gramercy with an incredible birthday present, a sherling winter coat. Mitch schemed with the maitre de to have the coat check bring out the beautiful present when I turned in my coat check ticket. I thought it was a mistake and told the coat check person the coat was lovely but it wasn't mine. That's when Mitch chimed in that it is was mine, happy birthday! On chilly days like today, as I put on my coat, I thought of Giorgio's of Gramercy and felt like it deserved a review.

This neighborhood restaurant is perfect for an icy winter date night or dinner with friends. Giorgio's of Gramercy feels cozy, the walls are painted with warm red tones and the lighting is dimmed. The maitre de makes an effort to remember regulars, a rare treat in NYC.

Giorgio's of Gramercy offers an affordable wine list, with many wines in the $40-50 price range. The wine list features a broad range of types of wine from all over the world. Make sure to try the Lambrusco, a light, festive sparkling red wine from Italy.

I usually stick to the pastas at Giorgio's of Gramercy. Giorgio's of Gramercy offers half portions for many of its pastas, so you can order a pasta primi (appetizer) and a pasta secondi (entree), and pretend you are in Roma! But no matter how full you are from the delicious pasta(s), you must save room for one of the best desserts in NYC.

What to eat:

My two favorite pastas are the Maine Lobster Linguini and the Penne Veal Bolognese. These pastas are very different because the pomodoro sauce served with the linguine is light while the bolognese sauce served with the penne is hearty. The shrimp and lobster are generously mixed into the bowl of linguini and the pomodoro sauce strikes a happy balance between sweet and tangy. 

The veal bolognese is rich and creamy, which makes it more suitable for a half portion.

For dessert, you should order at least one Smores Bread Pudding for the table.  This dessert is so good that I hate to share it. The moist chocolately bread pudding is topped with marshmallow and graham cracker, drizzled with caramel dressing, and sprinkled with crunchy mini chocolate balls. A scoop of vanilla gelato shares the plate and melts perfectly into the bread pudding (unless you ask for it on the side).

Need a local gem in your neighborhood? Drop me a line,

Your foodie friend

Insider tip: On Sunday nights, bottles of wine are $15 off! Also, request the house made bread (it's much better than the Sullivan Bakery bread).