OT-Restaurant in Little Italy-NYC

[Uconn93]

My eight year old daughter and I are going to have dinner this coming Friday or Saturday night in Little Italy in New York City. Anyone have any good recommendations for a restaurant? Thanks.

 

[superjohn]

La Mela is the first restaurant I ever went to in NYC with my folks. People seem to either love it or hate it, it's a loud fun place and I'm nostalgic about it because I remember having fun meals there at a young age. It's more of a group place and you don't really get a menu, they just bring you food and you pay for however much of it you eat.

 

[Dove]

5 times to Da Nico. 5 great meals.

 

[8893]

I have no Little Italy recs for you, but will only volunteer that, when faced with a similar situation with our kids at a similar age, I realized that the restaurant would probably mean a lot more to me than to them. So...we ended up going to the Bronx Zoo and then for an early dinner on Arthur Avenue ("Little Italy of the Bronx" or "The Real Little Italy," depending on whom you ask) instead. It was awesome.

 

[superjohn]

Haven't been to any of these places in close to 10 years but can vouch for Da Nico's being good and Arthur Avenue being the better little Italy. If you're going to be at Little Italy in Manhattan you're probably just better off hitting up a place in Chinatown, more options and better food.

 

[August_West]

Well, let me preface by saying that Little Italy itself is pretty much gone. Very few native NY Italians live or eat there anymore. There are some decent places (My wife insists on Pellegrino's almost every time down there, its good) but there is tourist trap vibe to the 3 short blocks of Mulberry that make up the entirety of little Italy now, Its still fun to walk it and you should............ with an 8 year old may I suggest taking that walk heading a few blocks up (It is still on Mulberry) a family style place called Rubirosa. It is kinda what old school Mulberry used to be like. Great simple stuff, HUGE portions, excellent Red Sauce. Ive been there 3 times now and never disappointed.

 

[Uconn93]

The primary purpose of the trip from our home in Florida is to take my daughter to see the Rockettes. She takes dance lessons and this was what she wanted for Christmas. Normally, I would go to China Town for dinner, but she doesn't eat Chinese food, so I figured this would be a good compromise. I've heard there isn't much left of Little Italy, but wanted to see what you all recommended.

 

[8893]

The primary purpose of the trip from our home in Florida is to take my daughter to see the Rockettes. She takes dance lessons and this was what she wanted for Christmas.

Awesome. She'll love it. All my girls did, too.

As for the food, bring her to Serendipity (make a reservation), and hit Dylan's Candy Bar next door afterwards and let her fill up a bag with candy. It's basically an eight-year old girl's Best. Day. Ever.

If you're even more of a sport, swing by the American Girl store.

 

[August_West]

The primary purpose of the trip from our home in Florida is to take my daughter to see the Rockettes. She takes dance lessons and this was what she wanted for Christmas. Normally, I would go to China Town for dinner, but she doesn't eat Chinese food, so I figured this would be a good compromise. I've heard there isn't much left of Little Italy, but wanted to see what you all recommended.

Sounds like a great trip for your daughter. Doing the same thing for mine ( 14) this Sunday ( rockettes) .


Rubirosa. Perfect for kids. And you'll love it too. You can share an entree ( I've had the chicken parm and the lasagna, both are immense) and not even sweat your wallet like the rest of nyc will do to you in short order.

 

[August_West]

Awesome. She'll love it. All my girls did, too. As for the food, bring her to Serendipity (make a reservation), and hit Dylan's Candy Bar next door afterwards and let her fill up a bag with candy. It's basically an eight-year old girl's Best. Day. Ever. If you're even more of a sport, swing by the American Girl store.

Ugh American girl. I could have put a down payment on a beach house with the money I dropped in that place when my daughter was 6-11. The pinnacle of that insanity was some crazy amount of money for a "day at the salon" for a frickin doll!

I disagree with 8893. If your daughter is currently not into American girl, stay very very far away.

 

[Northbound]

I have no Little Italy recs for you, but will only volunteer that, when faced with a similar situation with our kids at a similar age, I realized that the restaurant would probably mean a lot more to me than to them. So...we ended up going to the Bronx Zoo and then for an early dinner on Arthur Avenue ("Little Italy of the Bronx" or "The Real Little Italy," depending on whom you ask) instead. It was awesome.

Arthur Ave is infinitely better than Little Italy - Little Italy doesn't even really exist any longer it's been overtaken by Chinatown - I kid, but there is really very little Little Italy left - an ex's family had two places there- I'm pretty sure one still exists because it was a mainstay of Mulberry.

 

[8893]

Ugh American girl. I could have put a down payment on a beach house with the money I dropped in that place when my daughter was 6-11. The pinnacle of that insanity was some crazy amount of money for a "day at the salon" for a frickin doll!

I disagree with 8893. If your daughter is currently not into American girl, stay very very far away.

Oh I'm not suggesting introducing her. If she's been living on another planet or has somehow managed to otherwise remain unaware, stay very far away.

We avoided the salon nonsense and let them each buy one outfit for their dolls. I found a comfy chair to sit in in each department.

 

[August_West]

Oh I'm not suggesting introducing her. If she's been living on another planet or has somehow managed to otherwise remain unaware, stay very far away. We avoided the salon nonsense and let them each buy one outfit for their dolls. I found a comfy chair to sit in in each department.

You ever do the matching outfits for the kid AND the doll?

 

[8893]

You ever do the matching outfits for the kid AND the doll?

NO.

 

[August_West]

NO.

It's a special kind of hell

 

[Deepster]

I'll chime in here to say that from the Rockefeller Center/Radio City area? Getting to Little Italy and back in a cab (not sure how subway savvy you are) is a little bit of a drain if you have limited time to spend in the city. You could certainly stay in your original vicinity, hit Serendipity and do a couple other things like a horse drawn buggy around Central Park or even walking around The Plaza hotel if she's read the Eloise books (my daughter loved that).

 

[August_West]

I'll chime in here to say that from the Rockefeller Center/Radio City area? Getting to Little Italy and back in a cab (not sure how subway savvy you are) is a little bit of a drain if you have limited time to spend in the city. You could certainly stay in your original vicinity, hit Serendipity and do a couple other things like a horse drawn buggy around Central Park or even walking around The Plaza hotel if she's read the Eloise books (my daughter loved that).

It's true, but the one thing that people forget is that Uber has changed the game in NYC . No longer a hassle to get around if you can't find a cab or are leery of the subway.

Hell, my 73 year old parents are in the city this week and before they left I showed my dad how to use Uber, and they are loving it. Called yesterday just to tell me that.

 

[Uconn93]

Awesome. She'll love it. All my girls did, too.

As for the food, bring her to Serendipity (make a reservation), and hit Dylan's Candy Bar next door afterwards and let her fill up a bag with candy. It's basically an eight-year old girl's Best. Day. Ever.

If you're even more of a sport, swing by the American Girl store.

Thanks 8893, you're verifying all my research, because I've got all that on the list. I'll be sure to throw you a shout out when I get my dad of the year award!

 

[8893]

It's true, but the one thing that people forget is that Uber has changed the game in NYC . No longer a hassle to get around if you can't find a cab or are leery of the subway.

Hell, my 73 year old parents are in the city this week and before they left I showed my dad how to use Uber, and they are loving it. Called yesterday just to tell me that.

Was just there last week and used Uber twice. Worked great. Total game changer.

 

[Uconn93]

Was just there last week and used Uber twice. Worked great. Total game changer.

I think I see my first uber ride in my future this weekend.

 

[pnow15]

Don't blink or you'll miss it. Little Italy is now Chinatown. They have a festival every year that is pretty neat as seen in Godfather II. The Italians miraculous appear for a few days then vanish again. There are a lot of nice restaurants off Eighth Ave, behind the theater district. Could be kind of heady.

 

[partyATkemba]

My only suggestion is Ferrara's bakery afterwards, delish.

 

[8893]

Thanks 8893, you're verifying all my research, because I've got all that on the list. I'll be sure to throw you a shout out when I get my dad of the year award!

Great. I gotta say I loved it all as much as they did, except for the American Girl store...

The hot chocolate at Serendipity is as good as advertised (and their frozen hot chocolate is great in summer btw). The food is pretty solid, too.

My favorite part (in the pre-Uber days) was on one of the hottest days of the year, with only my middle daughter and me, we left Dylan's (after gorging ourselves at Serendipity) and realized that we were running very late to make the next train and we were still a mile from Grand Central. I told her that she would thank me later for introducing her to the time-honored tradition of sprinting for the train, and we both high-tailed it and made the train in under ten minutes. Thank God I had another shirt with me and I was able to change in the bathroom on the train.

 

[8893]

I think I see my first uber ride in my future this weekend.

If you know someone who already has the Uber app, get a promo code from them and you'll get up to $20 off your first ride. If you don't have/can't get a code let me know and I'll PM you one.

 

[DCUconnfan]

Il Cortile is an excellent italian restaurant, not overly suited for 8 year olds/lots of kids for dinner but you should be just fine. It's a bit on the pricier side but not too bad.

http://www.ilcortile.com/