The Best Pasta In NYC

With so many Italian restaurants in the city, you might take it for granted that you can get a decent bowl of pasta just as easily as a box of Barilla. But you can also find bowls of perfect cacio e pepe and handmade agnolotti that you’ll think about at least once a week. These 14 spots are the gold standard when it comes to pasta in NYC, and they’ll have you giving your boxed fusilli pep talks about reaching its full potential.

THE SPOTS

Lilia

It happened. You did it. You finally got a reservation at Lilia in Williamsburg. Here’s what to do: Build your order around the concept of eating as much pasta as possible. The mafaldini with pink peppercorns is one of the most exciting, refreshing pastas in Brooklyn, but you really can't go wrong with anything from this section of the menu. The pastas are made in-house and accented with wood-fired meats and extremely good cheese.

Emilio’s Ballato

Everybody talks about the off-menu veal parm at this celebrity-swarmed Nolita hotspot, but not enough people talk about the bolognese. Or the spaghetti with inexplicably tender meatballs, and a red sauce so savory and smooth you might imagine drinking it in the morning like a smoothie. There’s no bells (breadcrumbs) or whistles (burrata) here, just excellent pasta—like that tagliatelle alla bolognese, which has a subtle creaminess that makes it entirely distinct from a regular old meat sauce.

Lillo Cucina

Some of the pasta on this list comes in tiny bowls and will cost you approximately $10 per noodle. (And it’s still excellent, and you should still seek it out.) But for a steamy plate of pasta that tastes like something your grandmother would make you for a Sunday supper, go to Lillo Cucina in Cobble Hill. There’s no grandmother, but there is Giampietro “Lillo” Remia—the chef-owner—who greets guests, tells them where to find the best cacio e pepe in Rome, and then delivers them a plate of rigatoni alla gricia, which is soft and saucy, with a heavy hand of parmesan cheese and crispy chunks of guanciale.

I Sodi

If you don't have a reservation at this intimate West Village Tuscan spot—from the same team responsible for Via Carota down the street—you better show up at 4:30pm (or don't bother coming at all). We encourage you to try dishes from every section of their menu, but people flock here for the pastas. Get the flawless cacio e pepe and meaty, many-layered lasagne for the table. As for the rich and peppery pappardelle al limone with thick and chewy ribbons of housemade pasta, order that for yourself. You won't want to share it.

Misi

You won’t have to decide whether you’re going to eat pasta at Misi. The menu at this Williamsburg restaurant (from the people behind Lilia ) only has three sections: vegetables, pasta, and gelato. Our advice is to prioritize the simple, not-too-saucy pastas like the cacio e pepe-esque fettuccine or the tortelli with brown butter. They do buttery, cheesy pastas particularly well, and both of those plates are on par with the pastas at Lilia. Misi is straightforward to begin with, and their best work keeps things almost ridiculously simple.

Marea

You might not come to Marea only to eat pasta, since they do some solid crudos and have a swanky dining room that works for any special occasions. But you are coming to Columbus Circle spot to eat the octopus-and-bone-marrow fusilli. It's one of our favorite pastas in the city, with perfectly al dente fusilli, tender octopus, and a shower of extra garlicky breadcrumbs. Most of the pastas here are centered on seafood, like the gnocchetti with shrimp and rosemary oil and mafaldine with king crab, so definitely focus your attention there.

Ci Siamo

If Hudson Yards wants to graduate beyond its status as a “fake neighborhood,” being home to one of the city’s best pasta destinations is certainly helpful. Every single one of the pastas at this sprawling Union Square Hospitality restaurant is worth ordering. A couple standouts are the crab cavatelli and the creamy ricotta-filled agnolotti with rapini, but the pasta our minds spontaneously wander towards when it’s cold is the hearty stracci. It’s got tons of shredded rabbit that seems like it’s been braised for days.

Roscioli

Roscioli’s reputation precedes itself. The cult-favorite restaurant originated in Italy in 1824, and carbonara hopefuls continue to plan months in advance for the chance to sample some masterful rigatoni. But, if you still haven’t gotten around to planning that Italy trip, the corner spot in Soho is a worthy alternative. Make a reservation for the upstairs a la carte menu, and then drink excellent wine and eat impeccably al dente noodles with expertly emulsified sauces. Order every single pasta, but if you’re dining solo, prioritize the carbonara. They also serve a tasting menu downstairs, which—unsurprisingly—revolves around pasta.

Nonna Dora’s Pasta Bar

The real-life Nonna Dora comes into her namesake restaurant in Kips Bay to make fresh pasta every morning. You'll see many people order an extra pasta to share instead of an appetizer. This is the move, and we suggest getting the slab of Dora’s lasagna to split. The tissue paper layers of pasta are delicate enough for you to save room for the gnocchi with pesto or garganelli with bolognese.

Forsythia

There are about a million places in NYC to have a bowl of pasta at the bar, but there are a few reasons why you should skip most of them and head to Forsythia. The LES Roman spot has a constantly changing menu, with stuffed shapes like agnolotti with braised short rib, a very good and classic carbonara, and plenty of specials like pici with anchovy butter and tagliatelle with crab and chili. Order as many of these as you can rationalize—we usually end up getting three.

Massara

Aside from the few that are imported from the Amalfi-adjacent town of Gragnano, Massara’s pastas are all housemade. That shouldn’t be surprising, seeing as how this place is from the pasta obsessives at Rezdôra. The two-story Flatiron restaurant focuses on the cuisine of coastal and Southern Italy, with offerings that include bicolor mezzalune, cavatelli-like corteccia, and firm tubes of candele tossed with an ultra-concentrated beef shank ragu. If it’s warm outside, get the chilled spaghetti with uni and raw red prawn. It’s so refreshing, it should be a Gatorade flavor.

LaRina Pastificio & Vino

If you’re reading this list, odds are you’re a certified pasta freak—someone who deeply appreciates the simple union of pasta and olive oil. Should this apply, forgo all other pasta plans and head immediately to LaRina. The Fort Greene favorite is more than just a neighborhood spot—all the pasta is homemade in house, and a first-timer should start with the smoked spaghetti. It’s a delightfully simple aglio e olio, but with an intense smoky flavor and a shower of crunchy hazelnuts. Round out your order with the agnolotti del plin, topped with black lime and sage, and if it’s nice out, try to get a table in the garden out back.

Supper

If you go to Supper, there should be pasta on your table. Maybe you're the type who plans their visits around the weekly specials, like the silk handkerchief in pesto that’s only available on Thursdays, or maybe you’re loyal to the simple-but-flawless spaghetti al limone or the cheeky “priest stranglers.” Whatever you order at this classic cash-only spot in Alphabet City is going to be good, and you’re going to have a fun time while you eat it.

Fiaschetteria Pistoia

The owners of Fiaschetteria Pistoia own another restaurant in Tuscany, and we’re very thankful that they brought their traditional pasta-making skills with them to the West Village. Pastas are made fresh-to-order and cooked perfectly al dente, and everything from the tagliatelle tartufo nero to the parpadelle ragu will be the best pasta you’ve had in a while. The spaghetti con bottarga becomes a particularly potent combination as the butter and salted fish sink deeper into the chewy egg noodles.