Agata & Valentina

Reasonable prices for the high quality of the food. Quality produce! Good prepared food - perfect for those with little time to cook themselves. Excellent cheese selection with very helpful service. Only criticism- due to personal taste, some of the desserts are a bit too sweet. Overall love the store.

Today on Chicken Wars, we have Agata & Valentina on the Upper East Side. A whole Asian seasoned bird ran $10.99, which gave my pockets a much needed break after the $26 chicken from Ouri’s. This is the 29th grocery store tissi I’ve consumed in the past 2 months, so my palate is dialed in. I took it to this beautiful park on the upper east side that I didn’t know existed. There are so many nooks and crannies of this city that I have yet to explore. It boggles my mind how much inspiration is in New York just waiting to be discovered. I sat there, fighting off those vicious little birds as I started consumption. This chicken just didn’t do what I wanted it to do. It was pretty decent all around, but had no attributes that really made it stand out. It landed at a 7/10 for me, which lands it at 24th of 33 grocery store rotisserie chickens I have currently tried. IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov__

Within the last year, the quality here has gone downhill very fast. Today's experience was one of the worst. The employee preparing the sandwiches was extremely rude, and even though I tried ignoring this, I see that the chicken from the sandwich they made is undercooked and cold. I will not be returning

First, Agatha and Valentina is a bit pricey. But, there is no better place to pick up goodies for a special occasion and the hot food buffet (all three meals) compares to any restaurant out there. The items they prepare are things I just wouldn’t dream to nor take the trouble to prepare at home. They have three hot meal stations, a yummy selection of cookies and baked-on-premise pies and cakes, vegetables, cheeses, pastas, coffees… The store is very clean, organized, well-managed, and in my opinion, the best shopping experience on the UES for foodies…

I bought so-called fresh fruit there and the fruit was old, you could tell by the way it looked and the way it tasted. Also be careful when you order your food or get a cup of ice. I found some

The best thing about Agata is that practically everything is prepared onsite. That being said, you do pay a pretty premium for it, with some prices bordering on the ridiculous, even for the Upper East Side. The quality, though, is consistently top notch. I especially like the fish and meat departments because they can save you a ton of prep work.

I was in the neighborhood and bought this cheese in the store and kept it refrigerated in a top refrigerator. Before its expiration date, it developed a blue mold as shown in the spot right above the B. I called the store to discuss it and dealt with a very argumentative employee who insisted that I come to the store if I wanted to address the problem, got argumentative when I explained that I don’t live in the neighborhood and it would be difficult and costly for me to make this trip and then hung up on me. Terrible experience and wasted $ 20 for the cheese.

Lots of all natural products and gluten free options! It is very clean and well-organized! It is also a nice place to stop by to get a drink or snack after a long walk in New York City!

My wheat allergy, which had been dormant for DECADES, returned a few years ago. Ugh. On the plus side, there are MANY gluten-free options that were not available when I was little. My father used to make pasta for me, because there was no option available in stores! And the ONLY bread that I could have was from a health food store. It wasn't great. But now there is an ENTIRE gluten-free gourmet store, just a few blocks from my mother's apartment! There's PIZZA! Sandwiches! Wraps! Cookies! Crackers! Just about anything you could want. I have been getting my plane sandwiches here. They're premade, which is convenient, and also somewhat expensive, but that's sadly to be expected. I usually get the turkey sandwich, but there's a lot of bread, and it isn't toasted, so it falls apart. Still yummy, if messy. This time, I got an Italian tuna wrap and chicken salad wrap. These are SMALL. And $12 each. Ah well. It was real tuna, in oil, and the wrap was soggy and fell apart. Luckily, I had asked for a knife, fork, and spoon. That was lunch before my flight. I had the chicken salad wrap on the plane. Did not fall apart, but the chicken fell out. Wrap was not well wrapped. Good thing that I had a fork. It was very good, as was the tuna. The lemon curd was a generous size and only $7. Yum! Service is always friendly and helpful. They don't have packages of mayonnaise, but will give you a little cup if you ask. It's a lovely, bright, clean store, and I'm glad that it's nearby!

I really liked this store before since I have allergies and they are considered healthy. But they have the worst grill chicken. I tried two different kinds and they are disgustingly oily. All of chickens just drowned in oil. So this is review for the grill chicken only for now . Disappointed

I can't give it lower because there is no other. Yes I had to wait in line forever because at the time one register was working. Yes the heard lasagna was meh. But to have a store I could go into and know w confidence everything is GF (so that o only worry about the carbs) is a gift. Until there are a zillion competitors I am SO thankful for whoever came up w this idea of a grocery store for celiacs or gluten-sensitive peoples. No ambiance. It was a market! Ok and the best items I got on my first visit was tiramisu and crispy cookies.

I loved Agata & Valentina in the past (while living in NYC), but the last time I came here (in 2022), I saw some cracks in the operation and areas for improvement. The layout of the store was basically the same. To be honest, the produce section was just OK, the seafood department seemed to be subpar compared to past experiences, and my hopes to buy all the ingredients for a family dinner here were dashed. I love the herbs and spices section. And if A&G is still making vanilla ice cream, that is a real treat! It's still a good store, but it's a shame I came all the way to the Upper East Side when I could have more easily trekked to the Upper West Side. I ended up going straight to the UWS anyways - to Fairway on Broadway. Haha.

Idk man this place is creepy it's like you're in the 1940's, all of the employees here are black in a white supermarket. Very uncomfortable to see if you're black. The pasta selection has range, I've learned about different sauces here I think over the years the selection became more slim though. Lemon chicken is great from the kitchen. It always goes first Veggies are nice too. I like the cheesecake

My wife bought quite a bit at Agata & Valentina. She is gluten free due to inflammation. She had seen it, then wanted us to go back. We were glad we did. I am impressed by retail stores that offer items you don't see elsewhere or online. That is increasingly uncommon, but it is the only hope for brick and mortar businesses, in addition to offering an experience (and discovery through shopping is the source of as much pleasure as the acquisition itself). The regular selections are interesting as well. The only thing that was not a positive surprise were signs saying no photos. Perhaps they had a bad encounter. I remember a Washington DC restaurateur who prohibited photos. That was before smartphones. She had a temper too. She eventually went out of business. It defies contemporary norms to disallow photos. Other than that, I compliment this business.

I think some of the other reviews here are a bit unfair. Yes, pre-made grocery store food is generally bad. When is the last time you had good fried chicken or sushi at Fairway? The point is to buy your groceries, not to expect restaurant quality from prepared foods. That being said, A&V has a decent selection but is very narrowly focused on Italian foods. You can find good treats like fresh chicken livers or gold metal pate. But you will not find more mundane items like organic cottage cheese. I would not say that their prices are higher than other grocery stores (e.g. D'Agostino) in the area, but the food quality is better. The new GF store that opened across the street is a brilliant concept that I think should be way more popular. I am not GF but have friends who are and know how difficult it is to find groceries. I have bought almond milk and other small things from that store as well.

I've stopped by Agatha several times with the intention of buying veggies or fish from this market. There is always a line and always crowded. However I always end up leaving with nothing. The crazy high prices always stop me on my tracks, I cannot stomach to pay $10 for a piece of broccoli or $10 for a loaf of bread. I don't buy their already made food, I only go for the raw foods. I know prices are much better at Whole Foods or even better at Fairway. I'll just stick to those spots.

Finally went to their dedicated gluten free market- absolutely LOVE. Great to walk in to a market knowing ALL products are gluten free and didn't need to read labels or google. Got a ton of prepared foods too - including an awesome cheesecake! Staff were super friendly and helpful!

I love this supermarket. I come here for the more hard to find items. The food is incredibly fresh and the staff is friendly. I've also never needed to wait in line any time I've been there because they keep a full staff at the registers which I really appreciate.

I went in at 5pm to get tortellini with vodka sauce. Easy enough, right? Nope. The same seven bottom feeding scraps, dried up and disgusting, are waiting for me. I ask the person serving, "When do you plan to get more tortellini." Very kind. Smile. The whole nine. "We don't." OK. So I leave. I come back the same day at 7pm. Sweet 7pm. Surely someone accepted less than what they deserve, and they made more. NOPE. We're all onto them. SAME SEVEN BOTTOM FEEDING SCRAPS. Even more dried up than someone not drinking, STILL. THERE. So I go to what appears to be a manager. KINDLY. ASK. "Excuse me. (Smiley face.) When do you MAKE the tortellini. In my mind? I'll beat the rush tomorrow if they don't make it. NOPE. The manager tells me to ask the person serving, which I did two hours ago. Neither the upper management, nor the hard working worker, could help. So you know what. GO. TO. ITALLIAN. VILLAGE. PIZZA. They will be KINDER to you. THEY will ANSWER. Your questions. So. DAS IT. Don't go here.

We tried their dinner pre fixe - pasta + entree for $14.99. I got chicken parm with pasta in bolognese and roasted veg. It looked good but tasted flavorless. 0 stars!! Very disappointing given that their food from the hot food deli section is normally delicious. They had choice of three proteins, two pastas and two sauces for pre-fixe dinner. I also got overcharged for my bagel. It was marked 99cents but I got charged $1.50 at the counter and only realized after I got home. Their basil pesto, mozzarella is good. 4 stars. Cheese cake is top notch too. 5 stars.

This place is a foodies dream. great variety, service and just overall quality of goods. best grocery store in Manhattan!!

Vibes are great but decorating cakes are not their strength. This was embarrassing to bring to a party.

I went to the gluten free store and it was excellent! Met the owner who was super nice. I'm celiac and they have an amazing variety of great stuff. Good croissant, cupcake, focaccia and so much fresh prepared foods. Highly recommend!

Agata and Valentina looked good when I passed by this morning. I saw the outside seating and the sign as I walked by heading South on 1st Avenue. When I entered a section that appeared to be a nice cafe, I was pleasantly greeted by the nice young lady. She saw me taking photos and smiled at my excitement when I told her how nice the space was. She said she was glad I liked it. Naturally I gravitated to the coffee and pastries. There's so many selections I haven't seen elsewhere. They have fresh sandwiches prepared too. I thought I would check out the grocery section and then return for something to eat. I was still taking photos when I entered the produce department. All of a sudden the produce employee decided to tell me I wasn't allowed to take photos in there. He said you need to go ask the store manager. I left and walked around the corner where I spotted the cheese section. I went on a little further and noticed there were no customers in the store. I can understand why. I didn't feel welcome at all. It was obvious the customers that did shop there were doing what I did. They got coffee and pastries from the nice friendly employee section and then went outside to sit. I doubt I will return. I have other places close by that welcome me and my business.

When I tell you I actually cried being here it's SO difficult to find good, gluten free foods. There were so many options and everything looked amazing. The tiramisu was my favorite, followed by the chocolate croissant. We're traveling, so I picked up a sandwich to bring to the airport as well. I can't recommend it enough!

Agata needs to pull their key lime pies and go back to the drawing board. I know we aren't in southern florida, but this is the worst key lime pie I've ever seen/tasted/smelled: it discredits Agata's brand. Fortunately, there's enough good stuff in the bank with Agata, but if this was the first thing I ever got there, it'd would have also been the last.

Just the best freakin Italian grocery store ever. Pricey-- yes. But worth it, YES! I love to frequent this store even though it's not near my normal everyday route. Their fresh made mozzarella is killer and made right in front of you in the cheese section by the entrance! Love the stuffed peppers with prosciutto and provolone here that I can't find anywhere else in the groceries store close to me so I come often to buy them. Oh, and never leave without buying a gorgeous semolina baguette. Awesome array of prepared foods, super fresh produce and herbs. 10/10!

walking through the gluten free store is heavenly for those with celiac! i used to come here to get the sans bakery lamingtons when they were sold for the same price as buying direct, but now all the treats are priced higher so not sure i have a reason to come here anymore. everything is $$$$$ (ex: $10 for a cannoli!) i didn't check if the regular store has the same policy, but the no photos sign at the gluten free store did catch my attention. the opening of this new store was a bit bumpy as there were products mixed in that were definitely not gluten free, but i think they've improved their offerings over time. a dedicated gluten free store is so beneficial to the celiac community, but i find it hard to support a store that adds a surcharge on top of gluten free products that are usually already priced at 2x of the regular item. and it's drool worthy photos on sites like this that get me to plan my day around feeding my next gluten free craving.

Food prep lacking fresh for prices charged. Could go to a restaurant instead.taste. . Not well prepared. Only did takeout. Would not go back.

Yesterday I purchased the A&V Farfalle cookies...a favorite of mine. As I was away, I hadn't purchased them in about 6 weeks. Imagine my shock when I got home and the price had gone from $8.50 to $11.95 in such a short period of time! an Increase of over 40%! In addition, there were only 7 cookies in the sealed package as opposed to the 8 cookies that were always contained in the package. I went back to A&V to see if this was anomaly, but the packages on the shelf all had 7 cookies and marked $11.95. This is not inflation, this is PRICE GOUGING!

They serve cold coffee and when you tell them the server has bad attitude and says you need to pay extra . All the food is overpriced. Don't recommend at all

Amazing selection of delicious, FRESH, gluten free goods. I had the gluten free blueberry scone and it was buttery and crumbly and had plentiful blueberries. This place is a gem.

They have very nice items to buy but it is expensive. The aisles are narrow and the checkout is in an odd place (we walked around before we could find it). We wanted to buy flowers for my friend so I was able to find them here even though they are a bit high priced). Now with a lot of competition around, they might have to step up their game to keep their customers happy .

Purchased the (uncooked) teriyaki salmon and a container of root vegetables. The salmon turned out so good I'm thinking of getting some more for tonight. The veggies were plentiful and tasty.

I haven't shopped in this dump in years. For one thing they sell EXPIRED food, their prepared food is swimming in oil. Today I went in to buy a bag of bread rolls, was overcharged by $4!! If you shop there, watch them like a HAWK. Incompetence from the bottom on up

I went to the gluten-free store. The good: availability of bfree pita breads and Toufayan wraps. The bad: all of the prepared foods are SHOCKINGLY bad! I've tried the lasagne (what the heck is this abomination?! They didn't even bother separating the lasagna sheets! There were several layers glued together which made for a very unpleasant meal, I couldn't even eat more than a few bites before throwing it out), focaccia (dry, too thick & difficult to enjoy) & chicken fingers (WHAT is this?! Somehow tastes both slimy and dry). I am not a good cook by any means but I've made GF lasagne a million times better than this overpriced trash. I'm sorry to say but their kitchen is HORRIBLE. Such a horror that a gluten free dedicated market could be this atrocious at making gluten free foods. Big yikes. Staff are sweet & it's a tidy shop, but I would never go back for anything other than the breads they carry in the freezer section.

Incredibly impressive selection of prepared foods as well as meals ready to heat and eat Prices Are a bit high but you are in the UES. Most things looked pretty fresh although some of the hot food cases looked like they'd forgotten to stir them up in a while and a bit of a crust or film had formed We opted for already packed small deli containers of different salads to sample. Salmon salad did not have much flavor but the calamari salad was great as well as the Israeli couscous salad.

Awesome place to shop in the UES. Love all the Italian foods. Great place for sure. We go 4-5 times per week. Solid

The gluten free store that also has "vegan" on the awnings needs to either step up the vegan offerings or remove the word from their signs. They have a single vegan prepared offering and it's the lamest, most insulting excuse of a grilled veggie wrap I've ever had. This store is a huge disappointment.

There are a few essential businesses that bring more pleasure to me than Agata & Valentina, especially over the last year! While I have always loved shopping here, the joys of knowing that all of their cut fruit is fresh and their desserts and breads are exceptional have helped to make my experiences in their store even more pleasurable. Yes, their prices might be higher than a regular supermarket, the products you leave with are always well with what you are paying. Yesterday I purchased the most delicious chocolate babka and biscotti I've ever tasted! I was also impressed with their staff and had a charming chat with Kristen, one of the cashiers!

Finally had a chance to check out this storied place after seeing their ads in the Times for years. Had one of the best apple cider donuts ever, and brought back many provisions for dinner. I was unimpressed with the "salted" fresh mozzarella which was bland and dense (especially compared to Eataly's), but I adored the homemade prosciutto bread - very similar to the lard bread that one could find in bread baskets all over Long Island, except maybe a little lighter. I will be back for that bread alone. While my partner and I were eating breakfast, an older manager and store employee were arguing audibly. This was stress-provoking and should never happen in front of customers.

This is for AGATA & VALENTINA GLUTEN FREE STORE ACCROSS THE STREET! Heaven for any CELIACS! Heaven for any gluten intolorant and sensitive! NO POSSIBLE CROSS CONTAMINATION! This is a true dream come true for any celiacs! The prices are fair, they arent robbing you blind, like other places which i DO NOT support! They have full food bar all gluten free, pizza, bread, baguels, croissant etc the best thing is they do not have the same typical boring gf things you find all over nyc, they actually have amazing selection! The best kept secret in nyc!

I went to Agata on a pouring, rainy day to buy two baguettes. After paying politely, I asked for a plastic bag, to which the worker said "no. You didn't say." Seeing what was happening, I offered to pay for the bag after checking out, and she insisted "no. Your time is done. Go" and rudely rolled her eyes. While I understand her reasoning, her tone was beyond condescending and rude. As a result, I had a soggy hoagie that night from the rain and a lack of a bag. Will not be returning.

If you are craving fresh pasta, ravioli, or stuffed shells, this is your place! It really is tasty and despite being fairly easy, much better than other options that you can throw in the pot at home. Agata is a great place for specialty ingredients when you are craving Italian. They also have a wide array of prepared foods to pick from. The fresh fish counter has many options and is always clean and well-kept. If you like seafood, stop in! The place can get a bit cramped/packed because it is popular and not all that big, but be patient and you will be fine.

an amazing italian grocery store!!!! the staff was so attentive. they even played italian music in the store!! (it was my first time there but i will 1000000000% go again)

First, Agatha and Valentina is a bit pricey. But, there is no better place to pick up goodies for a special occasion and the hot food buffet (all three meals) compares to any restaurant out there. The items they prepare are things I just wouldn't dream to nor take the trouble to prepare at home. They have three hot meal stations, a yummy selection of cookies and baked-on-premise pies and cakes, vegetables, cheeses, pastas, coffees... The store is very clean, organized, well-managed, and in my opinion, the best shopping experience on the UES for foodies...

I've been shopping at Agata & Valentina for a long time, but this recent incident pushed me over the edge. It's always been hit or miss and you should certainly never buy produce there late Sunday or earl Monday when they're just leaving the dregs of the weekend out hoping people will buy the low grade produce, but the false pricing I experiences was one incident too many. I was buying something at the deli counter Sunday evening around 6:00 and noticed that it was coming up on the scale at a higher price that the label in the deli counter. I pointed this out and the two idiots behind the counter argued that this was the correct price. After a lot of back and forth I finally got them to actually look at the tag they were advertising and the y told me it was a mistake. I pointed out that it didn't matter and they needed to sell it at the correct price and they should fix it. Long story short, they flat out refused to honor the advertised price, even after the guy from the fish counter came over and told them that I was right. This seems to be especially a problem with deli as the folks who used to know the job are gone and most of those left are utterly incompetent. Watch yourself there, because items don't always ring up for the price they are advertised. This is not the first time something like this has happened.

Agata & Valentina is out here doing God's work for people with celiac. I love this store more than words could possibly ever describe! This store is actually two separate buildings: the main grocery store south of 79th Street and the gluten free store at the northwest corner of 79th & 1st. Someone once told me that the main store was the most expensive grocery store in NYC, and I blame them entirely for how long it took me to go in this place; it's entirely untrue! Yes, their produce is more expensive than nearby supermarket chains, but it's nowhere near the pricing of Butterfield, Eli's, or other high end stores nearby. And regardless, that's not why you come here. You come here for the cheese selection that always comes through for my wine & cheese nights, and you come for their amazing selection of pastas (including fresh, made in store!) and baked goods. Across the street, the gluten free store has more gluten free pasta brands straight from Italy than I've ever seen in my life, and their premade gluten free counter selections are so so good. Their gluten free cheesecake and tiramisu are my go-to pick-me-ups when I'm craving something sweet. I've also had the pleasure of meeting the owner, and it's clear how much he cares about his store and his customers. Agata & Valentina is one of my favorite things about the Upper East Side, and I will continue coming here again and again for the gluten free foods, cheese, and more.

This is in reference to their gluten free store. I purchased garlic knots and only noticed they were expired after I got home and unpacked my groceries. I noticed the bottom of the clear container that the garlic knots were wet and wrinkly and then looked at the expiration date. I don't live close to the store so I took pictures of the garlic knots and the receipt. I called the store and explained what happened, every time they transferred me to the gluten free location, the call would disconnect. I asked the person I spoke to if I could get a refund next time I went to the store and they said yes. I went today and they said even though it was their fault for selling an expired bakery item, I would not be able to get a refund because I would need to have returned within 4 days of purchase for them to issue a refund. Terrible business for a grocery store.

Over priced food! Unorganized staff, poor service especially during holidays. If could give 1/2 star I would. Only saving grace is the gluten free store

Love this spot! Feel like you're stepping into village market with amazing produce, meats, seafood and just food galore. The sandwiches are great and the staff are all very helpful.

Went this evening around 8:15 or so; wanted an orange, but the oranges looked "old" in the regular produce section so I went over to the oranges in the area near the juices and fruit salads ---- oranges filled with blue mold! A lot of it! No one is "minding" the store --- I asked for the manager but they had already left for the day. Something is very wrong here that the food is not checked on a daily basis --- there is no reason that there should be moldy oranges --- It's a shame; I live in the neighborhood and stop by frequently but no more.

I've been going to A&V since they opened. I needed a special order for a special event and it did not meet their "minimum" which has increased multiple times in the past several years. There are three other specialty shops in the area. I went elsewhere. I got some of the BEST food product at my alternative vendor. One consumer doesn't matter, but I'm not the first amongst my circle to have this complaint.

It's too bad their new place across the street is a huge disappointment. The food is tasteless and very expensive, bad service and very little choice. Why they expanded is beyond me.

Do not go here under any circumstance. 2 wrong orders in 2 days. The third world staff does not speak English. Today I ordered a light iced coffee. First I got Hot coffee then a dark iced coffee, When I complained the rude woman yelled at me, They have such contempt for their customers. , They should not be in the public eye....BTW the coffee was expensive and disgusting. I have been going here almost 30 years and it's really gone downhill, Rancid fish, overpriced repackaged items.... But the worst part is how they hate the shoppers and how nasty they are. Ai hope this place closes.

Rude and unfriendly staffs. We have been given Valentina many attempts but everytime we were at the cashier, the staff asked us for the name of vegetables that we picked in order to scan it. Today we thought what we bought was collard green but it turn out that its not. (This is because some of the labels were wrongly places and this usually happened). Thus the staff was struggled and could not scan it, then she checked it afterwards and told us in the most rude and vulgar manner that: this is not collard green. Another staff next to her also repeated that. Okay, advice for you: make sure you remember the right name on the item that you pick Staffs were not well trained. That was our fault, and we will not choose Valentina anymore.

Cheaper and better selection than Gristedes, but the prices at the new place across the street are insane. $21 for almond butter? That's nuts !