Emilio's Ballato
Italian restaurant · Nolita
55 E Houston St, New York, NY 10012
Highlights
Old-school Italian with celebrity sightings, known for chicken parm
Old-school Italian with celebrity sightings, known for chicken parm
"Whenever we recommend Emilio’s Ballato to someone, they say, “I’ve always wanted to go there, but I need somewhere that takes reservations.” No. No you don’t. It’s high time you wait in line at this exemplary old-school Italian restaurant in Nolita for baked clams, bolognese, and veal parm. And if you do end up sitting next to someone famous while you’re here, consider that an added bonus but certainly not the point. For the shortest wait time, come early on a weekday, bring a group, and share as much of the menu as you can." - bryan kim, neha talreja, willa moore, molly fitzpatrick, tiffany yannetta
"If you’re walking along Houston Street at the northern edge of Nolita and you see a line of people on the sidewalk, it’s probably for Emilio’s Ballato. This red sauce spot has been around since 1956 (although the current owner took over in 1992), and it’s one of the few hyped-up restaurants in the neighborhood that’s truly earned its reputation. Come by to eat veal parm and clam linguine in a room that looks several hundred years old, with a few chandeliers and photos of celebrities blanketing the walls. Emilio’s Ballato doesn’t take reservations, and that’s why you’ll see a line. Go ahead and get in that line." - bryan kim, willa moore
"Everybody talks about the off-menu veal parm at this celebrity-swarmed Nolita hotspot, but not enough people talk about the bolognese with a subtle, distinctive creaminess. Or the spaghetti with inexplicably tender meatballs, and a red sauce so smooth you might imagine drinking it in the morning like a smoothie. There are no unnecessary breadcrumbs or burrata involved here, just simple, excellent pasta." - willa moore, bryan kim, neha talreja, carlo mantuano
"Once you’re mentally prepared to wait in line for a table at Emilio's Ballato, there are a few things you should do. Come early on a weekday, bring a group, and say yes to doing things family-style, which really just means taking the dishes and their prices, and multiplying them both, liberally. That way, you’ll receive an astounding number of baked clams, swimming in a pool of parsley-studded sauce, which you can return to again and again throughout your meal. They remain crisp, even when you eat your very last one right before dessert." - willa moore, molly fitzpatrick, neha talreja
"At old-school Italian restaurants across the city, free bread is a right, and baked clams are law. But Emilio’s Ballato, a celebrity-strewn hotspot in Nolita, the free bread takes everything a notch up. It’s focaccia, with a sweet, brick-red tomato sauce baked into it." - sonal shah, bryan kim, willa moore, will hartman
