Lavagna

One of the highly recommended restaurants from my friend living in NYC. All the meals were miraculously delicious, to which wines were perfectly matched!! Definitely coming back!! Thank you the owner so much!!!

Rarely rate anything 5*s and feel like to restaurants in NYC are overrated. But this super low key place exceeded all expectations. Our waitress was genuine in her recommendations which we loved. Scallops, salad and octopus carpaccio apps were well seasoned and fresh. Pasta we tried 2 (ragu & tomato) in half portions which was perfect to try both. Panna cotta is light and great end to meal. Will def come back to try pizza and other mains like lamb.

1- Food = Average . 3/5. Nothing memorable about our 3 appetizers. My Main was delicious which was Rigatoni. Pizza was unusually small and not the best tasting. Red sauce was average. Martinis were small and 3/4 full probably because she spilled each one she delivered. 2- Service = Below average 2.5/5 Shout out to the kitchen for managing a very busy dining room pacing the courses perfectly. We don’t like being told that we must order all appetizers and meals all at once especially with an attitude. It’s an immediate turnoff. We’re friendly and expect the same in return. 3- Ambiance = Average 3/5. Very tightly packed tables in one Main dining area. Not the cleanest and needs a bit of updating. 4- Reservations = Excellent 5/5. Open table. 5- Value = Average 3/5. Manhatten has much better options.

For years I loved this place despite the grumpy old server who would always greet us at the door. Last week I went for a special dinner with a relative of mine. That server couldn’t have been any nastier to my guest. Their food is not worth the bitter taste of interacting with that person. The restaurant is also very(!) noisy so expect yelling to have a proper conversation. I wouldn’t recommend this place.

I can't stop thinking about the rigatoni!! So delicious and great service. Can't wait to come eat here again.

For us, it's the best Italian restaurant in NY, and probably the best one globally. We first ate here years ago, during a visit to NY, and loved it so much that we returned the following day. We had dinner there this week, during a visit to the city, and the magic remained just the same. Simple, but super tasty food, creative but not presumptios, a great and friendly team, led by the owner, Jorgos (Greek name, that I'm probably misspelling). Don't skip this place!

Had a great early dinner last night, prosciutto and figs for appetizer, kale Caesar salad, their homemade pasta, and salmon for main course, and a good bottle of wine. Everything was outstanding, including the service by uncle Rob. Highly recommend this for an Italian dinner out in the East Village.

Came here for NYE dinner. We had the focaccia and Caesar salad to start, then the rigatoni, pappardelle, and lamb shank. Everything was great! Unpretentious, old school vibes. Ruby gave us terrific service.

Superior as always. The rigatoni, the prosciutto salad, the pork chop, and THE DESSERTS. Friendly, sincere, attentive service. Beautiful patio space and charming old bar and dining area. Doesn't get better than this.

Loud small room, tense vibe with owner cursing out staff and being rude to guests. Years ago we stopped coming here for this reason (our waiter quit mid meal!) but a friend wanted to go... Nowhere to stand if yr table is not ready. No bartender will ask if u want anything. Don't ask about the timeline, the owner will snap @ you. I like the C&B focaccia and the scallop appetizer but what a stressful environment.

Sadly, this was super disappointing. With all the positive reviews, we really expected much better. The setting itself is beautiful and the ambience amazing. The waitstaff were charming and helpful. So this made the food all the more a disappointment. We had a salad of radishes, cheese and red peppers, and the red peppers were clearly from a bottle. We had another dish which was fried artichoke with a bean purée and sauteed mushrooms and it literally tasted like baby food. Maybe that artichoke had been fried in very hot water. It makes me sad to write this, but it's true. The only dish that was OK was the rigatoni which was modified to be veg for us. I'll caveat this by saying that perhaps the meat dishes are far better but I cannot recommend this beautiful spot for vegetarian.

I went to Lavagna with some friends for dinner, and it's just the coziest space. It's really clear that its been a part of the East Village for a long time, and has the feel of a classic NYC restaurant. The servers were very friendly, and allowed us to stay a little longer after we finished our meals which I always appreciate. We got the focaccia to start, which I really enjoyed. For our entrees we all got a pasta dish. I got the classic spaghetti because I'm vegetarian, and its what you would expect. Not always big on it but I was on a budget and it did the trick. My friend is vegetarian too and she asked to modify the rigatoni, which I should have done! They were able to modify it and remove the sausage which was very thoughtful of them. The other two guests got the ragu special, and enjoyed their meals! I would totally go back another time!

Fantastic service, a small little Italian restaurant! Pretty busy even on a Monday night. I tried the focaccia (8/10 very good), the seared scallops "agrodolce" which was my favorite (9/10 the sauce was so good I got extra focaccia to dip in it!), the carciofo al forno (6/10 the puree and mushrooms were decent, not the biggest fan of the artichoke) and the prosciutto di San Daniele (4/10 the prosciutto and cheese were good but the balsamic fig was way too aggressive in the vinegar and I couldn't finish it!) I also tasted the rigatoni (7/10 not my favorite I feel like it could've used more flavor or seasoning) and the special pasta which had eggplant in it (8/10 I'd order this one) I wouldn't actively choose to come back but I wouldn't say no if someone else wanted to go.

Service absolutely awful, rude and dismissive, ruined reasonably good food. Tight quarters didn't help, but not the main problem. Have been a few times over the years but never had this problem before.

The server was very helpful and nice. She gave great suggestions based on your dietary needs and her suggestions were spot on. We ordered the scarpaccio for appetizer and shared the rigatoni and Pollock for mains. And had an apple pie type dessert (forget the Italian name). The Pollock was my favorite dish by far. The fish was soft and peppery with a hint of lemon. Just delicious! Everything else was very good too. The restaurant is very small and has a cozy apartment-like vibe. Would definitely recommend making reservations as this place fills up quickly.

What a great surprise! We made a reservation without really knowing much and after looking at some mediocre reviews. It was fantastic! Lavagna has a small menu and we ordered a lot off of it. The standouts were the octopus app sliced thin and the sweet pea ravioli with a hint of mint. The scallop appetizers was also delish. Perfectly cooked. The beet salad was good. The star was the whole fish- it came flambé (which might have been a bit unnecessary) but the results were beyond. The four of us shared this for dinner after sharing apps. Great sleeper restaurant that I would totally recommend.

Yorgi head host and sever will ensure that you have the time of your life at East Village's most classic Tuscan dining establishment. He will be your wine aficionado and your confidant. The steak Lavagna was incredible. Cooked to perfection and the Yukon mashed were an excellent pair. I recommend hearing the specials and a pro tip: split a pizza as an appetizer. They always rotate new house specialty pizzas All of the servers and staff are friendly and make you feel like you're dining like part of the family. A+ service

We have been coming to Lavagna for years. The food is amazing! Best pasta in the city!!!!! Staff treat you like family. The space is cozy, warm, & welcoming, with a hip vibe. Truly one of NY's finest! Great E. Village night life surrounds the restaurant.

A cozy Italian restaurant at a quieter corner of East Village. The scallops appetizer comes with an interesting gravy like sauce. It is slightly not warm enough though and the scallop does not taste very fresh. Ordered the daily special pasta with pork ragu and eggplant with fettucine, this one tastes rich with matching flavours, and appreciated that they already come in two equal portion after we mentioned earlier that we are sharing the food. The salmon with risotto is normal, and again one point to note is that it's not served warm enough. Overall the ambiance and service of the restaurant is great. Food is reasonable but can work on the serving temperature.

Great place to get a last minute reservation for a cozy Italian meal! My boyfriend and I shared the pizzetta del bosco and the rigatoni. Both had great textures, even though the flavors could be better. The wine we had was amazing! Shoutout to the great service for the wine pick and for bringing out the food in a timely manner.

Do you love Italian like I do? Wow is this a great place! I'm an inside eater as opposed to most NYC diners who prefer to eat outside. (I'm so Florida and 60 degrees is too COLD to eat outside.) Let me start with telling you that just looking around this beautiful restaurant is gorgeous! Brick walls, painted floors, and old framed mirrors are the backdrop to an open kitchen with a wood burning oven glowing through wine bottles on the shelf. I kept finding myself just looking around and feeling so comfortable relaxing in the beautiful dining area. I ordered the Rigatoni with sausage in a cream tomato sauce and was so stuffed after eating about 3/4 of it. I gave the remainder to my husband as he had ordered Spinach Stuffed Ravioli and it was a much smaller portion. We also started with bread with a side of oil to dip and I want to tell you that you HAVE to order it. Order double! It is hard to describe how the bread melts in your mouth - it's not just fresh, it is uniquely special. Did you catch that I recommend you order double? We had a reservation and were seated as soon as we arrived. The service throughout the night was great and we were checked on throughout the night. I will return here and recommend it as a great overall experience for the food and service.

Always great food and great service. It's not fancy but that's why it's so good. I've been a few times and have always been happy with everything.

Food, ambiance, drinks, all perfect. Great date night spot! The staff has been around a long time and are superb.

Came to Lavagna with a friend on a Monday evening after 6pm in the mood for Italian cuisine. At this time I was in the mood for something delicious yet tomato-ie because why not?? They had about 4 to 5 pasta options and I choose the Fedelini Fini as it matched to what I was craving for when it comes to Italian food. The pasta was actually fresh, and very tomato-ie with the added freshly grated romano they added on top. Top this with a glass of red wine and you'll sure enjoy Lavagna.

Great place in a quiet block in the East Village. The food and wine selection was excellent. We ate outside and the service was also amazing

Came straight here from JFK. It's 11:12 and the time says they close at 12:00. The lady said they are closed when we walked up. Supper strange and inconvenient. They should update their times online.

Good food. Nice little bistro. Cozy in that NYC village sort of way. Good service. Went for a birthday party and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves

The service was great. We had such a ball last night. They took care of us. The drinks were delicious. The lamb was amazing.

Love this place. It's an old AC staple from years ago. Many higher profile places have come and gone in the EV since we first visited Lavagna and it's still going strong. The key is the delicious food and the atmosphere. The service is also very good and a great selection of Italian wines closes the deal. It's a little off the beaten path but well worth the trip.

SO YUM! Amazing vibes in the heart of the east village, the restaurant it self was a farrar atmosphere, lively & cute. Sat at the bar which was a fun experience, and the food was delicious.

Lavagna is my favorite Italian spot in the east village - super cozy atmosphere & great food. The Rigatoni is amazing!

Food was just ok. Service is lovely. The parking sucks and the neighborhood is very artsy.

I came here on a Saturday night with no res and was able to get a table outside right away. We shared the Caesar salad (pretty standard, nothing special), the rigatoni, and the steak. We really liked both of our entrees and the service was good! Solid 4/5. Would come again.

They stay open as they said they would even when other restaurants around closed early on the quieter days. The environment was energetic yet romantic just like in Italy!They got a big drink menu and a smaller section of food menu,especially for wine.(well it's an Italian place!) I had fresh pappardelle, and it was great, you can't find it often in any other places. The noodles they use are fresh! The portion's fine, might need to order some more other than just the pasta if you are a guy! It's great for me so I can still have room for a piece of cake! The chocolate mousse cake wasn't like "mousse "though, more like a creamy brownie but I did like it, just wasn't as expected. It's a great place for a late dinner, date night or just grabbing few drinks with friends.

I am so glad I picked Lavagna to dine. I am only in the city for two days so I have to pick my meals carefully. Everything was perfect from start to finish. The ambiance , decor, our waiter and the owner made it a great experience. But most of all the meal was excellent. We had the rigatoni with sausage and the lamb and cavatelli and both were amazing. I highly recommend having dinner there. It's on a nice quiet street out of the way You can site inside or outside .Make a reservation as it is popular.

I was so pleased by my experience at lavagna. We went on a Friday night around 6:30, and though that is an early dinner, with thirty minutes, the entire place had been filled. The service was great and the atmosphere was nice. It's on a quieter street in the east village / alphabet city, but the street is lit up from lavagna and tuome across the street. The wine list is extensive and we asked the somm tasting notes of what we wanted and he was eager to help. The owner came by a few times to check in which was really nice. We started off with both salads, fall squash focaccia, and the prosciutto and fig appetizer. Ingredients are fresh and it's clear they use good olive oil. We ordered the bucatini, rigatoni and the fish for two. The rigatoni was incredible. Saucy and perfectly seasoned -- I scooped the sauce into my mouth to finish the dish -- and I will definitely be coming back just for the rigatoni. The fish was surprisingly delicious. The tomatoes as the side were perfectly good, as with the fish. Excellent restaurant, food and ambiance all around. I'll be back again soon.

Loved dining here on a beautiful Friday night at an outdoor table. All of our food was delicious (focaccia, scallops, artichoke heart, caprese, RIGATONI - order it!!!). Was way too full for dessert, sadly. I don't live in NYC but would happily eat here again on future visits.

We spent the weekend in the neighborhood and got lucky enough to get reservations here. A wonderful place, good food, everybody minds their business. Our waiter was energetic and attentive without being intrusive. Would gladly return on our next trip.

Yes yes yes!!! 10 out of 10! Great cozy atmosphere. Our table of 7 had a great time and everyone loved their food - the pork chop was a big hit as were the pasta dishes.

So our friend Mary (from Mary O's , yes go there for Irish music on Thur nights) told us this was her favorite restaurant. So we made a reservation and stopped by. Wow! We had a great experience. Warm and cozy interior. The service was attentive but not too much. The staff was friendly and helpful with menu ideas. The food was amazing. The focaccia bread app (always fresh out of the oven) was great. My wife had scallop app for an entree. I had the rigatoni. We shared and both were top notch. We also had the tart with vanilla ice cream. Top notch.

I actually cannot wait to go back here. I got the rigatoni with spicy sausage in it and I could not get enough. The pasta was perfectly al denté and the sauce was rich. I ate the whole thing! We got bread and prosciutto to start which was a perfect compliment to the meal. From someone who has traveled and eaten all over Italy I can say this truly compares.

I made a reservation at Lavagna for myself and three friends for my friends birthday on a Wednesday evening. We were seated outside at a covered table on a relatively quiet side street which was nice. The servers were attentive to our table and took our orders quickly. I would say the ambience was overall quite informal-- our waitress looked like she just walked off the sidewalk (It was a bit offputting how casual things were to be frank). The food was very good and the portions were generous. I would argue that the rigatoni may have been slightly over sauced considering the density of the cream, but the pizza was perfect. I would recommend this restaurant for more casual dining. Don't be expecting a super upscale experience, but the food is good and the prices are reasonable.

What a great meal! -- we dropped in a little early for a dinner reservation on a nice day so we asked to be seated outside and they were very accommodating. Our waiter was knowledgeable on the menu and even over heard us talking about vegetarian options for a friend and he came back to mention a few entrees in particular. We appreciated his wine recommendations which were great choices for us. As for food, we went with the Cesar salad, mussels, truffle pizza, rigatoni and their special pasta for the evening. Anddd there was nothing left! A great place for a small groups and they have outdoor seating during the summer and nice days. Outdoor dinner with vino anyone?

The best pork chop dish you may ever have. Service super friendly, bread is fresh, food delicious. Cute place for a date off the beaten path of east village. Burrata special was delicious. Fresh tomatoes and cheese. Artichoke hearts with mushrooms was amazing. Mushrooms have so much flavor soaked into them. The special pasta was perfectly cooked, and the prosciutto bites were delicious. Sweet corn was great accompaniment. Pork chop is delish as well. With beans and a bitter green underneath with pickled veg on top, the combo was perfect. We got the chocolate cake dessert and that was amazing. Very rich. Wine selection is fairly extensive and we got some help from several people to help us make a decision. They were super nice even when we came fairly close to closing! Looking forward to going back.

Great neighborhood joint with a lot of character. Owner calling it as it is. Food was outstanding. Service was great as well. Would recommend!! A+

Lavagna Ratings: 4.7/5 Food: 5/5 - Their pasta is definitely homemade, because they are al dente, firm, and chewy, legit the perfect pasta. I got the rigatoni pasta with sweet fennel and spicy sausage, peas with tomato cream, and it was incredible. It was saucy, creamy, perfectly seasoned, and tasty. Each bite was worth it; the chewiness of the pasta paired with a generous amount of sausage, creamy sauce, and peas in each bite was divine and an amazing food experience for me. I am literally mouth-watering while writing this review. My friend got the special tonight, which is the homemade fettuccine with wild boar ragu, roasted eggplant, ricotta, chive cooked in a light tomato wine sauce was delicious. Once again, the spaghetti tasted fresh and firm, ingredients were fresh, and it's clear that they use good olive oil in their pasta dishes. 100% exceeded my expectations. One last time, the RIGATONI is a MUST order, and I cannot stress it enough. Ambiance: 4.5/5 - There are indoor and outdoor seating, but we decided to sit inside, because it was a bit hot and the ambiance for outdoor seating wasn't that great. Interior is a cute place and perfect for a date if you are in the East Village. The staff also checked our vaccination cards if you requested to sit indoor. The vibe is chill and its fairly quiet, definitely not that busy on a Monday night. Hidden gem for sure! Price: 4.5/5 - The portion was generous. The price was reasonable. Rigatoni was $22 and the special homemade fettuccine was $25. It was super fulfilling and the total came up to be around $50 before tax and tip. Definitely good value right there. Service: 4.75/5 - Amazing service. Servers were all attentive, and our water glass was never empty. I like how they thoroughly explain to us the specials for tonight and provided pasta recommendations. Friendly and nice service, and most importantly pasta came out fairly quickly, while the plate was still hot, so overall I was very pleased with my dining experience here tonight. BLUF: Phenomenal creamy pasta sauce, al dente pasta, lovely service, and a wonderful experience! I'm sad that I didn't get to try their focaccia bread, didn't know we have a order it for $5, otherwise I would totally do it. I guess this will be one of the reason to return and eat more CARBS! Literally, just go to this place, seriously.

Great neighborhood spot. The ambiance is classic NY. They accommodated vegan with a pomodoro pasta and salad. Outdoor dining and dog friendly.

HOLY BATMAN. I've eaten here pre-Covid and loved it but for some reason forgot to write a review. Then I was craving Italian last night and was going to order from another local place but was like -'fck it! Why don't I switch it up and order from Lavagna since they're back??' (For a while you couldn't get delivery and there were odd hours but I digress). I ordered the scallops, focaccia, rigatoni with peas, and the arugula salad with dates and prosciutto. JESUS BE A WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM - because I will now be ordering only from them when I want Italian. So. Freaking. Good. Fresh, hot and delicious. I do have a pea allergy and I asked them to remove them in the notes several times but they were still there :( no worries - took a Benadryl and spit out the peas or picked them out when I could. YOLO - hives are worth it for this meal. GETCHU SOME.

Was that supposed to be Amatriciana? Without a doubt the worst I've ever tasted. The bucatini was grossly over cooked. The sauce was as bland as could be. And don't get me started on what is supposed to be guanciale, because I'm not sure what that was. I almost never leave a review but this can not stand, especially since they charge a fair bit for a simple pasta dish. My uncle Nino would drop dead at the sight of this dish!

I've been coming to this place since it opened in 2000 or so and it never fails to delight. The rigatoni is excellent (I rarely order anything else)! Reservations recommended, especially Kate in the week and at the weekend. Great neighborhood joint.

Very dark and romantic ambiance, perfect for a date night. The food is very mediocre. Lurisia sparkling $7 Ravioli $18 was good and it was made in house. Very soft with cheese Lamb $33 It was nothing mind blowing about this dish. It was very basic Fedelini Fini $16 pasta with rustic tomato sauce was rather boring. GL fongoli $12

Three segment honest review: 1) Restaurants outdoor seating during covid is not good. It's hardly covered with limited heaters. A little grungy and overall just ehh. Ambiance outside is not good. If you are lucky to get inside then the restaurant seems to be more desirable. 2) Don't book on Opentable or the like, you will get bottom of the barrel seating selection. Had a reservation shortly after 5:00pm and the place had a few tables inside open but we were directed outside in the cold, in a dark corner next to graffiti. We were told the restaurant had many reservations and that it would be full soon. Yeah, okay sure. It was dead the entire time there. Aggravating part was that i had spoken with with restaurant twice about moving reservation to 6 or the later but was told it was booked. During our sit down two inside tables were cleared and left open as we continued to sit outside. Only one other group sat down outside during our entire time at the restaurant. Just bad vibes. I would go on about how bad the vibe was but I'll leave it at that. Some of the staff happened to be pleasant so I don't want to completely go off. 3) I will say that the food here was good. Wine was definitely over priced for some of the mid tier selections, but overall I would say the food and drinks is what keeps this place afloat. Such a bummer the overall experience was crap, as the food here would've left me leaving and telling people, yes go. Now, I'd say you can try it if you're guaranteed a seat inside or in the warmer months. If not, I'd say try your luck somewhere else.

Anything less than 5 stars is criminal. This place is amazing. Order the bread, ask for a wine rec and don't hold back. The entire menu is amazing. 1. Scallop appetizer / Artichoke Appetizer 2. Rigatoni (amazing) 3. Lamb (highly recommend) 4. Blueberry desert special (actually amazing) 10/10 - would highly recommend and will be back. Well kept secret. Keep in mind the portions pictured, other than the appetizers, is a half portion.

One of my favorite downtown stops for excellent food and great service. Non pretentious and great all round. Highly recommended.

Sorry I would not recommend this restaurant. The food was ok nothing spectacular. It was a tense dinner. I felt bad for the staff who had to deal with the owners/ managers constantly standing behind their every move. It was obvious our server tried her best to put on her best face but really ! we watched her as she trained another server. The surly guy wouldn't leave them to their job. If you guys don't think they are good enough you should not hire anyone and work all the stations yourselves. Your food is not all that where your staff should be absorbing all that pressure. Not a nice place or atmosphere

Praying -- on hands and knees -- that my favorite NYC restaurant will weather the storm. To be honest, before COVID, while trying to be seated with a reservation, it was still American Psycho hard. That all said, I crave the food that Lavagna serves. Also, as a native, it is great to see Alphabet City transform from hell on earth to restaurant row. LOVE you Lavagna! Please pull in for us.

If your looking for the best homemade pasta in New York City, you've food your match. I've been coming here consistently for 5 years and it's always a sure bet when entertaining friends or dining with a friends. (Reservations are necessary) My go to favorites the octopus carpaccio appetizer, fresh pappardelle pasta and there's always seasonal specials that I try each time. Also their well curated wine list is always great no matter the time of year. If you get overwhelmed with ordering Italian wines as I sometimes do, just ask the very knowledgeable severs.