Roberta’s
Italian restaurant · Chelsea
One Penn Plaza, Plaza 33 East, New York, NY 10119
Highlights
Wood-fired pizzas, pastas & cocktails with rooftop views
Wood-fired pizzas, pastas & cocktails with rooftop views
"A tropical-leaning Italian restaurant and bar three floors above Penn Station, this Manhattan outpost of the iconic Bushwick pizzeria opened in 2024 and blends prize-winning pies with aperitivo-hour deals (weekdays 2–5 p.m.). Shareable options include stracciatella and homemade bread, while pizzas showcase playful toppings like pepperoncini, honey, caciocavallo, prosciutto, soppressata, and sungold tomatoes. The ground floor houses a slice shop, and the cocktail list ranges from draft beer and wine to a bold Dirty Devil Martini stirred with chili vodka, olive brine, habanero, and house pickle brine." - Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner
"Smack dab in the middle of the plaza above Penn Station, Roberta’s three-story Manhattan outpost is surrounded by Madison Square Garden and towering Gap ads, illuminating it like a hovering UFO. It’s a far cry from the pizza institution’s scrappy original location in Bushwick, but their Neapolitan pies are exactly the same, and the bubbly, blistered crusts are their greatest asset. There’s a cocktail menu with several solid tiki drinks, and big picnic tables at the open-air bar on the roof. Come by for drinks after work or before a show. R.Slice, their slice shop near the entrance downstairs, has a separate selection of New York-style pies if you just want to grab a quick bite." - bryan kim, will hartman, willa moore, neha talreja, molly fitzpatrick
"Described as perhaps the closest watch-party option to the action at nearby arena, this spot is adjacent to Madison Square Garden (One Penn Plaza, 33 East) and is offering a $120 ticket that includes a pizza and two drinks on the rooftop; the listing notes it draws “a loud, proud, Knicks-loving crowd,” rain or shine." - Melissa McCart
"Smack dab in the middle of the plaza above Penn Station, this Manhattan outpost of Roberta's is surrounded by Madison Square Garden and towering Gap ads, illuminating it like a hovering UFO. The third-story rooftop restaurant is a far cry from the pizza institution’s original Bushwick location, but the Neapolitan pies are exactly the same, and their bubbly, blistered crusts are Roberta’s greatest asset. There’s plenty of seating inside, but sit outside if weather permits. The open air bar has a great cocktail menu with several solid tiki drinks, and big picnic tables, so it’s a convenient place for after-work drinks or before a show at MSG." - neha talreja, bryan kim, carina finn koeppicus, hannah albertine
"When building the original Bushwick location in 2007, the plumber quit, leaving a graveyard of pipes and a pipe cutter; Hoy repurposed the pipes into bases for bar stools, tables, and chairs. “I had this cutter. I am handy. I figured it out quickly,” he said, reflecting on how he repurposed his plumber’s abandoned pipes into restaurant furniture. “The longer you are in this business, the more thrifty you become.” He makes wall coverings from restaurant photos and uses old barn doors for communal tables, and for lighting—a huge cost—he opts for cheap outdoor fixtures, hand‑painted. Even at a newer Manhattan location he leaned into DIY: to create a private dining area he used a shade cloth pinned up with carabiners instead of custom curtains. “It’s cheap, but it’s fire-rated,” he said. “All in it cost me $300, whereas if I went with custom drapery it would have been $3000.”" - Andrea Strong
