San Matteo Pizza & Espresso Bar

We always passed this restaurant on our way home and it was always full so we had to taste it. We went without reservation but in an odd hour so it wasn’t packed and we had a great experience. Services was super friendly and gave us really good recommendations. We had the melanzane as a starter, then we had pasta genovese and prosciutto pizza. Best prosciutto we’ve had in a while and the pizza dough was fluffy and great. The pasta was al dente and the sauce was really good, the melanzane was also delicious. We had some wine and a tiramisu for dessert and everything was great. Thanks for all and we’ve probably be back to taste some some pizzas.

The most awful pizza we’ve had. The crust was soggy. The parm ham, mushrooms and olives were literally tossed on top a margherita pizza. That’s it!!! No flavor at all. We put the pizza in our toaster oven and the toppings came back to life. Worst pizza restaurant in UES.

Loved our time at San Matteo’s! The pizza really was the closest to what I’ve had in Italy, and I appreciated how quick it came out. The rice balls were a 9/10 compared to some I’ve had before, but still good. Only critiques are that the Parma ham was very choppy where as I’ve had other kinds before, and the marinara was an extra $2. I wouldn’t have asked if we had known. All I wanted was an extra little cup. Anywho 10/10 time

This location has now moved over just one street. It's a much bigger spot and they've created an awesome vibe at this new place. Food: The food is amazing! Just as amazing as it was at it's previous location. The sauce is here is perfect, few places can actually get it right in the city. It's tangy and has the right combination of flavors and seasoning. The brick oven crust enhances the flavors of the sauce. I've only had the pizzas here but all the other dishes looked really good coming out of the oven. Prices: Prices are reasonable here especially considering the portion size. Service: Everyone was very friendly and super happy to help. They answered all of our questions and accommodated our different dietary needs. Despite being a very busy night, we never felt rushed by the restaurant. Ambiance: This new location is so nice! It feels like a fancy yet local place and I like that they were able to maintain that charm. If you liked the review, follow me on Insta: @TheShahLALand

I had the branzino ($35 + tax) which they bake in, what I believe is, parchment paper. It was dry, lacking flavor, and was an extremely small portion topped by different color cherry tomatoes. The gentleman in charge of the restaurant seemed inappropriately dressed, from top to bottom, for his managing position. His white shirt hanging out of his pants did not seem as if it was meant to be worn untucked. On a different visit to the restaurant I had the "rolled skirt steak," which I ordered medium. It was served well done, it had no taste at all.

Amazing food, drinks, and service. Came for a happy hour on Tuesday and left with a full belly and a happy heart. The bartender and owner are so sweet, and they made my boyfriend a special sandwich that wasn’t on their dinner menu! Started off with the $12 well drinks (I got a gin and tonic), and boyfriend got an Aperol Spritz. Both were AMAZING! We got the slider appetizers, the Viva Las Vegas sandwich, and I got the scampi linguini. The food was freaking amazing. I can’t wait to come back! (Also try their Bubble Dance drink!!)

The “new” San Matteo, relocated to 1716 2nd Ave, does most things right. The service is on top of everything and the staff seem to be in a good mood. The food is very good and the portions generous. It’s not cheap and prices are roughly in line with most Italian restaurants in the area. However, the atmosphere is meh. It should have more charm, more coziness. The renovation looks done a bit cheaply and the room is part rustic, part modern - like a diner trying to be a restaurant.

The margarita pizza is great and Also their neapolitan pizza best. And the burgers awesome. I like the way they make the bread. And the burger was wonderful. It was onions. Bacon onions were caramelized. It was cooked perfectly. Everything was wonderful. I'm definitely going back.

I was pleasantly surprised by this place. We got a pizza and one of their sandwiches a panzuozzo. Which refers to a sandwich pocket made with pizza dough. Both were really really good! Their dough itself is really on point and can tell they use quality ingredients. It was defintely on the expensive side but I would 100% come back for the pizza and their sandwiches! The service was awesome and have no complaints at all!

This is for the new San Matteo location on the north east corner of 89th and 2nd. It is a much larger restaurant that it's previously locations, where one had the tiniest tables and a takeout location. Here you walk in and can already see the brick oven where they make and cook the pizza. We had wonderful service all around. She was making jokes with us and very friendly. There were a lot of Italian speaking servers, which I always like to see. However when it comes down to the pizza. I came here craving the Cetara, which is the anchovies, olives pizza. The pizza was very mediocre. The crust was soggy, not crispy as I had hoped. And I also asked for extra anchovies, however as you can see from the pic I did not get anchovies. Unless they call adding 1 extra slice of anchovies would validate the up-charge of $4. We also ordered the broccoli rabe. It was ok, tenderly cooked which I like, but no seasoning. Overall I would not come back for the pizza, disappointed with the up-charge and not getting that extra anchovies!

I would recommend this restaurant for the delicious pizza. The food comes out fast, which I very much appreciate. I've now been here twice and the service was better this time around. For bits of feedback, I'd say it was odd that our table was the only table that did not get complimentary bread. Secondly, out of the 3 arancini rice balls (appetizer), one of the arancini balls I bit into was cold (noticeably cold but I was hungry so I did not decide to send the entire plate back) - but the other parts of the rice ball were hot/steaming.. Other than that, had a good experience and the margherita pizza here is a classic! Would also recommend making an Open Table reservation.

I recently visited a pizza place in New York and, while I have high standards for pizza, this spot was decent. It's not going to blow your mind, but if you're in the neighborhood and craving a pie, it'll satisfy. The outdoor seating is a nice touch, making for a pleasant atmosphere. Service was good, too--friendly and attentive.

Italian style pizza, so the crust will not be crispy like New York style. The ingredients are super fresh and my toddler loved the margarita minus the basil. The staff is super friendly. They even helped us move to a bigger table when my husband joined us. My only gripe is that the eggplant parm is not the same as it once was in the old location. The new eggplant parm doesn't have the same saucy cheesiness. But I will definitely come back for more pizza and other items. This new location is much bigger so I don't have to struggle anymore with the stroller !

This location has now moved over just one street. It's a much bigger spot and they've created an awesome vibe at this new place. Food: The food is amazing! Just as amazing as it was at it's previous location. The sauce is here is perfect, few places can actually get it right in the city. It's tangy and has the right combination of flavors and seasoning. The brick oven crust enhances the flavors of the sauce. I've only had the pizzas here but all the other dishes looked really good coming out of the oven. Prices: Prices are reasonable here especially considering the portion size. Service: Everyone was very friendly and super happy to help. They answered all of our questions and accommodated our different dietary needs. Despite being a very busy night, we never felt rushed by the restaurant. Ambiance: This new location is so nice! It feels like a fancy yet local place and I like that they were able to maintain that charm. If you liked the review, follow me on Insta: @TheShahLALand

I struggled to rate this restaurant. I didn't really enjoy my meal nor did I like the atmosphere or decor, but there are several limitations to my review. I didn't have pizza, which is apparently this restaurant's best dish, and I only visited once. I compare it to nearby Tiramisu. The decor is modern and cold. Chairs aren't comfortable nor are tables spaced comfortably. I didn't really enjoy my salad because it was drowned in balsamic vinegar, maybe that's on me for not asking for dressing on the side? Service was good. My measure of a place might not be someone else's measure, would I come here to have a drink with a friend and I would say, no. But is this a well-run restaurant with good quality food and service? Yes.

I have lived down the street of this spot for months now and finally decided to have dinner there. Didn't have crazy expectations but it's usually busy and prices are very high. The service was iffy. Nothing too welcoming or kind. We ordered a red pie and a carbonara pasta. Me and my guest love carbonara and get it quite often. But the pasta was close to say awful. I understand "al dente" but this was just hard pasta and the sauce tasted like cheeto's. It was really really not good. The presentation of it was 10/10 and it was also $26 so I honestly did have higher expectations. We quickly called the waiter to ask for them to take the pasta away since both of us really did not like it at all. Surprisingly we were meet with attitude and confusion from the waiter. Asking us why we didn't like it and scuffing at us and then proceeding to tell how popular this dish is and how everyone likes it and how could we not like it. We were shocked and confused because i've never experienced service like that before. He was rude and gave us dirty looks the whole time. He also called someone to take the plate from us and spoke to her in spanish in front of us... we clearly understand and speak fluent spanish. So that was uncalled for as well. Pizza was fine. Again $23 for a 4 slice pizza. I have high expectations. It was incredibly soggy. But good enough. Not to mention a glass of red wine is $20. Wtf. Overall, this place has so much potential to be a neighborhood delight. Instead it's an overpriced restaurant with rude staff and not very good food.

Tried this place last night and I just wasn't impressed. We ordered the carbonara pasta and a pizza, the pasta came first and it looked amazing. But looks are deceiving, the first bite just tasted weird. So I tried it again and came to the conclusion that it just tasted gross to be quite honest. My first thought seriously was that it tasted like Cheetos, the pecorino was just so off. Then on top of that- the noodles were not cooked through, I understand if they are meant to be al dente but let me tell you it wasn't even close to that. So we decided to just let the server know we didn't like it and wanted to get a different pasta. Then the server was very much offended as if he was the one that cooked it. He basically told us that it's their best seller and he could not grasp the fact that we just didn't enjoy it. So that was pretty silly. Anyways got the gnocchi in place of that and it was good but the sauce was so boring. The pizza I will say is great, if you're going to go just get the pizza. Overall, wish this place was a better experience since we live a minute walk from it but just another overpriced very average Italian restaurant with bad staff, but good for you guys!

I've always ordered from San Matteo but never went to experience it in person. If you have a chance to, you absolutely should. The restaurant is very cozy and warm, and the staff is incredibly kind. San Matteo is an institution of sorts on the UES, so the food is solid. It's probably one of my favorite spots to get a personal pizza in this area. Some of the solid ones are the quattro formaggi and the Margherita. I recently tried the Paesana which also fantastic. I personally enjoy a slight char on my crust and it was a fantastic balance between crunchy and soft. It goes without saying, but they taste 10 times better in person.

San Matteo have been serving great pizzas and pastas out of a small divey joint for many years. They have recently upgraded to a much larger and nicer/modern spot across 2nd Avenue and down (South) to the next corner. Their Neapolitan pizzas continue to be among the best on the UES, if not all of NYC. I know that others have their favorites, but SM and Nick's (SE corner of 2nd Avenue and 94th) are outstanding ... and, you'll have to pay a premium for the higher quality. SM has leapfrogged Nick's in terms of ambiance and size. SM now has bar seating with about 8 stools which is great for single diners. Service is not as chaotic as their original location which was a bit cramped. In fact, it's still personal, friendly and now seems more professional. The 3X higher capacity makes it easier to accommodate guests when tables don't turn as fast as planned.

Very friendly people welcomed us at one of those awkward hours between lunch and dinner. The place was clearly a popular neighborhood place, and we soon found out why: delicious pizza and pasta (not to mention well made cocktails) with friendly and attentive service. It's comfortable and casual but a nice restaurant; not just a pizza joint. Tiramisu was also a standout.

The San Matteo pizzeria was created to showcase the buffalo mozzarella from Campania and ingredients from Salerno. The idea was to combine the traditional Neapolitan pizza with the quality of Salerno products. Naturally it's cooked in a wood oven.San Matteo Espresso Bar was run by Ciro and Fabio Casella. I'm not sure who's in charge these days. They are improving the corner location so it stands out. Over the years I've passed by so many times I don't even pay attention. Since the pandemic they have added a porch with seating and today I noticed more seating now along the street. Some cute signs inside give the atmosphere a true Italian feel. This was always a nice date night restaurant, those days are past for me. On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday they serve lunch at noon. When family visits from out of state San Matteo is a great option for lunch or dinner. The menu has so many options I wouldn't get bored. I'd advise you to get there early to get a cozy table!

Quality ingredients makes for a damn good pizza. The dough and crust was just the right amount of crispiness. Fresh cheese was delicious! Small little place with a wood fire oven. Indoor and outdoor seating.

Got the pizza with eggplant on it and the white one with pancetta. Delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!

Honestly I loved their other locations but the new one sucks. The lights feel like dennys - the salad sucked- there are too many employees - they are trying to sell me cheap wine. I hope they do better

One of the closest pizza places to where I live, so I decided to try it with some friends. The place is very small and intimate, and it would be a good place for a date. However, its a little crowded and hot from the lack of AC and wood fired pizza oven. The server we had was very patient with us, since one of my friends was on the phone and we decided on what to order for a while. I got the Siberiano, which has sausage, mushrooms, and buffalo mozzarella. The pizza tasted really good, and was cooked well from the authentic oven. However, I couldn't really taste any difference between buffalo mozzarella and normal mozzarella. I also feel like I missed out on a part of the experience by getting a non-tomato sauce pizza, which I didn't realize until I got it (which was completely my fault). The sausage's flavor was also not as I would've liked, and the amount of crust compared to covered area was slightly disappointing. I would probably come here again and try a tomato sauce pizza or espresso/tiramisu, but for ~$25 after tax/tip it seemed slightly overpriced. I think they're opening a much bigger location across the street soon so that fix the heat/crowdness issues.

San Matteo is a very charming Italian pizza restaurant in an intimate space. Friendly and attentive service. It's probably the best sit down pizza spot in the UES. The pizza is well balanced, good under carriage with an excellent crust. The mozzarella they make is the best Ive had in recent years. Do yourself a favor and pay this spot a visit in person.

Holy crap! This is one of the best Italian places I've ever eaten in the city and for a few special reasons. Firstly, the establishment is small, intimate, and very personalized thanks to their Italian owner Ciro. He's from a southern Italian region which is known to be quite warm and hospitable. Secondly, the view from this small restaurant is nice. You face the nearby park with plenty of greenery and space to properly "people watch" on the upper Eastside. The food is delicious as evident by their crust and tomato sauce, to keep ingredients for any good pizza in my humble opinion. The food is also delicious as you'll see by the photographs. They have true buffalo mozzarella, Roma cherry tomatoes and well cooked bread as crust. Get the caprese! If you're looking for a television, there's one inside that mostly airs sports matches. The walls are decorated with Italian poster and bottles of Prosecco. Grab an espresso, too, and really feel like you're back in Rome. This place is super charming!

the Pizza was good. Service was pleasant and the Ambiance was casual and invitin. Chou

Great ambiance, Great service, Miguel was wonderful, the food delicious, salad, wine and dessert great will come again definitely and recommend to others.

Came her as a group of ten, adults and kids and they were able to fit us into 2 tables next to each other, a little squished but it worked and we appreciated it. Almost all of us had pizzas, and my favourite part was that they had a large section of their menu devoted to white pizzas, I often find many places have almost all red sauce pizzas and only one or 2 white pizzas which are sometimes weird, like just garlic or like 6 different cheeses. These guys have a good white (and red) selection. The food itself however was a bit mediocre. The pizzas came out sizzling hot which was good, but the middles were all soggy. Mine had sausage and potato amongst other things but the chunks looked very sliced into cubes and processed rather than sort of rustic lumps. The staff were very nice and friendly and accommodating, and for that I would give high marks. The place has potential, but maybe needs a few tweaks in the kitchen.

There's pizza, and then there is PIZZA. If you are looking for Italian pizza that will not disappoint or disrespect the sanctity of pizza - San Matteo is the place to go. To start, the ambience is great, you can sit outside on the sidewalk in your own cozy area while also being in an open space. The service is excellent, the waiters are very kind and always willing to answer any questions about the menu. We chatted with our waiter telling us all about the fresh ingredients imported from Italy. Our appetizer was the eggplant parm, and look I am usually hesitant about ordering eggplant because there are lots of ways to screw it up. This is some Of the BEST eggplant I have had period. Perfectly cooked and melts in your mouth? Yes please. We ordered several pizzas for our group - truffle mushroom, margarita, and the special today (butternut squash). Oof having to choose between them is like choosing your favorite child. They all offer excellent flavors depending on what you want which in this case was ALL of them. The margarita is always a classic, the truffle mushroom was a perfect blend on top of a delicious thin slice, and the butternut squash was a wonderful well rounded pizza. Obviously, top if off with cappuccino and the profiterole dessert and cannoli? What a meal. I don't need anything else in my life. Look you can talk about your New York pizza and other pizza , etc. if you are looking for the best Italian pizza around? You go here. I see no flaws with this place.

Food was fine. Service was terrible. Great people, no one rude, just disorganized. Took 20 mins to place an order. Then 2 entrees arrived 20 mins later...that's fine but we were 5 people! Wait 20 more minutes, then 2 other entrees arrive. 10 mins after that, they let us know they gave the 5th entree to the wrong table! Table next to us had similar experience, heard woman complain they had been there 45 mins and gotten no food. Food that we had was fine. But service / system operations not perfected. Think worked when they were in their old and much smaller spot. They haven't figured out how to run a larger place yet.

I'm so glad they keep opening locations. When you think of food, think of San Matteo. The quality and care is amazing. This should be the new standard for restaurants. Thank you for spoiling me with your food.

food is ok, but overpriced for what it is and service is rude. i placed an online pick up order for pizza and came a few minutes after it said it was ready for pickup but they said my order doesn't exist. of course they had to triple check and realized they made a mistake. no apologies were made and i had to wait 20 minutes in store and not even water was offered. did not appreciate the treatment here.

Three of us cozied up in one of the wooden booths around a table. It was pouring rain outside, however we were warm and toasty inside from the pizza oven. The ambience is so pleasant and enjoyable, from the intimate seating arrangements to the outstanding service we received. The food consists of fresh, quality & delicious ingredients, there is no cutting corners here. If you take pizza crust as seriously as we do, you will be thoroughly pleased w the crust bubbles, texture and flavor. We truly loved our entire experience from the moment we walked in to when we stepped back outside between rain showers. Will definitely be back, felt familiar & cared for - like family! New fav. spot in the city

I've been eating at his original restaurant and, before that when he had a deli. Great tasting food and, great quality ingredients. The negative reviews coming from people who don't know' how to cook! Or flavors. Fabio, is a hardworking man who's busting his back and, balls! To provide food from the heart. Nothing but haters in today's world, trying to ruin others hard-work! Even better because of my brother, knowing Fabio, got to see the kitchen. Amazing stuff as well kitchen that i built very well.

San Matteo offers delicious pizza in a cozy, warm space with wrap around wooden booths, exposed brick, and a giant stone pizza oven. We shared the Regina Margherita and Salsiccia & Friarielli (sausage & broccoli rabe). The margherita was exceptional; the red sauce was particularly flavorful. Once we added a little bit of olive oil and red pepper flakes, the sausage and broccoli rabe pizza went from good to great. Plus, the dough was fresh with fluffy crust. We also enjoyed their tiramisu and cannolis (comes with three minis!) and shot of espresso to end the meal. The service is very friendly; they clearly care about their food and service.

So good. Rivals all the Italian we had in Italy. What a great neighborhood spot. The service is always solid.

Got the Regina margarita pizza, which is a more expensive version of their margarita, and it was definitely better. Small and expensive, but quite good for delivered pizza. Will be one of my go-tos from now on.

This restaurant really disappointed us as we had high hopes. The decor and ambiance is nice, but service and food was sub par. The server seemed knowledgeable, but once the order was placed he never checked back with us. My husband ordered pasta which was somewhat bland and I ordered the piazza diavolo which was not spicy at all. The biggest miss is that the pasta came out about 20 minutes before the pizza. There are too many good Italian restaurants in NYC to waste your time on this one.

This place missed all the marks. From the quality of food to the service. Avoid this restaurant at all costs!!!

A neighborhood favorite now in larger quarters. Still retains the same feeling and great Italian food.

Our go-to for authentic Italian pizza. These pizzas are baked quickly in a wood-fired oven. Ask for less char if you don't want the crust heavily burnt. You can ask to top any pizza with burrata for $5 extra. We did that for our margherita, which made all the difference! The Anima e trucco was good, but we thought parma ham would be thinly sliced prosciutto. Pizzas are super thin and floppy, which makes eating a bit difficult (forks and knives strongly encouraged)

This place has always looked laid back charmingly authentic, but one early evening when I passed by I took serious note of a packed patio, tables adorned with pizzas, with most diners quietly eating in a bliss you could almost hear. I went back late and had the patio to myself. The pizza was as I had perceived knock out of the park, charred crust, yet chewy, generously draped in prosciutto, bright simple tomato sauce, and my mouth coated in quality olive oil with a hint of spice. My pizza cost 28 after tax and tip but is technically shareable if you're on a budget. Hearty waitresses speak Italian, go.

I used to live near San Matteo but I didn't visit too often, as I prefer the newer location. The pizza tastes good, but being Neopolitan-style, the crust is sometimes floppy. I need less flop.

That was the best pizza i have had The crust was hust perfect the pizza and the antipasti were perfect

Don't recommend. Had my pizza delivered and it arrived frozen and not edible. It looks like someone vomited this from their mouth. Never again!

AMAZING pizza and atmosphere. I recommend the "Cacio e pepe" pizza (pictured). I come here about 4 times a week after work, since I work late. I eat a pizza (yes, a whole one), drink a beer, then finish with a cappuccino. The owners are a father and daughter team, and they could not be kinder people. The entire staff is so kind and talented as well. The pizza cooks at an amazing speed (1 minute!!) in their brick oven. This is a true NYC gem, not overrun by tourists, very local, has a good stream of business (especially takeaway/delivery since the pandemic started), and yet retains an original, sincere feel. I really could not recommend San Matteo enough.

I am Not saying this lightly. San Matteo Pizza has to be serving thee best pizza in NYC. Possibly on the east coast. Simple highl quality ingredients beautifuly cooked to perfection in seemingly magical coal oven. It's like I boarded a plain to Naples, but really I just took a bus to NYC. Highly recommended

The best pizza ever! Ask for a whole burrata on top It's an authentic Italian restaurant, focused on really good quality food. The staff is very welcoming and kind. The place is usually not packed and you can get a walk in table easily. Seems like one of those places people don't know much about, but serves the best pizza you can imagine. They also serve home made tiramisu. Extremely delicious

Fantastic pizza! It's a small quaint space complete with wood fire ovens. We love the Diablo Pizza but all dishes are fresh and make you feel like you're sitting in Italy. We used to live across the street and have since moved, but always hit San Mateo when we go back to NYC.

Ordered via Caviar and after an hour and a half called the restaurant for an update. The women who picked up the phone claimed they do not accept Caviar orders despite having just ordered from their location last Tuesday. I order from this location frequently and have the order history of 5+ orders documented on my app. She was incredibly rude and refused to connect me with the manager who I could hear her consulting in the background. My dasher was simultaneously texting me that the restaurant had him waiting outside in 25F weather for an hour for the order to be ready because they were busy. Completely unacceptable. They should be removed from Caviar if they cannot handle delivery orders and they drastically need to improve their customer service and treatment of delivery people.

The only reason it's 3/5 is because the gnocchi pasta was delicious and the food came out relatively quickly after ordering. Other than that, our server was not great. First, he didn't bring the complimentary bread before our food came out. And then once he took our order we did not hear from him again. A food runner dropped off our food and a busser cleaned up. Never once did our server ask if everything was alright or if we needed anything. I actually saw him leaving without telling us who would be taking care of us for the rest of the meal. We then waited over 40 minutes for the check, it wasn't until the same busser who had taken away our food was cleaning a table nearby and asked us if we needed anything that we were able to get the check to leave. I don't want to say that the entire restaurant has bad service because it did look like it was just our section with the same server (I heard nearby tables who were also flagging down other workers saying they had waited a long time for their food or checks). Overall, the food was good (except the pizza is a little too floppy for my taste but the crust was good) but our server was not.

Without a doubt, the best pizza in NYC. The crust and red or white sauce itself are 10/10. Even those that are not the biggest pizza fans all the sudden change their minds. If you have visitors from elsewhere, take them here, they will likely text you back once they leave to tell their friends. The food, the homie staff, the quaint decorations from Salerno, Italy, are just some of the highlights. Happy to stop by a couple of times a month, can't wait to go again. Love San Matteo .

I eat here any time I perform at the Comic Strip. The calzones, pizza and steaks are great. The staff is always a pleasant group to be around.

Inside is super pretty and staff was so very friendly. Felt like I didn't just walk off a busy NYC street. We got the mariconda pizza (very New York), crocche (very potato-y and bigger then I expected) and cannoli (great specimen!).

San Matteo makes my favorite pizza in Manhattan! The best crust and dough consistency (both crispy and fluffy) and super fresh and flavorful ingredients. Big fan of the Vestuti and Prosciutto e Bufala! They also make amazing cannoli :)