Jody Williams is a self-taught, James Beard Award-winning American chef and television personality. She is known for her successful New York City restaurants and her culinary partnership with fellow chef Rita Sodi.
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Small place, very minimal decor, simple, clean. We sat at bar. Good service. The asparagus salad was delicious. Bread service came with a charge and was OK, came out warm but tasted doughy and almost underbaked. The fried potato appetizer was flavorless and very dry. The cacio e Pepe pasta was very good and came out piping hot! My son did not care for the lasagna. He said it was dry and he didn’t like how the meat was. It felt very hit or miss. Overall, mid experience and higher price point, didn’t feel worth it.
Great atmosphere and definitely lived up to the hype overall. The fried artichokes were excellent — crispy, light, and probably my favorite thing we ordered. The lasagna was rich, comforting, and clearly made with high quality ingredients. The short ribs were tender and flavorful as well. Service was good and the vibe felt very classic NYC Italian.
Only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is that for the price and difficulty getting a reservation, I expected to be a little more blown away. Still absolutely worth trying and I’d definitely go back.
I really don’t get the hype around this place.
They don’t clearly present or document the specials at all - something places like Torrisi do exceptionally well, so you’re left guessing instead of feeling guided.
I was also told there was no red sauce pasta available, which was pretty disappointing for a restaurant like this.
We ended up ordering the lasagna, which was just average and far too heavy.
The spinach ravioli with Parmigiano sauce was good, but nothing memorable.
The service is where things really fell apart. The staff didn’t seem well-trained, and communication was inconsistent. It wasn’t even clear that the house bread was chargeable, they asked if we wanted it and we just nodded, and we later found out it was 5 bucks. The table next to us didn’t even order it and still received it, which made the whole thing feel even more unclear.
Even ordering dessert was frustrating. There was no menu—they just rattled off options—and we had to ask multiple times before we could actually order.
At one point, they changed a tablecloth nearby and sent dust flying straight into our food, which was pretty unacceptable.
That said, just when we thought the meal was a total miss, the panna cotta completely turned things around—it was genuinely outstanding and easily the highlight of the night.
A small, focused dining room with a clear point of view—and very strong pasta.
We ordered three dishes (pastas are in the ~$27–$30 range):
• CACIO E PEPE: balanced, pepper-forward, very well executed
• PAPPARDELLE AL LIMONE: lighter, clean, and structured
• TAGLIATELLE CAPRICCIOSA (without anchovies): roasted tomato, olives, and capers—layered and the most complex
We also had the INSALATA MISTA, which was fresh but fairly standard—not something particularly memorable.
A couple of details to be aware of: bread is $7 and served warm, but does not match the standard of the pasta. Even a small portion of balsamic is an additional $2 charge, which feels more transactional than expected at this level.
Drinks were fine. A bourbon Negroni and a zero-proof gin-based drink both worked, but remained secondary to the food.
Everything else is done with restraint and consistency. Chef Rita Sodi (also behind Via Carota) keeps the menu tight and focused, and it shows.
Reservations can be difficult—Notify helps. If you have access to Resy Global Dining Access, that can make it easier and sometimes offers added benefits.
Vegetarian-friendly with small adjustments.
I stopped by for dinner. Sat at the bar and had a lovely meal. I ordered Rucola e Castelmagno, the Pappardelle al Limone, the Coniglio in Porchetta, and a bottle of Cerasuolo di Abruzzo.
Rucola e Castelmagno: The salad was simple and fresh. Castelmagno is an Italian semi-hard, semi-fat blue cheese.
Pappardelle al Limone: Was phenomenal, the sauce was a perfect balance of parmesan, butter, and lemon. There is nothing better than a perfectly mantecato sauce paired with truly al dente pasta. I had to ask if there was cream in this dish, which there wasn't. It was that luscious. I appreciate the talent that it takes to emulsify a great sauce. I will dream about this plate.
Coniglio in Porchetta: Salty, not solely from the Rigatina, which is a Tuscan pancetta, that its wrapped in. It a generous portion that would serve best as a dish to share. IMO although, while it may break with Northern Italian tradition, the rabbit needs a gremolata or sauce.
Cerasuolo di Abruzzo: Lovely chilled red that was perfect for the hot weather. Lots of fresh berry flavor, pomegranate, and floral notes. A rose that's deep "cherry-red" in color.
Service was stellar. The atmosphere is great.
