Lets cut to the chase, Locanda Verde is quite probably the best Italian restaurant in Manhattan, which is saying something when considering Little Italy is well within walking distance. However, if you didn’t already know, this particular spot is attached to The Greenwich Hotel, Robert De Niro’s place, and that guy has a fair bit of history when it comes to making waves in Tribeca. So if you happen to be in the Big Apple for Thanksgiving, we recommend you hot foot it to this hot spot.
Whether you’re after a hearty breakfast following a big night in Brooklyn or a catch-up brunch with friends, Locanda Verde delivers some genuinely innovative dishes that rarely stray from their traditional Italian roots.
Décor
A classic cool that you would expect from the most expensive zip code in New York, Locanda Verde is all exposed brick and black matt rustic fittings. The menu may say ‘food like mamma used to make’ but the interior design says ‘four page spread in Monocle‘. Shelves are stacked with vintage books while pots and pans hang form the wall. Finally, our favourite aspect of the interior has to be the abstract expressionist paintings which hang from the walls – all originals from their famous patron’s father, the painter Robert De Niro, Snr.
Ambience
Whether you’re in early for breakfast, or Saturday brunch or just enjoying a few drinks at the bar, the atmosphere here crackles with chatter. Generally packed to the rafters it’s one of the few places in Manhattan where we’ve seen people look genuinely happy to be in a queue.
Food
Traditional Italian may be the theme, but there are some great contemporary twists in chef Andrew Carmellini’s menu. There’s a great emphasis on organic produce and it’s also worth remembering that brunch in New York is not brunch in Dubai. On this menu you’ll find oatmeal alongside scampi and grits, poached eggs alongside fire roasted garlic chicken. From our Saturday afternoon visit we can tell you two things for certain, the cold meat platter – served on a wooden chopping board – is a great example of what a meat plate should really be, and the steak tartar here is, without doubt, the most juicy, well seasoned and flavoursome version of that dish quite possibly anywhere in the world – seriously, it’s that good.
Why bother?
You’re in New York, brunch is what they do and if you’re going to try it anywhere, it really should be here.
Go for
A great atmosphere, stylish surrounding – with an added bit of Hollywood A-list glam – and above all else, that steak tartar.
The Details
377 Greenwich St (corner of N.Moore and Greenwich)
New York, NY 10013
