ZipPicks Awards
Best Date Night Italian in Harlem
Master Critic Review
Pastitalia
8.1
Pastitalia is a noodle-centric Italian cafe and pasta shop in a Lenox Avenue brownstone, run by the same Italian team behind Sottocasa. Couples use it for softer, earlier date nights built around fresh pasta, espresso, and aperitivo on a brick-and-ivy back patio.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lasagna al forno, Pasta alla norma, Sfogliatelle with espresso
Scores:
Value: 7.2
Service: 8
Consistency: 8.1
Food Quality: 8.7
Atmosphere: 8.2
Cultural Relevance: 6.5
What makes it special: Fresh housemade pastas, Italian coffee, and a surprisingly intimate backyard patio that feels more like a home than a restaurant.
Who should go: Duos who like low-key, earlier-in-the-evening Italian dates.
When to visit: Late afternoon into early evening for aperitivo that becomes dinner.
What to order: Pasta alla norma, lasagna, a sfogliatella with espresso or a spritz.
Insider tip: Plan a lighter pasta order and use the patio as an aperitivo stop before a show at the Apollo or another Lenox Avenue bar.