Best Group Dining Italian Restaurants in Astoria (North)-Ditmars-Steinway
5 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
VIA VAI
Chef-owner Antonio Morichini brings Michelin-trained Roman cooking to a cozy Astoria dining room with house-made pasta and thin-crust pizza.
Notable Picks
#1
VIA VAI
8.6
VIA VAI is a chef-driven Roman Italian restaurant where house-made pasta, thin-crust brick-oven pizza, and a focused Italian wine list anchor a small, reservation-heavy dining room. It balances rustic warmth with polished execution, making it one of the most consistently praised Italian options in Ditmars-Steinway.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cacio e pepe pasta, Squid ink pasta, Margherita pizza
What Makes it Special: Chef-owner Antonio Morichini brings Michelin-trained Roman cooking to a cozy Astoria dining room with house-made pasta and thin-crust pizza.
Worthy Picks
7.9
Vibes:
Comfort Food Classics
Family Friendly Favorites
Group Dining Gatherings
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Alba's Pizza & Restaurant is a long-running Ditmars institution pairing big New York–style pies with a full Italian-American menu and a comfortable, neighborhood-dining feel. Portions are generous, prices sit in the middle range, and locals treat it as an all-purpose spot for family dinners, slice runs, and casual celebrations.
Must-Try Dishes:
Penne alla Vodka, Chicken Parm Hot Hero, Buffalo Chicken Pizza
What Makes it Special: Decades-old Ditmars pizzeria with a full red-sauce menu, big portions, and prices that still feel fair for the neighborhood.
7.9
Forno Siciliano is a Sicilian-focused restaurant on Ditmars where pizzas and housemade pastas sit beside a standout Lasagna alla Bolognese. Guests use it for relaxed, sit-down meals that feel more like a trattoria than a slice shop, especially when a baked pasta and a bottle of wine are the goal.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lasagna alla Bolognese, Stuffed Ravioli, Grilled Chicken with Hot Cherry Peppers
What Makes it Special: Sicilian-style kitchen where Lasagna alla Bolognese and other pastas headline a cozy dining room.
Bartolino's is a long-running Sicilian restaurant where old-school hospitality meets a big menu of pastas, chops, and seafood. It’s especially appealing for low-key dates that lean traditional, with many guests describing the experience as like eating in a friend’s dining room.
Must-Try Dishes:
Mussels Posillipo, Black linguine with shrimp, Chicken Scarpariello
What Makes it Special: Sicilian comfort cooking in a warm, family-style dining room.
#5
Nonnas 1977
7.5
Vibes:
Family Friendly Favorites
Comfort Food Classics
Group Dining Gatherings
Trendy Table Hotspots
Nonnas 1977 brings a decades-old square-slice tradition to 23rd Avenue, serving saucy pies, penne vodka, and classic parm platters in a casual, family-leaning setting. The Astoria outpost builds on the original 1977 recipe, giving local families another option for Italian comfort food that feels both nostalgic and new.
Must-Try Dishes:
Proud Mary Square Pizza, Penne Vodka, Chicken Parm
What Makes it Special: Square-slice specialists bringing a 1970s New York recipe to Astoria.