Best Italian Restaurants in Lower East Side
12 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Una Pizza Napoletana
World-class Neapolitan pies made by a single, obsessive pizzaiolo.
Essential Picks
9
Una Pizza Napoletana is Anthony Mangieri’s obsessively focused Neapolitan pizzeria, where a short menu of wood-fired pies and gelato draws serious pizza fans from around the world. The Lower East Side room is minimalist but warm, and the combination of long ferments, limited reservations, and global accolades makes each pie feel like an event.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita pizza, Marinara pizza, Bianca pizza
What Makes it Special: World-class Neapolitan pies made by a single, obsessive pizzaiolo.
Notable Picks
#2
Dirt Candy
8.9
Dirt Candy is Amanda Cohen’s Michelin-starred vegetable tasting-menu restaurant, where seasonal dishes like asparagus lasagna reimagine pasta through a high-end, all-veg lens in a sleek Allen Street dining room. Open since 2008 and now firmly a Lower East Side institution, it’s the most upscale, reservation-only way to experience lasagna-inspired flavors in ZIP 10002.
Must-Try Dishes:
Asparagus lasagna from the seasonal tasting menu, Carrot pizza bite from the tasting progression, Potato sundae dessert
What Makes it Special: Michelin-starred vegetable tasting menu where dishes like asparagus lasagna show how far plant-based cooking can go.
8.8
Scarr’s is a Lower East Side slice shop with old-school looks and new-school craft, milling some of its own flour and topping pies with carefully sourced ingredients. Lines move steadily for classic rounds, Sicilian squares, and a small menu of sides that make it a destination for both locals and pizza pilgrims.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pepperoni slice, Sicilian square slice, Vegan Caesar salad
What Makes it Special: Slice-shop nostalgia backed by serious grain and ingredient work.
#4
Trapizzino
8.4
Trapizzino brings Stefano Callegari’s Roman pizza pockets to the corner of Orchard and Rivington, stuffing warm wedges of pizza bianca with long-simmered classics like chicken cacciatore and eggplant parm. A compact wine bar, spritzes, and small plates make it as useful for aperitivo dates as for a quick, affordable Italian snack.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pollo alla cacciatora trapizzino, Oxtail ragu trapizzino, Eggplant parmigiana trapizzino
What Makes it Special: Roman pizza pockets filled with slow-cooked Italian stews and paired with wine.
#5
Forsythia
8.3
Forsythia is a modern Italian spot where handmade pastas and seasonal small plates lean creative without losing comfort. The tight, softly lit dining room and bar make it ideal for dates or a focused dinner built around a couple of pastas and a bottle of wine.
Must-Try Dishes:
Seasonal stuffed cappellacci, Cacio e pepe-style tonnarelli, Short rib ragu pasta
What Makes it Special: Creative, pasta-driven Italian cooking in an intimate, chef-focused space.
#6
Fossetta
8.2
Fossetta is an intimate Lower East Side Italian spot from chefs Charlene Santiago and Josh Even, where a rich lasagna Bolognese with béchamel and mozzarella anchors a compact, pasta-driven menu. Warm lighting, closely set tables, and a neighborhood crowd make it feel like a downtown dinner party rather than a big-night-out production.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lasagna Bolognese with béchamel and mozzarella, Tagliatelle al ragù, Burrata with seasonal toppings
What Makes it Special: Compact chef-driven Italian spot where a classic lasagna anchors a focused pasta menu.
8
Vibes:
Quick Bites Champions
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Hidden Gems Heaven
Pasta Lab NYC on Orchard Street operates like a fresh-pasta workshop, turning out trays of vegetarian lasagna and rotating shapes to eat at the small counter or take home. The focus is on texture and sauces rather than ceremony, making its lasagna feel more like a specialty from a neighborhood laboratorio than a sit-down red-sauce joint.
Must-Try Dishes:
Vegetarian lasagna with layered seasonal vegetables, Fresh tagliatelle with pistachio pesto, Take-home lasagna tray for two to three people
What Makes it Special: Fresh-pasta workshop where lasagna and sauces change with availability and season.
#8
Tre
8
Tre is a cozy Ludlow Street trattoria with sidewalk seating, a compact bar, and a menu of approachable pastas, salads, and mains. It’s an easy choice for low-stress Italian date nights or small groups who want wine, outdoor tables in good weather, and familiar flavors done well.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spaghetti carbonara, Rigatoni alla vodka, Chicken Milanese
What Makes it Special: Relaxed Ludlow Street trattoria with sidewalk tables and classic pastas.
Worthy Picks
7.9
Vibes:
Group Dining Gatherings
Birthday & Celebration Central
Happy Hour Hotspots
Trendy Table Hotspots
Ainslie Bowery is a sprawling Bowery bar-restaurant where wood-fired pizzas and a hearty house-made beef-and-veal lasagna share the table with cocktails and big-group energy. It’s more boisterous beer-and-wine hall than quiet trattoria, but still turns out a satisfying red-sauce lasagna for nights when you want both a scene and serious pasta.
Must-Try Dishes:
House-Made Lasagna with beef and veal ragù, Wood-fired Margherita pizza, Cacio e pepe
What Makes it Special: Large-format Bowery hangout pairing wood-fired pies and rich lasagna with a lively bar.
7.8
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Hidden Gems Heaven
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Spaghetti Incident is a narrow, casual pasta counter that serves saucy spaghetti and other shapes in paper cones and bowls for eating on the go or at a few tight seats. It’s more playful than formal, making it a go-to for quick Italian comfort before a night out nearby.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spaghetti carbonara, Spaghetti alla bolognese, Pesto spaghetti cone
What Makes it Special: Cone-served spaghetti and pastas that turn a sit-down dish into street-friendly comfort.
#11
Nonna's Table
7.7
Vibes:
Comfort Food Classics
Family Friendly Favorites
Group Dining Gatherings
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Nonna's Table is a delivery-first Italian kitchen operating out of Delancey Street, sending out hefty pans of meat lasagna, cutlet parms, and sauced pastas built for cozy nights in. It trades dining-room atmosphere for reliable portions, making it a go-to when you want classic, no-frills lasagna dropped at your door.
Must-Try Dishes:
Nonna-style meat lasagna, Chicken Parmigiana with marinara, Rigatoni alla vodka
What Makes it Special: Delivery-focused Italian comfort food with lasagna pans built for sharing.
#12
9Layers
7.5
9Layers runs a compact Stanton Street operation devoted to lasagna trays, offering four-cheese and beef ragù pans sized for weeknight dinners or parties. It feels more like a specialty commissary than a restaurant, but the focused menu and friendly pricing make it a clever way to keep lasagna in the fridge for easy reheats.
Must-Try Dishes:
Four-cheese lasagna tray, Beef ragù lasagna tray, Pistachio tiramisu
What Makes it Special: Lasagna-only operation selling ready-to-bake trays sized for sharing.