Giardino D’Oro
“Outstanding fresh food and service….always remember me even if it's been months…..a hidden gem in the Manhattan financial district.”
“Benny not only provided us with the best meal of our trip but also got us car service and recomended night life spots as well.”
“We live in FiDi and consider this our neighborhood go-to Italian restaurant.”
Giardino D’Oro
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
6 reviews
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I came here for a client lunch a month or two ago and it was good. That's right, just good. This is not a trendy place that tries to impress you with their new decor and fancy drinks. It's your typical run of the mill Italian restaurant that happens to be situated down in the Financial District. I enjoyed my meal and really cannot think of any complaints. This restaurant is no different than an Italian spot you would hit up in Long Island, North Jersey, Rockland or Westchester. It will satisfy your belly and that's all you really need to know.
Giardino D'Oro is more of a downtown Wall street type men-heavy dining spot. My supervisor took me here for a fancy lunch. The entry way is shabby for some reason but the inside decor is far away from shabiness. It has dim lighting and tons of wait staff ready to serve. Each table is provided with a nice free appetizer of cheese, salami and warm bread basket.
I chose their Carbonara pasta for my lunch. It is nicely cooked. Pasta is cooked just right with the right texture and the heavy cream is not overwhelming.
I do reckon this is not a casual dining spot as you would feel slightly under-dressed. Yet. this is definitely a good place to bring clients or treat your employees.
Loved, loved, loved it! Went around 9:00 on a Friday night. Very light crowd. Loved the salami and cheese plate they give you when you sit down. Service was perfect. Portions were huge. Homemade pasta…we loved it!
Great service! Spacious environment. We had family in town for my husband's birthday. Finding a place to accommodate seating for a larger party can be a challenge but this place had nice large round tables which was great for conversation. We did not feel at all rushed.
Booking a reservation online through Yelp was easy and fast. Restaurant called and emailed me to confirm my reservation as requested since I made reservation before they opened.
I also made a note in the reservation about my husband's birthday and they were quick to accommodate and brought out desert for him with a candle.
It was also nice perk to have the cheese and meat, bread and olive pepper player complimentary.
The food was good, pasta was definitely homemade.
One complaint from the family was that the sauces were a bit watery on the spaghetti and gnocchi.
My mushroom soup was fantastic and is highly recommended if you like mushrooms.
And I enjoyed the vitello alla Mt Etna!
Not recommended for anyone under 40.
I came here for a celebratory lunch with coworkers. Food was good – but not good enough. Nothing was so interesting or complex that I couldn't have easily made it myself. If each dish were $10, my reaction would be different, but their pastas are all over $20. (And no, the pasta is not fresh-made.)
The scene is a little weird. If you like being REALLY waited on, with napkins folded into your lap and the whole shebang, then this place is for you. If you find being treated that way even mildly embarrassing, Giardino D'Oro is not your cuppa.
The whole place is exaggeratedly extravagant but not warm – like a bad screenwriter's version of what "romantic" should be, but lacking that pleasant vibe. There are chandeliers, flowers, and minimal lighting (even at noon). There's a stale cavern feel to the space. The waiter had a heavy Italian accent, which could be charming but in this setting was a little suspicious..
The one thing to which I had a "better than neutral" reaction was the fun appetizer plate they bring to each table, with scorched peppers, sausage, and bread.
Food: Not memorable but no objections, 3 stars.
Price and weird atmosphere: 2 stars.
I'm rounding up. I would guess this restaurant is less depressing in the evening.
A good example of the genre: old school Italian restaurant with gruff but good service and hand-made pasta. All the standbys are good here; I assume you don't need me to list them. However, if they have cavatelli as a special (and maybe they have it all the time, I don't know) order it immediately. Perfect mouthfeel; chewy, but not too chewy, substantial. Maybe not quite as good as Frankie's Spuntino sausage sage masterpiece (in fact, you should go there right now) but very very good.