River Deli
“I will absolutely be back to grab lunch, brunch and drinks here next time, especially in the summer time.”
“Great restaurant – very quaint and romantic, very Euro, excellent service, but beware – CASH ONLY!”
“I LOVED the Pappardelle Ai Funghi ($12)…and though the portions were quite decent, I could have eaten three bowls of this pasta dish!”
River Deli
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
Rate and write a review Cancel reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
I would give this place five stars for the atmosphere, but four for the food. The food is great. I love real Italian food because it is very fresh and not as heavy as Americanized Italian food. This place has great pasta. My friends and I love their pesto with tuna. They also have a papardelle with mushrooms and parmesan – so good! I also love their cured meats and cheese plate. They have good specials. We always order dessert – their tiramisu is delicious!
The atmosphere is so great. It is a small restaurant but in an amazing location in Brooklyn Heights. I love the way they decorated the place. They have beautiful plates, glasses, etc. The service is good. I thoroughly enjoy going to this restaurant every time.
Came here sometime in May. I posted a review but apparently it was taken down due to "guidelines"
Pissed off, annoyed patron came here with friends plus a baby. Mind you we strolled in around 4pm on a Saturday. Wanted to grab a few beers and then go off to venture. But we were turned down because apparently the waitress whom kept holding her dumb book kept telling us she was fully booked for the evening. I personally think she didn't want to sit us because we had an infant with us. Prior to that she was just super uber uptight let's say…
Let's be realistic here. It's 4pm and it was DEAD. Dinner doesn't start until what 5pm – 6pm? I use to work in the restaurant industry. We know how it is when patrons come in with an infant.
I SERIOUSLY THINK TWICE ABOUT THIS PLACE ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE AN INFANT W/ YOU. THIS PLACE MUST BE ANTI-INFANT RACISTS OR SOMETHING.
** Cash Only **
Located right outside of smorgasburg, my friend and I walked in for a casual Sunday dinner.
Venue: (3/5) located on a corner easily accessible by people in the neighborhood or visiting Smorgasburg. Cute, rustic, and casual Good for smaller groups or casual dates.
Food: Overall (2/5) nothing here that stood out and the pricing is high for the food we received.
Burratta (3/5) – simple Burratta but smaller in size
Steak (2/5) – not quality steak and tougher with veins. I'd skip this.
Spinich Salad (1/5) this was recommended as the best. Imagine spinach from a bag mixed with olive oil and vinegar and thin slices of apple. That's it.
Service: (3/5) Nothing spectacular or bad.
I spend a lot of time in Brooklyn Bridge Park, and I have literally walked by River Deli hundreds of times. So I don't understand why it's taken us so long to actually step inside, because it's easily one of the most inviting atmospheres in the neighborhood.
The tables in the window are downright picturesque as the sun is setting, and it only gets better after the candles are lit. Best of all (and shockingly for Brooklyn Heights and such a beautiful spot), the food is very affordable.
It didn't blow any minds at our table, but the lasagna was substantial and tasty enough at $13, and the burrata was burrata (read: creamy and delicious). The mushroom pappardelle was a bit too dry, but it all washes down well with a bottle of wine and/or a Boulevardier.
Take a date here, and rejoice that you can have a romantic dinner in Brooklyn (including alcohol) for well under $100. Especially since it's cash only.
CASH ONLY, FOLKS!
It's a very small Italian restaurant that functions as the perfect spot for an intimate lunch or dinner. During the day, River Deli also functions as a cute cafe to grab an espresso or cappuccino. As the sun sets, it also becomes a cute joint to enjoy a glass of wine/well drink overlooking the quaint neighborhood that is Brooklyn Heights.
It is also a couple of blocks away from the Brooklyn Bridge Park (close to Pier 5) so before or after enjoying a nice meal at River Deli, you can take a stroll over to the East River with a date or friends.
As soon as you walk in, you'll feel like you've been dropped into a small town in Europe, with its wooden infrastructure and Parisian-like ambiance, rustic and muted decor, alongside a faint musical drone in the background.
And even with the small staff and wide range of drinks and food items, it is so well-managed and clean.
I went for Sunday brunch at around 2PM- so what my boyfriend and I thought to be an appropriate time to enjoy brunch, some people deemed it was time for a nice glass of wine and a plateful of carbonara pasta and brushetta appetizer. There was another table of four, who were enjoying espressos and talking about daily life shenanigans. I think that paints a perfect picture depicting at how attentive and accommodating they are to each parties' needs.
My boyfriend and I went with an order of steak and eggs to share. We ordered it medium rare, but it came out closer to the medium/medium well but the steak was a nice and juicy filet, so we did not ask them to take it back.
Service is impeccable, too.
Their prices are unbeatable too, for the home-cooked quality meals.
The only downside, which can also be an upside, is the restaurant's small size. They can fit up to about 15-20 people in the entire space, including the bar stools by the barista/bartender.
It's only a block or so away from Waterfront Park at Pier 5, and every time I come to enjoy the views at the park, I just cannot resist to stop at River Deli.
Small, casual, homey – it's a reflection of the neighborhood, as it always been…
It also carries its Italian heritage in decor and food, with map of Sardinia on the wall, small European tables, strong drinks and homemade dishes.
Long sitting bench is littered with soft pillows and very comfy. Huge bay window makes for an awesome people-watching.
Their drinks are strong – I tried both Boulevardier and Negroni on separate occasions, and they were excellent. Their bartender is a pro, what else can I say!
Waitress was super-excited about specials, and it was contagious – I HAD to try them. Thanks goodness I did!
Grilled portabello mushrooms with melted cheese, honey and olive oil on top of thin crips that closely resembled papadams, were so delicious, I was on cloud nine already (and I don't normally like cheese!).
Pumpkin ravioli with pancetta, onions, mushrooms and carrots that followed were just as delectable and truly homemade, with just right al dente bite to it.
Good coffee and great dessert menu. There were several desserts I wanted to try, but when I saw ricotta cheesecake – I was sold! I can never, ever resist ricotta cheesecake – I would lick that plate clean if I could – but *ahem* trying to be civil, I did pretty darn good job cleaning it all with a spoon.
Great place, great service, excellent food.
Solid and affordable brunch food. Got a table on a Sunday around 1pm with no wait. We split the stuffed zucchini and the pesto pasta (standout) Good vibe, great proximity to the Brooklyn Promenade. Quintessential Brooklyn brunch vibes. Cash only.
I returned for brunch this time around and found the River Deli to still be a three star establishment in the best possible way. Comforting & thoughtful homemade Italian food, but nothing outstanding or truly wow-ed me.