Don Peppe’s
Don Peppe’s
Take-out: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
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We were staying at the nearby JFK Marriot Courtyard and craving Italian. Using our handy dandy Yelp guide, we spied this place a few miles away.
Upon entering, at an early 5pm, and the place is mostly empty – but I must admit it was not what we expected. No red and white checked table cloths. No ornate old world paintings hanging on the wall. No chandeliers or sconce lighting.
Drop ceiling. One big room. Black and white. Nothing but photos of horses and jockeys on the walls. A group of six men sitting at a table playing cards. A waiter is watching the races at Belmont on a small TV in the entrance. We suspect this is a scene from Good Fellas.
One of the men at the card table looks up (turns out this is the owners son and current man in charge) and calls out "sit anywhere!"
There are only two other men sitting at a table along the side wall. One is large and white, the other short and dark skinned. Turns out the shorter gentleman is the famous Edgar Prado (won more than 500 races in 1997). Apparently this is a real horse loving group.
There is one menu – on a chalkboard at the rear of the room. It offers a handful of appetizers, pasta, shrimp, chicken or veal in one of a variety of sauces, or steak. Short and Simple. Prices are high-ish per dish but we guess this is a family style big portion deal (we are correct).
Our waiter, terrific all the way, offers to snap a photo and bring it back. We think our best strategy is to ask his opinion – "what should we have?" This turns out to be a good strategy.
We ask for the wine list. He comes back with four bottles. We can also do carafes of house wine or an Amarone in the back for $100. We go with a Nero D'Avola from Sicily.
Back to our tour guide/waiter – He suggests the zuppa di clams as a starter, and veal in pizzaiolo Sauce (not on menu). We go with it…
The clams were absofreakinlutkey outstanding. We dunked away every last drop. A nice bottle of red paired perfectly.
Then came the tenderest of veal lovingly covered in deliciousness. We hit food heaven somewhere in the middle of this dish.
The service was excellent, the food outstanding, the experience priceless. Don't miss this if you are nearby.
5 STARS!
My friends were raving about this place, claiming it was, "the best italian food ever." I had my doubts, but Don Peppe completely exceeded my expectations. This place gives off an old school italian vibe. The food here is amazing. Everything is served family style, which I love because I can eat a little bit (or a lot) of everything.
The baked clams are the best! You must get them! They are cooked perfectly. The clams are tender and the bread crumbs are toasty. I usually get two orders for the table when I visit. After you devour the clams be sure to dip your bread in the sauce. The mussels are really good as well! They give a pretty big portion for one order.
As for the pasta, the linguine in white clam sauce is delicious! It's exactly how it should taste. The pasta is cooked perfectly al dente. There are nice chunks of big chunks of clam and lots of garlic. The sauce is buttery a buttery bliss.
My favorite pasta dish here is the Shrimp Luciano. I can't rave enough about this dish. The sauce consists of onions simmered in a buttery sauce cooked to perfection and then topped with tender shrimp!
The Veal/Chicken Parm, Veal Don Peppe, and Chicken Marsala were all good as well. You basically can't go wrong with anything you order here. However, if you're currently in love with other Italian restaurants be prepared to fall out of love because Don Peppe will cast a shadow on them. After eating here, I compare everything to this place and nothing else has won me over. There's nothing wrong with high standards though. Enjoy 🙂
As far as Queens Italian eateries go, Don Peppe's (aka Don Peps) is as good as it gets.
The first time I went to Don Peppe was on my 16th birthday. My best friend was dating one of the waiters and he comped us the meal. After that first meal, I was sold!
Many moons later, my family and I still come to this Queens Italian staple when we want a taste of the (Americanized) old country! Some of our favorites:
– Stuffed Artichoke – terrific
– Special Salad – with cheese and salami – tasty
– Baked clams – good if a bit overcooked
– Spaghetti with garlic and oil – top notch
– Filet de Pomodoro – tomato sauce with prosciutto and tomatoes over rigatoni – delicious
– Filet of Sole – with lemon and breadcrumbs – delish
– Veal Parmigiana – I don't eat veal but the family enjoys
– Broccoli with garlic and oil – delicious and black around the edges
– Cannoli – delicious with chocolate chips
– Red Wine – very good and homemade
– Cappuccino – very good
The service is very good but relaxed. Don't come here and except to be in and out in 90 minutes. The courses are spaced fairly far apart. The wait staff treats you like family – especially Benny. He is a joy!
We will always come back to Don Peps.
The reviews on the linguine in clam sauce are so on point because this dish is a MUST when you go here! The clams are fresh with the white sauce lacing all over the pasta, which is bombarded with whole garlic cloves…which is never a bad thing. The attentive waiter made my first experience more pleasing and cannot wait to come back to satisfy my linguine in clam sauce craving!
Really fun dinner here earlier this week. This is the place you imagined Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci coming to after ripping off Idlewild Airport. Regardless the food here was very tasty. From the baked clams to the shrimp Luciano and linguine w clams. Topped off by the phenomenal Chinese Chicken. Even the veal Marsala was good. Simple yet soft enough to cut with a spoon. And, of course, all the dishes needed the obligatory bread dippage as the sauces were just too good to not carb load with. This and a few bottles of red wine with some work buddies made for a quintessential New York experience. Only gripe is it's definitely a little pricey for what it is, but still would come back, no doubt!
Baked clams were awesome. The kiddos liked the chicken parm (it was enough to share between them, even without pasta) and the shrimp luciano with angel hair was amazing. House red was good, on the dry side, and they make it in house. It's family style dining AND it's a large dining room. Be ready to feel like you're sitting at a huge Italian family dinner. It's great!
Family style Italian restaurant made famous by the mafia. The food is still as good as it was in the 80's. Order more than you need and take it home you won't be disappointed
This is one of the best old world Italian restaurants. The linguini and clam sauce is amazing. It is family style and only took cash when I went.