il Buco Alimentari & Vineria
“I love the food…have tried the crispy artichokes, gnocchi, ricotta, pasta cacio e pepe and with bottarga, short ribs for two, branzino.”
“Spaghetti bottarga, caccio pepe and busiate have the perfect al dente that you rarely find in generic Italian places, gnocchi have the right balancing layers of flavors.”
“Delicious meal (fried artichokes and gnocchi w/ mushrooms) and wine – a nice crisp white.”
il Buco Alimentari & Vineria
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Accepts Apple Pay: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
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Stunning meal, presentation and attention to detail. We had the wonderful honor to sit at the chef's table and view the kitchen for our evening. Maybe it was the power of the seats but we were treated like royalty.
To start, as we waited for our reservation time, we ordered some prosecco. Finally seated, we were drawn to a particular dish that they were able to direct our wine selection to complement that dish.
We ordered so much…the salsiccia, cacio e Pepe & Bronzino. We ended up with a Nero da'vola that was a great pair to the meal. We also got to try the lasagna, spinach & asparagus…all soooo good! For dessert, we ordered the olive oil cake & panna cotta. Both did not disappoint.
We were blown away and missed our time in Italy just a little bit more. Highly Recommend. Everything we had was on point.
Cin cin! Salute!
Of course I've known about il buco pretty much since I first moved to the city. But one, I'm not a huge fan of Italian restaurants in NY. Two, the reviews seem to be mixed. And then with the prices I'd rather spend the same amount for another type of cuisine other than Italian..
With all that said, I ended up here for dinner with my parents because they are my total opposite and they love Italian food like no other. In fact, they are regulars here. Thankfully I'm happy to report that my dining experience here exceeded my expectations.
First, let me say something about the decor and ambience. The restaurant interior is carefully curated to reflect this rustic, countryside atmosphere. There is a small market, if you will, at the front of the house. This set up lends to a rather confusing and cramped front and bar area during prime hours so do make a reservation for a table at the back. The service is a little harried but satisfactory.
Now the food.. Oh wow! Everything was so good it not only made up for the slight annoyance from having to wait in the aforementioned crowded bar/market area it also made me feel like the final bill was worth it. And that's saying quite a bit. We ordered the grilled octopus and beets salad to start with, followed by some gnocchi and of course my dad's favorite, the short ribs for two. Everything was excellent. The octopus was cooked just right and the beets salad perfectly complemented the heavier dishes that followed. The gnocchi was also delicious! My mom was happy to be able to try it as whenever they dine here the short ribs dominate their meal. That the menu says 'for two' is misleading. Really it's for at least 3 or even 4 people. With everything that we ordered we still left with leftovers. Granted, you'd savor the leftovers the next day as it is an incredible dish. Not merely for the gargantuan proportion but it's also a well prepared dish. The slow roasted meat is so tender and flavorful you almost can't stop eating more. And the combination with the Castelvetrano olives and shaved celery is quite interesting. It works and I completely understood why it was my dad's favorite. After this huge meal you'd think we'd barely be able to walk but we did have some room for dessert. But here is where their offerings were less than memorable. So my recommendations? Book ahead. Try and bring a group of 4 so you can order the short ribs and have room for other plates. And skip the dessert.
A fun, boisterous market slash restaurant. My Cacio e Pepe was the highlight of the night. Everything else paled in comparison. The basket of bread was dismal for $8. When I asked for more of the only good bread, our waitress declared they were "out of bread". We got the bottom of the barrel and still paid. Salads were ok. Pastas were homemade. The Cacio e Pepe was al dented, cheesy and toothsome. Incredible. The boar Raghu was overpowering. The anchovy pasta too mild. Our dessert was some crostata that seemed pulled out of a bakery bin and warmed up. It was in a word… sad. Great, good looking crowd but I like the original Il Buco a thousand times better.
Very cute place where they have a deli-style counter store in the front and some tall tables and a dining room in the back. We came here for a late lunch, so it was pretty empty.
Service is friendly and the server asked if we wanted bread. Obviously we said yes, but be aware they'll charge $1/person for it, which I find tacky.
Dishes were small portion, just like primi dishes in Italy, and had good flavors. But, as many others mention here, their Cacio e Pepe too undercooked and not even al dente. The chef does not check the noodles or they don't know how long to cook their noodles?
For the portions you get, dishes are very pricey. Not sure if we'll choose to go back.
The Easter Dinner special was a bust. Having been to Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria several times in the past, I was expecting better. Lamb was awful — tough, overcooked and fatty. The Blood Orange starter was pathetic. Other dishes were also disappointing. Still, I have to think that if you ate from the regular menu — as the rest of my party did — you would have done better.
My husband loves their branzino here…he says it's the best he's ever had. They filet it, which is nice and rare. I had the ricotta gnudi and did not like it AT ALL. Also, please don't be so petty as to charge me for bread, particularly at an upstandable place… so, so petty. Overpriced and just eh in my opinion. DO get the fried artichokes.
While on a quick trip to NYC, this was a last minute reservation for us. We found it on the trusty YELP app and were quick to book on Open Table and had no trouble. This place is really easy to get to and was close to the venue we were going to next, so it was a perfect spot. The interior of this restaurant is adorable. It is so cozy and makes you really feel like you are in someones home. It is dimly lit with touches of Italy all around. When we were seated our server immediately came to greet us and got us started with some amazing wine. We ordered the artichoke appetizer and it arrived hot and amazing. We ordered a few dishes off of the menu including the short ribs (which is made for two) and the tortellini. I have never had homemade pasta before and I doubt I will ever be able to eat regular pasta again! The pasta was amazing and the broth it comes in is just phenomenal.
The short rib literally falls off the bone. We loved it so much that we carried it on the plan with us the next day home so none was wasted! For desert we had the salted carmel gelato and it was the perfect cap off of the evening. One really amazing thing about this restaurant is you can use your apple pay to pay through the Open Table app. I thought that was really progressive and something more restaurants should take advantage of! We were able to pay as soon as we were done, and not have to wait for anyone to take the card and return with it. It just makes it easier for everyone involved! Especially if you are in a hurry! If you are in this area of NYC I really cant say enough amazing things about Il Buco!
This review is only for their brunch. I loved the ambiance here and the service was great, but the portions are too small for dishes that were $18 each. I got the famed porchetta sandwich and my boyfriend got the sausage sandwich, but he was still hungry at the end. The coffee was also $4! Thankfully it came in big mugs and refills were free. That being said, the porchetta was delicious and actually pretty filling. The small "salad" on the side was good, but I would have liked some potatoes or something else on the side.
I loved the light from the skylight and airy feel to the dining area. The high ceilings and open kitchen were wonderful. There are two long communal tables and one row of seats, where we were, against the wall. When we arrived, the two communal tables were basically empty, yet we were seated next to a party of four, at a four person table, and another couple was then seated at our same table. I know restaurants have specific ways of seating people, but I hate it when they squish everyone together when the rest of the restaurant is completely empty. They also have a few tables in the cafe/market area in the front, and I wouldn't have minded sitting there. Oh well.
I enjoyed our brunch but I'd rather go somewhere else and get more food for the same amount or less money. It's a nice little gem with a great atmosphere though. I loved that it wasn't crowded at all at 12 pm and we could hear ourselves speak. I hate going to brunch and feeling like I need to dress up / wait 30 minutes for a table.