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Photo Cred: Babbo
“An exuberant celebration of the best Italian food, wine and lifestyle”. Sometimes when you read a restaurant’s description of itself, you’ll find that it’s a little over the top. Not in this case. Nobody, in our minds, does fine Italian dining in NYC better than Mario Batali’s Babbo Ristorante. Batali opened Babbo in 1998 with restauranteur Joe Bastianich (think TV’s Restaurant Startup and MasterChef). Together they created one the city’s highest caliber dining experiences.
To start, the wine list is superb. Now, actually being able to navigate such an extensive manual can be daunting, so we always enjoy interacting with any of their extremely knowledgeable (and delightfully engaging) Sommeliers. They’ll always steer you in the right direction – without judging you for not knowing the 300 Denominazione di Origine Controllatas regions in Italy. We know 293… SO CLOSE.
Once you sip down your silky Barolo, it’s on to the feast. All of the homemade pasta dishes are outstanding and they’re really what the restaurant is best known for. Our favorites include the Beef Cheek Ravioli, the Black Spaghetti with Rock Shrimp and Spicy Salami Calabrese, and the Linguine with Pancetta, Clams and Hot Chilis. Next, you can’t go wrong with the Fennel Dusted Sweetbreads or the Grilled Pork Chops for a main. When in Rome, make sure to enjoy your dessert too. The Olive Oil Cake is enchanting and best paired with a nice desert wine recommended by your new Sommelier friend.
GET THE: Beef Cheek Ravioli, Black Spaghetti with Rock Shrimp and Spicy Salami Cal-abrese, Linguine with Pancetta, Clams and Hot Chilis, Olive Oil Cake
