If you’re looking for classic, timeless catering for your next event, Italian food is a great choice! We’ve compiled a list of the best restaurants catering Italian food in NYC, in no particular order, based on their Yelp reviews and the ratings of publications such as The Infatuation and Eater.
These restaurants are known for their pasta, pizzas, and great appetizers. Take a look at this list to help you choose the one that fits your needs, then compare catering prices to help you decide which one to choose for your next event!
With fresh pasta manufactured and crafted to perfection on-site, Forma Pasta Factory creates an authentic Italian taste right in their NYC kitchen. From their spaghetti pomodoro and gemelli pesto to their pappardelle bolognese made with fresh ground beef, they have perfected the basics. A highlight of their menu is chitarra with frutti di mare (shrimp, squid, mussels), Calabrian chili, and white wine sauce. If someone in your group needs gluten-free fare, they’ve got that covered, too, with their handmade gluten-free pasta.
This little gem offers a wide variety of dishes for any time of day. Their flaky baked goods are the perfect breakfast bite, while their sandwich assortment makes excellent light fare for the less formal events. Their main dishes include favorites such as fettuccine al porcini (egg pasta with porcini mushrooms, cream, and Parmigiano), cannelloni (fresh pasta with spinach, mozzarella, tomato sauce, and Parmigiano), milanese di pollo (juicy breaded chicken breast served with a rucola/arugula salad), and potato gnocchi with tomato and parmesan sauce.
If you’re wondering how they maintain their authentic taste—they import most of their ingredients straight from Italy!
Song E Napule exudes elegance in everything, from the plating to the succulent dishes themselves. Those with refined palates will enjoy their polpo alla griglia (grilled octopus with cannellini beans) and burrata. And, of course, anyone would enjoy the comfort foods they provide, like polpette al sugo (homemade meatballs with tomato sauce).
You might also want to try some of their appetizers, like their calamari alla griglia (grilled calamari with zucchini and eggplants) or insalata caprese (imported buffalo mozzarella with tomatoes, fresh basil, and extra virgin olive oil).
They also have mouth-watering pasta dishes, such as gnocchi sorrentina (homemade potato dumplings with tomato sauce, mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and basil). Their fine dessert selection includes cannoli imported from Italy.
4. Piccante
Piccante is just as it sounds: classic, classy Italian dishes crafted with care. They make their pasta by hand and cook their sauces long and slow to perfection. They accommodate gluten-free diets and provide whole wheat options. Their delectable appetizers include prosciutto e mozzarella, polenta, carne e formaggio (Italian cured meat with cheese), and, of course, fried calamari.
Their list of pasta dishes covers everything from vegetarian options to seafood and beef, ranging in flavor from savory to spicy. If pasta’s not what you’re looking for, check out their inventive list of risottos. Their dessert and wine menus surely won’t leave you disappointed, either!
If you’re looking for truly acclaimed Italian food, this may be the restaurant for you! They’ve been listed in Yelp’s “Top 100 Best Restaurants in NYC” and featured in publications such as the Time Out magazine. Their catering menu is long, and there’s something for everyone. You can grab some stuffed mushrooms for Grandma, and add some garlic bread for the kids.
Their catering specialty is chicken marsala or parmigiana covered in just the perfect amount of sauce and cheese. They also have salads, pasta, and a wide array of other classic dishes in their arsenal, some of which can be adapted to be gluten-free.
6. Carmenta’s
If you’re looking for some finger food or simpler Italian fare, Carmenta’s is probably the place for you. It’s hard to go wrong with their sandwiches, whether you go for Carmenta’s Italian combo, which includes mortadella, soppressata, Calabrian chili, mozzarella, and red onion, or their meatball parmesan sub, with house made mozzarella, grana padano, and San Marzano sauce.
If you’re looking to spice things up, you may want to add some spicy eggplant parmesan. Carmenta’s menu also includes a fine selection of comforting house made pasta dishes, such as mafalde with beef bolognese, featuring wine and tomato braised beef, chilis, and pecorino.
7. L’Artusi
Inspired by Pellegrino Artusi and his cookbook, The Science of Cookery and the Art of Eating Well, L’Artusi offers classic dishes creatively updated for the modern age. Over the years they’ve been featured in the Food and Wine Magazine, Forbes, The Infatuation, and other publications, all telling the same story: their food is amazing!
From their fine cocktail and wine selection to their delicious entrees—which include salmon with Meyer lemons, jalapeño, and horseradish, and the dayboat scallop with sea salt, olive oil, and lemon—L’Artusi’s food is sure to please the palates of all your guests! If you’re wanting something a bit meatier, try their espelette beef with rye crisps and horseradish crema.
8. Carbone
This 3-Michelin-star Italian-American gem has been featured in the Thrillist, New York Times, Time Out, and countless other publications. Its fame comes from its classic Italian-American dishes, which date back to New York City in the early 1900s. Enjoy their spicy rigatoni vodka their angel hair pasta offered aglio, olio, peperoncino (pressed garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes), their tortellini al ragu, or their delectable veal parmesan.
If you’re looking to surprise your guests with something a bit different, you may want to sample their duck maraschino or whole branzino.
Da Ciro is named after the chef Ciro Verdi, who brings to the table a long, rich culinary tradition from studying cooking in Italy. He is renowned for his pizza dishes, the focaccia robiola and the focaccia robiola deluxe. He has also crafted a great appetizer menu, ranging from calamari fritti and calamari alla griglia, to veal meatballs, to eggplant with mozzarella, ricotta, and goat cheese.
If you don’t care for appetizers, you can dive right in with his elegant assortment of pasta dishes, such as black linguini with calamari, shrimp, and scallops, or tortiglioni alla buttera (tubular pasta with peas and sausage in mascarpone and tomato). Gluten-free pasta is available on request. And if pasta is not your thing, Da Ciro has meat dishes too, such as strip steak or pork chops.
10. Evelina
Even the pickiest of your guests will be delighted with Evelina’s unique selection of appetizers, such as their plates filled with imported burrata, roasted figs, grilled asparagus, hazelnuts, and vin cotto. For the main dish, you may want to sample their tonnarelli with octopus, wild shrimp, Meyer lemons, parsley, charred tomato, chili, and bottarga, or their rigatoni with white pork bolognese, sage, and pecorino romano. They also have a great selection of cocktails, wine, and beer for your next special gathering.
If you saw something you liked, take the next step and compare Italian catering prices from great NYC restaurants!