Italian Christmas in NYC

November 8, 2015 1:31 PM

Where should we have Christmas dinner in Manhattan?

I'll be in Manhattan (staying in Times Square - yeah I know - but nearish to Midtown would be good) with my family on Christmas, and we're looking for somewhere to have dinner; I've been looking at Yelp and Open Table but there are just so many choices and I have no idea, so I figured I'd query the hivemind.

1. They want Italian food, but not, like, fancy Italian food - my sister will basically want spaghetti; no one is going to eat anything exotic, so a place with really fancy cuts of meat or interesting seafood (or whatever) is going to be wasted on us.

2. Price range: I don't really know what to expect, but uh, Midwest-expensive? $15-$30 (pasta/chicken) entrees?

3. Atmosphere is important. I'd love a place that feels warm and cozy and nice, though not so much so that there is a dress code. We've never done a restaurant Christmas dinner and I don't want people to have a conniption because the restaurant isn't sufficiently legit.

4. Takes reservations; is likely to still have reservations available.

5. I realize that these requirements might suggest Buca di Beppo but please don't D:

Thanks all!

posted by goodbyewaffles to Food & Drink (10 answers total)

I haven't lived in NYC for a while now, but I used to love Tony's DiNapoli, which is close to Times Square. They do big family-style dishes, which may or may not suit your needs.
posted by sueinnyc at 1:45 PM on November 8, 2015

The Italian restaurant inside Macy's (Herald Square), Stella Trattoria, is actually pretty good.
posted by sweetkid at 1:51 PM on November 8, 2015

I have no idea if they take reservations or are open on Christmas, and it's a little out of the way from Times Square, but John's of 12th Street fits all your other requirements. No dress code, the food is definitely classic/non-fancy, and it's super atmospheric and cozy. It's one of those "this is a New York institution" type places that have been around forever, and for novelty factor they have this candle that's been lit in the same place since Prohibition so now it's just a mountain of wax? I don't know, but your family may get a kick out of it.
posted by cpatterson at 1:53 PM on November 8, 2015 [1 favorite]

Hearth? It's not totally simple but it hits all your buttons for cozy classic Italian tho not ital-am. Nothing weird on the menu at all.
posted by JPD at 1:54 PM on November 8, 2015

I went to the Cornelia Street Cafe in Greenwich Village several Christmases ago. It has a few Italian dishes.
posted by brujita at 2:49 PM on November 8, 2015

Patsy's on 56th (between 7th and 8th) was a Christmas favorite in my family.
posted by maggiemaggie at 2:58 PM on November 8, 2015

I was going to recommend Cornelia St. Cafe, too. I did New Year's Eve there once and it was very enjoyable.
posted by cleroy at 3:26 PM on November 8, 2015

No idea if it's open for Christmas, but my favorite Italian restaurant of this sort in the city is Piccolo Angolo in the West Village - a pretty quick subway ride from Times Square. It checks all your other requirements re type of Italian and cost, and is truly a good New York neighborhood restaurant that all my midwestern friends love - not just a place that is acceptable. May be worth looking into it.
posted by slide at 3:43 PM on November 8, 2015

I like the all-you-can-eat pasta at Becco on 46th street.
posted by cazoo at 6:46 PM on November 8, 2015

Carmine's on 44th is solid. Family-style and noisy, and not far from Times Square.

Better would be to go to Little Italy before it evaporates entirely. I had a great fun Christmas dinner at La Mela on Mulberry St. once -- it's pricier than Carmine's but still has family-style options in your range.
posted by miles per flower at 1:58 PM on November 9, 2015