Daphne's — Restaurant in New York

Where do I begin? I have been to Daphne’s twice and both times gave such a lovely dining experience. I usually hesitate going to Italian restaurants (I am Italian), and Daphne’s hit on Every. Single. Level. Both times !!!

The atmosphere at Daphne’s is perfect: unpretentious, comfortable, and CUTE!

The service (although i’ve had the same incredible server twice, shouout Leslie) is amazing, knowledgeable about questions, gives their input, KNOWS the drink and food menu. Their wine list is very good and have not had a bad glass here with either meal.

Every dish i’ve ordered and ate at Daphne’s has been incredible, and one special thing to note is that the menu changes quite often. The small additions/changes made gives you the choice to try something new or to stick with something you’ve had previously.

Some menu highlights are BOTH salads. The Caesar is great but the white bean salad really hit for me. The arancini were tasty (wish they gave 4 instead of 3), and the crudo was a lovely nice antipasti.

The pasta they make is absolutely incredible, perfectly cooked each time and you can taste the homemade difference. The rabbit ragu, which I had both times I went, is a must try. Pictured below is the campanelle, which was super tasty, a pesto that doesn’t overpower the ingredients within the pasta.

For the secondi I have tried the berkshire porkchop and a seasonal addition which was the catechino (sausage served over black lentils, pictured). The Berkshire porkchop was expertly cooked and so very tasty, would order it again. The Catechino was great as well. I was dining with my friend from Italy who is from the region where catechino is usually eaten over new years and he cosigns how great Daphne’s rendition is !!!

Overall I would recommend Daphne’s to anyone. Lovely place, great atmosphere, and the biggest standout for me is the PORTIONS! You do not leave this place hungry and are guaranteed...

Top line: This place has potential but needs serious work.

Went here recently with 3 friends, we had the focaccia, tuna and calamari for the appetizer. All good, verging on great, though the bread portion of all things was sparse. Were a table of 4, is it really that big of a deal to give us 4 pieces of bread instead of 3?

Entrees we split family style, the squid ink pasta and the duck ravioli (the daily special) were great, the seabass had potential but the fish was honestly kind of tough. The pork Milanese was the worst thing I've eaten at a restaurant of this price point ever, bar none. It was tough, fast food adjacent texture wise and impossibly salty. Breading, overly salty, vegetables also super salty. If had ordered this just for myself I would've immediately sent it back. That aside, I see the vision, them menu is like Portugese/Med. food with a lot of New American elements.

Space wise, whom ever did the design and buildout of the space was clearly cut rate, space seems actually unfinished with sparse adhoc pictures being the sole decor. The real gripe is with the AC situation, which in the NYC summer is a very valid consideration. All the units are on one side of the space and have little coverage, why am I sweating like a hog in here at 9 something PM and then I go to a packed bar and it is hugely more comfortable?

Service was perfectly nice and attentive for the most part but unfortunately it took us 15 minutes to close our check and that was only after we flagged down the host.

All in all, I'd recommend you wait till they iron out kinks, especially at the $350 - $400 for a table of four...

Not a food critic, but absolutely love good food! When exploring new places, it's a welcomed surprise to taste unique flavors that you've never had before; this was my experience at Daphne's. In a space that was once a corner deli, Daphne's is a welcomed spot to the area. After a few cocktails at the nearby bar, I needed some food, so I popped in for a quick nosh and sat at the bar. The bartender, Conrad, was welcoming, friendly and well versed in the amaro & spirits. Since I had just had 3 cocktails, I skipped having a drink, but will try a few next time! I ordered the Radiatore, a punchy, heat smacking dish with hazelnut and mustard greens. The plate was a generous serving. I was hungry so I finished it off, but some would be fine with even half the amount. I wanted to end my meal with something sweet, so I ordered what the bartender and server recommended--the parfait. I honestly don't think I've had a proper parfait, so I have nothing to compare this to, but Daphne's parfait was divine and the flavors were unique. Loved the drizzled mint oil. The parfait was one of the tastier things I've put inside my mouth. Devoured it! Daphne's was the perfect place for a quick nosh on a Sunday night. It's a low key spot with good food, friendly staff, and close to home! Looking forward to...