Fiaschetteria Pistoia — Restaurant in New York

We had high hopes for this restaurant, especially for me and my girlfriend to enjoy Italian wines and maybe a few bites. After checking the small menu, we decided to share a pasta dish alongside the bottle of wine, but we were told there was a minimum of one dish per person, in a non very comprehensive way, we then added a second dish, as no choice was given.

I selected a 2020 vintage wine, but when it arrived, the bottle was 2021. I only realized after taking a sip because the waiter never presented the bottle—he simply poured it, rushing through the process without a word really. Not exactly the kind of service you’d expect for a romantic evening. When I brought it up to another waiter, I got a simple “sorry” as a response, despite having chosen that specific year for a reason.

The pasta dishes themselves were tasty, but details mattered here too. The tomato-based pasta arrived with a single basil leaf, as a garnish more than a feat, and since both my girlfriend and I love basil, I politely asked if we could get a few more. We were basically told “no” without even checking with the kitchen—over a few extra leaves on a $22 dish..

Service continued in the same rushed manner. As soon as our plates were cleared, we were asked—twice—if we wanted dessert. I said I wanted to check the menu and enjoy my wine, finishing up the first bottle before going for a second. Yet shortly after, the waiter dropped the check on our table unprompted. I then asked about their closing time, very confused by the rushed bill.. Didn’t want to go for that second bottle anymore. I also mentioned my disappointment with the wine situation. Our waiter from that specific region just brushed it off, claiming 2020 and 2021 were “basically the same.” At least he offered us a shot of limoncello to “make it right”, which we appreciated.

What really sealed the experience was the way tipping was handled. I always tip in cash, but before I even had a chance, the waiter came back, pointing at the empty tip line on the receipt and bluntly asking, “Was something wrong with the service?” I had already voiced my concerns earlier, but this put me off completely. I ended up tipping less than I originally planned and left with a lingering bad taste—not from the food, but from an experience that got progressively worse as the night went on.

For the price point, I’ve come to expect far better in New York. The food was good, not great, but service and hospitality matter just as much, and here, they completely missed the mark. Not hard to find better...

The food is pretty simple but the quality of the ingredients are incredible. I ordered the tomato/basil soup to start. I'm sorry I didn't take a picture of it but it was absolutely delicious. Imagine a tomato soup that is completely reduced. There was literally no liquid sitting at the bottom. Almost like it was left of the stove for too long. But that was the idea and it worked extremely well. I enjoyed every single bite.

My girlfriend ordered the zucchini flan to start. She didn't really enjoy it too much but I thought it was good. This appeared to be one of the more complex dishes on the menu. This was a soft and creamy appetizer that melts in your mouth with a nice Parmesan flavor. The consistency/texture was similar to a quiche. Maybe only a little softer.

For my main dish, I chose the Cacio de Pepe. I've never tried it before mainly because I prefer other cuisines other than Italian and I haven't gotten around to trying it. I know at this point it's probably considered an overrated dish for some, but it was very tasty and creamy. Think of Pasta Alfredo only MUCH better and with handmade Spaghetti. This was also a very peppery dish (loaded with black pepper). I love black pepper but this may be too peppery for some of you non-pepper lovers.

My girlfriend tried the Tagliatelli Tartufo which was the homemade egg pasta with truffle. I definitely recommend this dish but only if you like a nice, strong truffle flavor. It was rich and creamy. I honestly would probably get this dish if I were to ever visit again.

For dessert, we shared the tirasmisu and the pannacotta. The tiramisu, which was served in a coffee much, was light and creamy. The pannacotta was my favorite. It was perfectly gelantized and served with a berry compote.

The service was good. The restaurant was very busy so the servers and bus boys were clearly rushing in and out (we sat in tent outside). It was a Friday night so I completely understand. The waiters were very nice.

The downside about this restaurant is that portion sizes are pretty small. If you are only going for entrees, you may find yourself 7th street burger afterwards. However after 3 courses and a few glasses of wine, and maybe 20 minutes, I felt pretty satisfied.

Overall, I rate this place a 7.5 out of 10. 2 appetizers, 2 mains, and 2 desserts + 1 bottle of Chianti + Tip came out to $111.5/person.

I'm not sure if I will go out of my way to come back here but it's a nice place for a date night for...

. Elderly in laws, me and my husband. We went to the east village location. Mother in law ordered picci cacio e peppe (Delicious. We think she won dinner.) Husband had the pasta ricci (sea urchin). Really wonderful, quite salty, of course! It was very oceany, in a good way. I had the osso bucco special. Everyone was very satisfied. Weirdly, for a Tuscan place, (Pistoia is in Tuscany), the bread was very salty, and the picci landed on that side, too. I found the osso bucco on the sweet side, because they braised it with a ton of carrots. I'm not sure what else could have been added to balance that out, so I'll leave my comment about it there. It was still delicious. And Giant! I was hungry, and I could have finished it if I hadn't eaten my share of the delicious buratta and tomato, and shaved baby artichoke salad appetizers. But no, I had to bring half of it home. I will say that I think their olive oil tasted weird: bitter, little character, no complexity...just...oily. Less than delicious. It was offered at the beginning, with bread and a salty, delicious cracker-thing. It was also generously drizzled over the salads. No one else said anything, so maybe it was just me, but if I bought it myself, I would probably not finish the bottle after a couple of tries. The freshly made pasta is perfect, silky and a little firmer than what I am used to for fresh pasta. Really welcome. Being able to watch the gentleman make it is excellent for a few moments' distraction from an awkward pause in the conversation. My father in law ordered veal scaloppine, to my horror. (He's 90, no point in arguing) I have no idea what it tasted like, but he (a picky and light eater) finished it with a sweep of bread across the plate, so I guess it was good. Service was quick and unobtrusive, but also very pleasant. They use chargers almost the size of the small tables, which presents some annoying logistical problems if you want to share more than one app. Confounding. The wine list is hilarious. I'll leave that there. Oh, and the tiramisu!!! Small (but shareable),...