La Pizza & La Pasta — Restaurant in New York

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the Flatiron Building, and let me tell you, it's not just the architecture that's a marvel – the food at the adjoining pizzeria, La Pizza & La Pasta, is an absolute delight. After a long day of exploring the city, this place is like an Italian oasis for hungry tourists.

Now, let's talk about the food. If you're a fan of Italian cuisine (who isn't?), you're in for a treat. The cacio e pepe, mushrooms, and calzones were so delicious that I contemplated ordering seconds, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. But hold your horses because dessert is where the real magic happens. The tiramisu, cannolis, and gelato are like a symphony of sweetness that will make your taste buds sing.

As for the drinks, they've got a variety of options to quench your thirst – margaritas, chianti, beer – take your pick! And if you're not into alcohol, their latte, lemonade, and espresso are equally satisfying.

Finding this place is a piece of cake, thanks to its convenient location. The staff here are genuinely nice and provide enjoyable service. Plus, the prices won't break the bank, which is always a bonus when you're dining in a tourist hotspot.

Now, let's talk about the star of the show – the TAGLIATELLE ALLA BOLOGNESE. This dish is a mouthwatering masterpiece, with housemade tagliatelle pasta and a pork and beef ragù alla Bolognese that's out of this world. The 18-Month Parmigiano Reggiano DOP on top is the icing on the cake. Pair it with their recommended Lambrusco NV from Ronco Belvedere in Emilia-Romagna, and you're in for a culinary experience you won't soon forget.

But here's where it gets interesting. The real MVP of my dining experience was Kerri, our amazing host. She bombarded me with so many incredible recommendations that I was torn between what to try next. I mean, how do you choose when everything sounds so good? In the end, I decided I'll just have to come back here more than three times to sample it all.

Now, let's dive into Kerri's recommendations for both lunch and dinner:

GNOCCHI ALL'ARRABBIATA: Housemade Potato Gnocchi with Spicy Mutti Tomato sauce, topped with 14-Month Aged Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, Basi, and Olitalia Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It's a fiery dish that'll leave your taste buds tingling with joy.

LO SPAGHETTO AL POMODORO: Afeltra Spaghetti with Cosi Com'è Datterino Tomatoes, ROI Extra Virgin Olive Oil, I Mercante di Spezie Sea Salt, and Basil. Feeling extra indulgent? Add some Antiche Bontà Mozzarella di Bufala DOP or Burrata to take it to the next level.

In conclusion, if you're looking for a place to satisfy your Italian food cravings while enjoying the beauty of the Flatiron Building, this is it. Trust Kerri's recommendations, indulge in the TAGLIATELLE ALLA BOLOGNESE, and savor every moment in this pretty, spectacular, and oh-so-tasty atmosphere. You won't be disappointed, and you might just become a...

Our experience here was very disappointing. The service was horrendous and the food was not good.

Upon sitting, our waiter took our drink order. My partner asked for the flavors of sodas that they have, since the menu says to ask your waiter for the flavors. Our waiter rudely said they just had the lemon flavor. My partner instead ordered the Italian cola.

Our waiter ended up bringing a sugar-free cola to the table. Not wanting to make a fuss, she tried the soda and didn’t like it. I also tried it and it was horrible! It also wasn’t what she asked for.

Once the waiter came back, she told him she didn’t ask for a sugar-free cola and wanted the regular. His response? “Well we only have sugar-free.” It’s fine if they only have sugar-free, but he probably should have said that before giving her the sugar-free cola. He then took away the drink and seemed incredibly angry about this.

I didn’t know what I wanted to order and asked for more time. He then proceeded to come back to the table 3 times within the span of less than 5 minutes while I was still looking at the menu to ask what we wanted to order.

We tried to place an order for an appetizer before ordering our entrees and he said he couldn’t do that. I’m unsure if that’s a policy here, but I’ve never been to a restaurant with that sort of policy.

When we did place our full order, I expressed that I have a peanut and tree nut allergy. My allergy is very, very severe and there are nut items on the menu. For my safety, I assure all of my waiters are aware of my allergy. I began to elaborate and say “I’m allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, like pine nuts, and-.” Before I could finish my sentence, he rudely said “Yeah, I know what a tree nut is.”

This is when I became annoyed. A food allergy is incredibly serious. Most restaurants I go to assure me that they understand the gravity of my allergy and will assure the chef is aware. Here, it almost seemed dismissed.

We quickly got our appetizer (a pizza) and it was great! We patiently waited for our entrees, two orders of a pasta dish.

Our waiter came to our table approximately four times to tell us that our food would be ready “soon.” The table next to us, who came in 20 minutes after us, got their food before us. After the third visit to our table, our waiter expressed that there was an issue with one of our pasta dishes.

Anyways, we finally got our entrees. My partner’s dish was cold and mine was lukewarm. A bit odd considering how long it took to get it.

Her food, the butternut squash, was okay. Not good, but not bad. I got the carbonara. Wow. It was horrible.

The pasta was severely undercooked—NOT Al dente. My entire family is Italian, I’ve visited dozens of Italian restaurants, this was simply undercooked pasta. The sauce on it was thick and had a very odd taste.

Definitely do not go here—I don’t have a single good thing to say about...

I brought a friend here from out of town, and we visited on a Sunday at about 230 pm. There were no lines to get a table, and we were seated right next to a window overlooking the Memorial Pools. Absolutely breathtaking views! A great first impression.

Right after we sat at the table, we were greeted by a gentleman offering us water. (Love that!) After reviewing the menu for a few minutes, Jordan came over to take our order. He was dressed in a suit, which we found interesting. (There's a definite pecking order within the staff.) He was very outgoing and friendly and answered my friend's menu questions with ease. I ordered the spaghetti cacio e pepi with a truffle addition and my friend ordered the tagliatelle alla bolognese. I asked if I could change my pasta to angel hair, but that was not allowed. We didn't order appetizers. Several minutes later, Jordan informed me that the kitchen had run out of truffles, which was a bummer.

The entrees came pretty quickly, but not too quickly, and were served by Diego another person who is great at his job. Both were very generous portions, and neither of us was able to finish, though we really tried! We were offered freshly grated cheese shortly after we began eating. We shared our pasta, and both were cooked to perfection (al dente) and tasted fantastic. The staff was very attentive, but not annoyingly so. We didn't feel rushed, which is a treat in NYC. We didn't order dessert, though the gelato looked amazing.

Here's why I gave 4 instead of 5 stars. After we paid, we both went to the restroom. It was so shabbily done, almost as an afterthought. There was a line, and we waited in a very narrow but heavily trafficked hallway that had mops and a locker jammed into it. When we got to the bathrooms, we found a very poorly designed space with angles that made it almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with other patrons. There were social distancing signs which were pretty comical, considering the lack of space. They also only offer hand dryers, so I can only imagine how warm the bathrooms get in the summer.

Upon leaving the restrooms, we meandered through the market, which was well-stocked and beautifully arranged. We made a few purchases and headed to the exit. At least we thought we did. It took us 10 minutes of walking around in a complete circle as we followed the exit signs. We finally asked someone to show us the actual exit, an escalator down that proved very elusive. It was an unfortunate end to an otherwise wonderful experience. I hope they redesign those restrooms and provide better exit signage in the future.

The photos are of the dining space, our view, and the hallway to...