Little Charli — Restaurant in New York

If candlelight, cobblestones, and wood-fired meatballs had a baby… it would be Little Charli on Bleeker. This tucked-away gem isn’t just one of my favorite restaurants in New York... it’s a core memory now for me and my five kids.

As a keynote speaker, leadership coach, CEO of Workcations and Not the HR Lady, and frequent traveler with my husband and our very full party of seven, I’ve had some standout meals.

But this one was special.

We got there late after seeing Vinny DePonto's Mindplay at the Greenwich House Theater (go, immediately, it's around the corner). The kids were buzzing from the performance, and we were walking that fine line between "inspired family moment" and "someone's going to have a meltdown if we don't eat again soon."

Save the day: Little Charli's.

The instant we were greeted by Asher Baron, we entered a hidden, glowing haven, where we were family now. Candelabra-lit tables, wood-burning aromas, and service staff that not only saw our pandemonium but embraced it as any gracious family would. It was raining, we were wet, and they new that we needed a carafe of chianti and their incredible focaccia.

And then the meatballs came.

These were meatballs that made you wonder about your life. Soft. Rich. Seasoned to perfection. We had two plates. More, maybe. I'm not saying there was a competition on the table, but factions were formed.

The Neapolitan pizzas were as we hoped... crunchy crust, authentic flavor... reminding us of Nonna Mamoo back home. But then the s'mores pizza came. The Nutella, the marshmallow smash... on that incredible dough?

Now listen. We're not even a s'mores family. We're "it's too messy" people.

But this. THIS. was divine.

Blackened crust, gooey chocolate nutella, toasted marshmallow, and a depth of adult refinement that made it not taste like a children's menu abomination.

Orivella Salvatore, one of the owners, dropped by to visit from the kitchen and we actually lost Justin for a while while "Uncle Sal" showed him some things... He still won't tell me.

Sal personally invited us to return for a pizza-making class. We weren't doing it this time (next time, Sal!), but the graciousness was such that we felt like we were being initiated into something bigger than dinner. We also learned there is a Little Charli's on Long Island and when we visit The Hamptons this summer, its on our list! PS: Sal also owns a restaurant near us in Dallas! Road trip!

The service? Utterly professional. Our serving staff were sweet, efficient, funny, and completely unphased by the five-kid clown party we arrived as.

This isn’t a “family restaurant” by branding, but it is by heart. And you should take yours.

If you’re in NYC, go to Little Charli’s. Order the meatballs. Order the s’mores pizza. Order The Godfather if you have a foodie crew.

Don’t ask questions....

Visited Little Charli on 6/9 for a Pizza Making event with some colleagues and had the most exceptional experience overall. Where to begin!...

From the start, the service was AMAZING. We were greeted by the Little Charli team and made to feel right at home. Special shoutout to Asher and all of the servers there who made this night unforgettable. They clearly explained the experience and really knew how to entertain our group.

Upon arrival, we were immediately served chilled wine and the vibes were off to a great start. Next came the apps... family style meatballs and salad. I must say, the meatballs were some of the BEST I've had. Perfectly seasoned, tender - topped with a delish sauce and plop of creamy ricotta (i think). 10/10

THEN came the Pizza Making.. so. much. fun. Everyone in our party got their own Little Charli customized wooden pizza board (its the little things), their own dough, and intimately guided instructions from Chef & Asher on how to properly de-bubble, stretch, and prep the dough for all of the yummy toppings to come. The commentary was definitely the best part, especially Chef's authentically Italian accent. This guy is real deal.. 100/10

Next, we got to accessorize our pizzas with all of the toppings of choice....We're talking shredded Mozz.. Fresh burrata (i think). multiple cured meats (roni, soppressata, etc.) and all the veggies and extras you could imagine! We even got to learn about the Pizza oven and watch our Pizzas cook. There were additional toppings for post-oven that added that extra "pizzaz" (ha) to the meal... so. SO. good! I mean... Hot honey?! Fresh basil!? (legit off a little tree)... unreal. 1000/10

Lastly... and honestly one of the best bites.. the DESSERT. Nutella. Smores. Pizza....... absolutely blown away. It was superb. Wow. and I cannot stress this enough .. W O W the dessert was so good. I would 1000% come back here for all of the things but the dessert was enough to leave me dreaming (and drooling) over. 1000000/10

All in all, WILL be coming back. Asher was a rockstar and made the night so great - full bellies.. wide smiles... the best. Great for any date night, work event, special occasion.... Actually on my way RN.

Thanks, Little...

Warning! I’m not very succinct!

If there were more than five stars available, I’d actually give them. In all sincerity, where do I start - the pizza was the best I’ve EVER tasted (yes even better than the delicious pizzas I tasted in Italy!), and I’m fussy about my pizza. And my husband completely agreed with my view. And don’t get us started on the dessert!

So last week we were visiting from Ireland and heard a rumour that Little Charli’s was top drawer. That was enticement enough for us to check it out and the rumour mill was not wrong.

I had the salad to start, beautiful fresh crisp ingredients that cleansed the palate but didn’t feel heavy. I then had a pizza which was half Margherita and half Snow White. It was Snow White and all the other Disney princesses as it was blissfully perfect. My husband started with the meatballs and his pizza included various meat toppings. The stuff of kings, he said. The crispy edges on a light base and the freshest, tastiest ingredients meant that we ate way more than we intended. There was some magical potion that cast a spell on me too … a spicy honey dip. Lord. Above. Divine.

Just when we thought we couldn’t breathe anymore from all the lovely pizza, the pièce de résistance appeared before our eyes. Temptation got the better of us and Uncle Fluffy’s Nutella s’mores pie completely sent us to heaven. Right, we were absolutely stuffed but had one more bite for the road, and then another.

And guess what? For the first time ever in our entire lives, we boxed up the remaining pizzas and the Nutella s’mores pie and ate it for breakfast the next day. We weren’t mistaken, they were still scrumptious.

We were looked after by lovely ladies, Mery and Alessandra. The hospitality was outstanding.

Alas! Himself and myself have returned home and if ever there was another reason needed to head back to NYC, Little Charli’s and their best pizzas we ever tasted...