Magna Restaurant — Restaurant in New York

This is a long overdue review, but I hope it serves to let you know that 10 years later I still remember my mere lunch at Magna. I have lived life out in Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado and -thought- I liked Italian food. Back in early 2008, I found grandpa's old ticket to the 1956 World Series. My daughter and I made the trip to NY to see a game in the last season at Yankee Stadium in July 2008. We stayed at the hotel next door to Magna the night before we flew out. We stopped in for a quick lunch before heading to the airport. Honestly, we were probably looking for a slice of pizza. We walked in and saw we were the only people there. The restaurant had only opened a few days or weeks before, and it was brand new. The place really looked way too nice for a quick lunch, and we were about to walk out, but the man stopped us and welcomed us in. When we ordered, I told him I would take whatever he was most proud of, and my 14 year old daughter was disappointed that they didn't have pizza, but she got Fettucine Bolognese. He started me off with a truly fantastic soup, and then he brought out a linguini and clam dish that wasn't even on the lunch menu. As we ate, he stepped outside and chased away a bum that decided to stop on the sidewalk outside, and right by the front door no less. I'll just say the host was blunt...and effective. The food was nothing short of amazing. As we left, my daughter said she was glad she didn't get a pizza because her pasta was better than anything she has ever had before. My soup, and then my clams w/ linguini were both better than I have ever had in my life. Everyone says NY is the best Italian food. It turns out it's no joke. The decor was immaculate and classy. Of course, it was brand new then from his grand opening! So here I am, 10 years later, remembering it and writing the review I wish I would have back then. This place has ruined me. Now every other Italian place I go just doesn't quite measure up. You should go here if you haven't. You will not be disappointed. if someone doesn't enjoy this, I can tell you the problem -sure- isn't the restaurant, it's them. If you don't know what to get, tell him to bring you whatever he wants. I am 100% certain than nothing he puts in front of you can disappoint. Do...

I'm in the bridal party for my friend's upcoming wedding and we decided to host her bridal shower at Magna. Originally, they promised us the back nook, so that it was semi private. It didn't work out and they gave us a large table on the side, which worked out. They pretty much let us use half the restaurant, set up a separate table for us to place the cake/cupcakes/guestbook (note - $3 plating fee per person if you bring your own cake), and even helped us hang our decorations (shout out to Fabio!) We decided to order a few dishes and serve it family style. Everything was great. This is what we had:

Caesar Salad (romaine lettuce, croutons, reggiano cheese with classic Caesar dressing)

Calamari Fritti (crisp fried calamari with garlic marinara sauce) - perfectly fried

Sfizi all'Italiana (freshly sliced prosciutto, mortadella, capicola, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, provolone, roasted peppers) - my only complaint was that there was no prosciutto (like the menu had described), but overall not bad.

Rigatoni alla Vodka (rigatoni pasta in pink vodka sauce) - this was my fave. I love a good pasta a la vodka.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara (spaghetti with italian bacon, parmesan, and poached eggs) - this was pretty good too but also a bit heavy

Risotto ai Frutti di Mare (risotto served with clams, mussels, calamari, shrimp) - they gave a good amount of seafood

Pollo alla parmigiana (breaded chicken breast topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella) - chicken was cooked perfectly

For drinks, we had asked about bringing our own bottles of wine but then they wanted to charge us a ridiculous corkage fee of $35 per bottle. We ended up just ordering four bottles of wine (for 14 people) for the table, which was the perfect amount. It was also cheaper than paying the corkage fee.

Overall, it was a nice space for a bridal shower (also because no one was really there while our party was going on). However, I'd only recommend it if you have a small group. The restaurant...

As new residents in Flushing, one Friday evening my partner and I decided to explore local eateries in the area and we came across a hidden gem – Magna Italian Restaurant – located on Farrington Street, off Northern Boulevard. (There is also a large sign on two sides of a building on Northern Boulevard which one cannot miss.)

Upon arrival, we were cordially greeted by Barbara whose family, I believe, has owned the restaurant for many years and launched a successful comeback after overcoming the challenges of the Covid pandemic. Barbara was extremely kind and immediately made us feel at home. At that point, we knew we were in the right place as most of the restaurant was full, the guests enjoying their respective meals against the backdrop of a simple but charming room, accompanied by the sounds of good ole Italian favorites like Sinatra, Jerry Vale, and Gianni Morandi.

Magna’s appetizer and main dishes were fresh, heavenly to ingest and appealing to all humanly senses. The meals were served immediately and gracefully.

We spent approximately 90 minutes enjoying Magna and towards the end of the evening were engaged speaking with other patrons, sharing food, cooking, and traveling experiences with guests – some who were visiting from out of town. Magna enjoys a constant flow of guests staying at the many nearly hotels and/or spending a layover from connecting flights leaving from LaGuardia Airport.

We encourage anyone seeking a delicious, traditional, family-style Italian meal to visit Magna. The only regret is the restaurant is opened only from Thursday to Sunday. Parking in the area is ample and neighborhood along Northern Boulevard is walkable and nearby the dynamic Flushing Chinatown (which is just across Northern Boulevard.)

We will definitely revisit and spread to good word among our friends and new neighbors.

Thank you, Magna, Barbara, and Team. Best, Ricardo.

P.S. Barbara, I am ready for my next...