Osteria al Doge — Restaurant in New York

My sister and I just visited New York for my birthday and I had reservations at one of my favorite restaurants in New York, Becco, But they had been undergoing reservations and were unable to open and canceled my reservation with only about 12 hours notice. So I did some quick research online and found this restaurant which turned out to be directly across the street from the millennium hotel where we were staying, I always believe that everything happens for a reason because this restaurant was absolutely outstanding, and in my opinion, even better than Becco. This may be my new favorite Italian restaurant when I visit New York City. The atmosphere is very quaint and comfortable although the tables are a bit close together, which is pretty common for small New York City restaurants. Even though it was pretty crowded, the noise level was not uncomfortable, and even though we were sitting pretty close to our neighbors it was kind of fun sharing conversation and comparing what we had ordered. We started out with two appetizers: the grilled octopus, which is on their regular menu and the appetizer special for the day which was stuffed zucchini flowers. Both appetizers were outstanding. We then shared two entrées: the pappardellle pasta with roasted lamb ragu, and the lamb shank, which is very similar to Osoco, but with lamb instead of veal. Both dishes were absolutely phenomenal! The lamb was just so tender and melted in your mouth and the pasta you could tell was homemade. Everything was extremely fresh and delicious. We were both so happy that we stumbled upon this place and I highly recommend recommend it. The prices are pretty reasonable by New York City standards. The pasta portion is basically enough for one person unless you’re going to share two entrées the lamb shank was quite large sharing. The two dishes was perfect for us. They brought me a birthday dessert with a candle. We also had pre-dinner drinks and a bottle of wine with dinner, Two appetizers and two entrées, espresso martinis for dessert and the total bill was about $230 Which I thought was well worth it and not at all overly priced for what we had! We will...

On January 2, 2025, my wife and I had tickets to a Broadway play and, happening upon Osteria Al Doge across the street from the theatre, decided to have lunch there.

The atmosphere of Osteria Al Doge is clean, bright and comfortable. We were imnmediately seated and thereafter greeted by our server Aaron. The service was excellent, as Aaron answered questions about dishes in a clear, articulate and helpful manner. He was attentive without being intrusive and everything one would want in a server when dining out.

We were provided a bread bowl and plates of olive oil, a pleasant and delicious start to our meal.

As an appetizer, we ordered Polpo Al Carbone - grilled baby octopus, fingerling potatoes, celery, cherry tomatoes and Taglasca olive salad with salsa verde. We are very familiar with octopus appetizers and in the many ways in which it is served.

My wife and I were split in our opinions as to the Polpo Al Carbone - she thought is was tasy and I thought that in the portioins near edges, the grill flavor overwhelmed the octopus flavor. Notwithstanding my prefreence for Spanish olive oil with octopus, the Itaiian olive oil makes sense in this appetizer (given that we were dining in an Italian Restaurant). My wife and I both laud the great taste of all that accompanied the octopus.

My wife ordered a special, paprdelle with funghi. She truly enjoyed the pasta and the wonderful flavor of the mushrooms. I, too, opted for mushrooms, choosing the Sacloppine Ai Funghi. The veal medallions and mushroom sauce did not disappoint in any way and the fingerling potatoes and spinach went well-complemented the protein and sauce.

We no longer live in New York, but visit often. We will not hesitate to dine at Osteria Al Doge when next we come into the City. With so many available chocies to Italian fare, I recommend Osteria Al Doge the next time you seek a quality meal and dining...

I visited Osteria al Doge on a busy evening and had a mixed experience. My reservation was for 6:00 PM, but I arrived around 5:30 and was pleasantly surprised that they were able to seat me right away. Unfortunately, despite being seated at 5:35, no one took my order until 5:58. They were clearly very busy with the pre-theater crowd, which I hadn’t realized when booking.

Service was a bit uneven. My actual server was kind and courteous, but the food runners and water refillers were sloppy—spilling water at multiple tables and generally seeming rushed. I especially felt this during dessert, when I was clearly being hurried to finish.

The food was a bit of a mixed bag. The bread basket was warm and delicious (I limited myself to two pieces), and the Caprese starter was solid. For my main, I had the Orecchiette con Salsiccia (with sweet sausage, broccoli di rabe, and Pecorino). While the flavors were good, the portion was overwhelmingly heavy on pasta, with far too little sausage or greens to balance it out. I probably wouldn’t order it again. Dessert, however, was the highlight— the Panna cotta alla Nutella was absolutely delicious, served with whipped cream and strawberries.

I didn’t drink since I was solo, so I stuck with sparkling water.

In the future, I’d consider coming for lunch or booking a later dinner reservation to avoid the pre-show rush. The food is worth a try, but the timing of your visit definitely impacts...