Water & Wheat Upper East — Restaurant in New York

Was walking by and decided to try a new place out. There were a few people already seated, but also a few tables available. This is on the earlier side of dinner, around 6 PM.

I got seated quickly without a reservation. There was plenty of attentive and smiling staff to help us. Appreciate that they actually have physical menus versus having to scan a QR code.

Ordered a beef brisket bolognese pasta, lamb flatbread and a salad. All are very tasty! Love that things are being made fresh and with unique flavors. Not sure what the name of the noodle we got in our pasta dish, but it was very tasty and held the sauce perfectly. The flatbread had Mediterranean seasoning and spices in the meat along with pickled onions and garnish. Had it been topped off with a little sauce or aïoli of some sort, would have been even better to my liking.

The layout is a long rectangular room. Pasta making station in the middle, we’re all of their pasta is made fresh and daily. They have a display case showing their daily pastas, a nice visual, touch! In the back is the kitchen. In the front is the dining room area. They will have to figure out a solution for the door opening right into the dining room as in the colder months a lot of Cold air would disturb the diners.

You can do takeout, which a lot of people were doing while we were eating. Look like they were getting decent Phone...

First off the appetisers were yummy - we got the octopus and really enjoyed it so we thought our meal was off to a good start. But then our pastas came and unfortunately we all thought they were much too salty all round. However, the most disappointing part of our meal was not the food but the attitude of the server who was in charge of our table. We do not recall her name but she was female with dark curly hair and short. She was strangely aggressive when speaking to us, and after we had our starter she asked us if she could take our plates away but as we couldn’t hear her she suddenly turned angry and asked in a very rude tone to take away our plates, glaring at us. We also noticed other tables receiving bread and she neglected to even offer so we asked her and she never brought us any, but another server kindly did. While we ate we were interrupted by that female server twice to ask if we were done even though our plates were still half full and at the second time, she looked as if she was just going to forcefully take away our plates- she also only asked less than 20 minutes after she first came. Other tables near us who arrived earlier and were still chatting were never approached by her this way as if she wanted to shoo us away…either way she was just extremely unpleasant to have to deal with and ruined...

A Delightful Experience at Water & Wheat - Can't Wait to Return!

My husband and I had an amazing dining experience at Water and Wheat in NYC. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with warm hospitality that made us feel right at home. What truly set this visit apart was how kind and generous the staff were—they were photographing dishes for their new menu and surprised us with sample plates they didn’t want to go to waste. This unexpected treat made our evening even more special.

Every dish we tried was absolutely delicious! The flavors were vibrant and perfectly balanced, showcasing the care and creativity that goes into their menu. Despite the variety of dishes we enjoyed, we walked out feeling pleasantly full but not overly stuffed—just the right amount of satisfaction.

The atmosphere, the service, and of course, the food, were all top-notch. We left Water and Wheat not only with full bellies but also with a strong desire to come back and explore more of their incredible menu. This place is a true gem in NYC, and we can't recommend it...