Long Island

Best Places for Pasta

November 28, 2022 | What To Do

Are you craving a homemade Italian meal and a relaxing evening? We can’t blame you. There’s nothing like the red sauce, white tablecloth and of course, fresh pasta and savory wine, at an Italian restaurant. Here are five to get you started, and keep returning for more.

18 Bay

Credit: 18 Bay

18 Bay Restaurant in the beautiful and historic Shelter Island House Hotel and Resort serves a four course Italian meal that is a direct reflection of the local markets. Dinner begins with four different antipasti, followed by a handmade pasta, a choice of entree and dessert. The menu changes every week, and they serve handcrafted cocktails and a well curated wine list from small international and local producers.

Franina

Credit: Franina

We think Franina in Syosset was what Billy Joel had in mind when composing his hit “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant.” Pastas, sauces, breads, and desserts are all homemade, and house specialties include seasonal fish caught by local fishermen. It uses organic fruits and vegetables from Long Island farms, free-range chicken, and high quality organic meats. Plus, Franina features an extensive international wine list with 300 labels and a 14,000 bottle inventory in their wine cellar.

King Umberto

Credit: King Umberto

In 1976, King Umberto opened on the corner of Meacham Avenue and Hempstead Turnpike in Elmont. The restaurant and kitchen were very small with the bar squeezed between the pizzeria and the dining room. As word got around how delicious the food was, they were always packed to the brim! So ten years later, King Umberto was expanded. Favorite dishes include the calamari, the veal Francese and penne alla vodka.

Mangia Bene

Credit: Mangia Bene

Mangia Bene means good eating in Italian, and this Rockville Centre lives up to its billing. You’ll be hard pressed to find better pizza on Long Island, the neo-Neapolitan pizzas are to die for. Other great menu items include the Caesar salad, calamari, pork chop stuffed with fontina and speck, and shrimp scampi on a bed of spinach.

Nick & Toni's

Credit: Nick & Toni's

Opening in 1988, Nick & Toni’s in East Hampton remains a charming and dependable table for delicious and seasonally inspired cuisine. With the Tuscan farmhouse setting, wood-burning oven, outsider art and extensive drink program, it’s a guaranteed good time. Great dishes include the artisanal cheese selection, butternut squash agnolotti, and wood grilled heritage pork chop.

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