Come for the space, there's a lovely enclosed patio in the back! Stay for the pizza and the drinks, both of which were surprisingly good. Be warned, however, that the menu is a novella. So many options, it's approaching overwhelming. If you like Neapolitan-style pizza, you'll definitely enjoy La Lanterna's. It was the right chewiness, and the toppings and sauce were tasty. I also had one of the many available adult beverages, opting for a hard coffee. It was excellent. The cheese and pate plate was good -- the bread it came with was well seasoned and had a nice crisp. But the presentation definitely leaves something to be desired, it definitely looked like an elementary school science fair project on the plate. Overall, good food, not too pricey, and a nice patio. Solid option!
Cam E.
After the Jazz Brasil performance around the corner at Zinc, we all ventured out in the pouring rain for a bite to eat at La Lanterna di Vittorio on the famous MacDougal Street, West Village. The Lasagnes and Pizzas are the stars on the Menu here. Yes, it's very dark, it's noisy, it brought back memories of our good old college days lingering over conversations in tight spaces . We couldn't really talk but we were nourished for the return home. Still pouring rain outside. It was the company that mattered. Four stars this time. Thank you for reading.
Diann M.
Came here for a birthday dinner and had a rather disappointing service. We booked this restaurant for its romantic ambiance and authentic Italian food. Since we wanted our own space, we booked an outdoor/patio seating. The menu was overwhelming as they have an extensive drink/food items. We ended up ordering the Pizza con Prosciutto Arrostito, Meat Lasagna Flight, , Formaggi e Paté, and Tiramisu for dessert. The lasagna flight wasn't very flavorful and it wasn't anything that was extraordinary that would make me want to go back. The pizza was ok...The tiramisu was a bit too wet for my preference. What was more disappoting was the service. The food took almost 45min to come out after ordering and our server was not really attentive. It didn't hep that the outside seating that we were sitting was faced directly from the main entrance door, where we were able to see our server go on her phone multiple times (which wouldn't bother me if she was actually taking, and brining our order timely) The only thing I liked from the entire dinner was the lychee cocktail. lol. Would not recommend as there are plenty of other Italian restaurants that offers better food, service and ambiance.
Monica A.
The ambiance was amazing obviously! The service was great, friendliest host and great recommendations. The roofing best dishes ever!!!!
Tracy V.
Food was delish and the service was Off the hook Diana our waitress was the best cozy and welcoming even the owner came by to see if we were enjoying our meal we will be back
Dontlistentome H.
-Great Ambiance (obviously) -Service was excellent Jae was our server and she was very helpful and very attentive. -Food was excellent, me and my wife got both the Lasagne flights and shared them all and had plenty to take home. -It was a fun experience, perfect for a date night trying the different versions of lasagne, comparing them and raving about the good ones and sharing why others were not your thing but still trying, they knew what they were doing with the little rating papers they gave. Also apparently Taylor Swift ate there, so that if thats your thing.
Naja M.
This place was a good experience. The lasagna flight was solid. I would give it a 7.5 out of 10. Could have way more flavor but I loved trying them. The pizza was delicious! 8.5/10! I actually liked the pizza more and I would just be decisive and choose one delicious lasagna next time lol. The service was middle of the line but it was busy.
Lucy M.
Came here with a friend for dinner and it was just okay for me. The menu has a lot of stuff, but it's really limited to just lasagna, pizza, calzone, or panini. I decided to order a mushroom pizza since none of the other stuff are high on my list. The pizza tasted not much better than your average slice you get at your local pizzeria. My friend did the flight of lasagna and I had a bite of one of them and again, it was just okay. I'm honestly baffled by why this place got so many great reviews from people since service was not great - our waitress kept rushing us, and the food was just okay. The only thing going for the restaurant is really the atmosphere, the garden area is lovely.
Kara F.
Great atmosphere! Great food.! My husband took me there for my birthday and it was lovely. Looking forward to going back.
Jasleen K.
Came her with a girlfriend who hold this place dear to her heart. The pizza and wine were great. But the lasagna flights.. the lasagna flights keep having me come back for more. Don't hesitate to get either of the flights - so so good and such a good portion!
La Lanterna is a tiny little restaurant that they PACK people into, but you better believe it is worth it. We went on the recommendation of an actual Italian who said this place is one of the few to nail the real flavors of Italy, showing up without a reservation, and even though they were packed the owner or manager sat us right away by a cozy fireplace. We started with a pizza with prosciutto that was absurdly good. The crust was perfect and the sauce had a fantastic pure tomato flavor. The Italian who recommended us was spot on. We then had Lasagna - mine the arrabbiata, which was legitimately spicy, and my wife the pesto, which was delicious. Our waitress was excellent and attentive and the owner or manager came over to check on us as well. Perhaps most impressive is that we got a pizza and two entrees and it was only $70.
Margo T.
Best pizza in New York! I had the one with garlic mushrooms and it was so good, we fought over who could eat the last slice for breakfast! Other family members had the lasagne which was superb, rich and flavorful. Service was excellent and sitting in the garden made for a fabulous ambiance. Great place and I'll be visiting again!
Andy L.
My girlfriend and I were able to walk-in and get a table on a Friday night (8pm) because they have a lower level for additional seating. The atmosphere and overall vibes were nice. The food was delicious and pretty decent for the price. We ordered the Carna Lasagna flight ($25.50), Vegetariano Lasagna Flight ($25.50), and Tiramisu ($7.50). Lasagna was solid - loved all the different flavors and styles with my favorite being the Funghi and Pesto. The tiramisu is delicious too but overpriced. Overall, I would rate this place a solid 8.5/10 - great taste and vibes but a bit pricey. Would come back for the lasagna.
Theresa M.
Hidden gem in NYC! Everything we ordered was really good and I will definitely be coming back. We ordered the Pomodoro e Basilico Bruschette to start - it was so fresh and so flavorful! I could've easily ordered another serving but figured I should save room for the meal. We also ordered the Lasagna flight and the Pizza con Salsiccia (specifically hot sausage). In general, I'm not a big lasagna person but this dish came with 4 samplers of 4 different lasagnas and each one was delicious. It's perfect to share between two people (or three, if you each just want a taste). The pizza was so good! So fresh and the sausage just gave an additional kick to pizza that already had a really good tomato sauce and mozz cheese base. Pizza crust was not too thick and leaned more on the thinner side. Hazelnut gelato to top off the meal and my sweets craving was definitely satisfied. Overall, huge menu full of food and dessert options. Service was fast and attentive + a great date night restaurant for those who like a "moody" setting.
Jackie K.
The waitress was very nice and patient. I got a chocolate martini which was so good and very strong. He had a Pete's tavern or something with Pete in it which he really liked. The tiramisu was delicious as well. We didn't get real food but everything looked so good. I'll definitely come back to try the pizza. The place was beautiful.
Come for the space, there's a lovely enclosed patio in the back! Stay for the pizza and the drinks, both of which were surprisingly good. Be warned, however, that the menu is a novella. So many options, it's approaching overwhelming. If you like Neapolitan-style pizza, you'll definitely enjoy La Lanterna's. It was the right chewiness, and the toppings and sauce were tasty. I also had one of the many available adult beverages, opting for a hard coffee. It was excellent. The cheese and pate plate was good -- the bread it came with was well seasoned and had a nice crisp. But the presentation definitely leaves something to be desired, it definitely looked like an elementary school science fair project on the plate. Overall, good food, not too pricey, and a nice patio. Solid option!
After the Jazz Brasil performance around the corner at Zinc, we all ventured out in the pouring rain for a bite to eat at La Lanterna di Vittorio on the famous MacDougal Street, West Village. The Lasagnes and Pizzas are the stars on the Menu here. Yes, it's very dark, it's noisy, it brought back memories of our good old college days lingering over conversations in tight spaces . We couldn't really talk but we were nourished for the return home. Still pouring rain outside. It was the company that mattered. Four stars this time. Thank you for reading.
Came here for a birthday dinner and had a rather disappointing service. We booked this restaurant for its romantic ambiance and authentic Italian food. Since we wanted our own space, we booked an outdoor/patio seating. The menu was overwhelming as they have an extensive drink/food items. We ended up ordering the Pizza con Prosciutto Arrostito, Meat Lasagna Flight, , Formaggi e Paté, and Tiramisu for dessert. The lasagna flight wasn't very flavorful and it wasn't anything that was extraordinary that would make me want to go back. The pizza was ok...The tiramisu was a bit too wet for my preference. What was more disappoting was the service. The food took almost 45min to come out after ordering and our server was not really attentive. It didn't hep that the outside seating that we were sitting was faced directly from the main entrance door, where we were able to see our server go on her phone multiple times (which wouldn't bother me if she was actually taking, and brining our order timely) The only thing I liked from the entire dinner was the lychee cocktail. lol. Would not recommend as there are plenty of other Italian restaurants that offers better food, service and ambiance.
The ambiance was amazing obviously! The service was great, friendliest host and great recommendations. The roofing best dishes ever!!!!
Food was delish and the service was Off the hook Diana our waitress was the best cozy and welcoming even the owner came by to see if we were enjoying our meal we will be back
-Great Ambiance (obviously) -Service was excellent Jae was our server and she was very helpful and very attentive. -Food was excellent, me and my wife got both the Lasagne flights and shared them all and had plenty to take home. -It was a fun experience, perfect for a date night trying the different versions of lasagne, comparing them and raving about the good ones and sharing why others were not your thing but still trying, they knew what they were doing with the little rating papers they gave. Also apparently Taylor Swift ate there, so that if thats your thing.
This place was a good experience. The lasagna flight was solid. I would give it a 7.5 out of 10. Could have way more flavor but I loved trying them. The pizza was delicious! 8.5/10! I actually liked the pizza more and I would just be decisive and choose one delicious lasagna next time lol. The service was middle of the line but it was busy.
Came here with a friend for dinner and it was just okay for me. The menu has a lot of stuff, but it's really limited to just lasagna, pizza, calzone, or panini. I decided to order a mushroom pizza since none of the other stuff are high on my list. The pizza tasted not much better than your average slice you get at your local pizzeria. My friend did the flight of lasagna and I had a bite of one of them and again, it was just okay. I'm honestly baffled by why this place got so many great reviews from people since service was not great - our waitress kept rushing us, and the food was just okay. The only thing going for the restaurant is really the atmosphere, the garden area is lovely.
Great atmosphere! Great food.! My husband took me there for my birthday and it was lovely. Looking forward to going back.
Came her with a girlfriend who hold this place dear to her heart. The pizza and wine were great. But the lasagna flights.. the lasagna flights keep having me come back for more. Don't hesitate to get either of the flights - so so good and such a good portion!
Restaurantji Recommends
La Lanterna is a tiny little restaurant that they PACK people into, but you better believe it is worth it. We went on the recommendation of an actual Italian who said this place is one of the few to nail the real flavors of Italy, showing up without a reservation, and even though they were packed the owner or manager sat us right away by a cozy fireplace. We started with a pizza with prosciutto that was absurdly good. The crust was perfect and the sauce had a fantastic pure tomato flavor. The Italian who recommended us was spot on. We then had Lasagna - mine the arrabbiata, which was legitimately spicy, and my wife the pesto, which was delicious. Our waitress was excellent and attentive and the owner or manager came over to check on us as well. Perhaps most impressive is that we got a pizza and two entrees and it was only $70.
Best pizza in New York! I had the one with garlic mushrooms and it was so good, we fought over who could eat the last slice for breakfast! Other family members had the lasagne which was superb, rich and flavorful. Service was excellent and sitting in the garden made for a fabulous ambiance. Great place and I'll be visiting again!
My girlfriend and I were able to walk-in and get a table on a Friday night (8pm) because they have a lower level for additional seating. The atmosphere and overall vibes were nice. The food was delicious and pretty decent for the price. We ordered the Carna Lasagna flight ($25.50), Vegetariano Lasagna Flight ($25.50), and Tiramisu ($7.50). Lasagna was solid - loved all the different flavors and styles with my favorite being the Funghi and Pesto. The tiramisu is delicious too but overpriced. Overall, I would rate this place a solid 8.5/10 - great taste and vibes but a bit pricey. Would come back for the lasagna.
Hidden gem in NYC! Everything we ordered was really good and I will definitely be coming back. We ordered the Pomodoro e Basilico Bruschette to start - it was so fresh and so flavorful! I could've easily ordered another serving but figured I should save room for the meal. We also ordered the Lasagna flight and the Pizza con Salsiccia (specifically hot sausage). In general, I'm not a big lasagna person but this dish came with 4 samplers of 4 different lasagnas and each one was delicious. It's perfect to share between two people (or three, if you each just want a taste). The pizza was so good! So fresh and the sausage just gave an additional kick to pizza that already had a really good tomato sauce and mozz cheese base. Pizza crust was not too thick and leaned more on the thinner side. Hazelnut gelato to top off the meal and my sweets craving was definitely satisfied. Overall, huge menu full of food and dessert options. Service was fast and attentive + a great date night restaurant for those who like a "moody" setting.
The waitress was very nice and patient. I got a chocolate martini which was so good and very strong. He had a Pete's tavern or something with Pete in it which he really liked. The tiramisu was delicious as well. We didn't get real food but everything looked so good. I'll definitely come back to try the pizza. The place was beautiful.