11 Of The Most Iconic Red Sauce Restaurants In NYC Worth Visiting, According To Reputation

New York City hosts a mecca of culinary traditions from all over the world, but perhaps no place is more synonymous with so-called "red sauce restaurants" than the Big Apple. That's because during the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, many Italians immigrated to the United States. Some home cooks opened restaurants and pizzerias and founded what is now known as Italian American cuisine, predominantly marked by "red sauce." They served tomato sauce-heavy dishes like chicken Parmesan, spaghetti and meatballs, and lasagna in neighborhoods including what's now one of America's best Little Italys that's brimming with romance. 

Luckily for foodies, some of those red sauce restaurants continue to thrive in New York City, delighting both tourists and old-time locals. Islands rounded up the best of the best of them, ranging from new-age Carbone that is praised all over the world, to Bamonte's, which has been serving classic red sauce dishes for over a century. To decide which red sauce restaurants made the cut, we evaluated those that had the best reviews and are renowned by food media. Many of these places are also celeb hotspots, so if you're hoping to spot a celebrity at a New York gem, dining at one of these eateries might be your chance!

Located among Williamsburg, Brooklyn townhouses with a basic sign, it would be easy to walk by the two-story red-and-brick building that Bamonte's has called home since 1900, when it was founded by Italian immigrant Pasquale Bamonte. But if you did, you would miss out on reasonably-priced Italian American dishes like clams oreganata paired with classic Italian unsalted bread, eggplant rollatini, lasagna, and pork chop alla Bamonte with sweet or hot pickled peppers.

The dishes are so good that famous Italian Americans have flocked here for decades, including Frank Sinatra and Robert De Niro, and the restaurant was the set of episodes of "The Sopranos." A signed photo of James Gandolfini is even part of the restaurant's decor. Real-life mobsters have enjoyed many a red sauce meal at Bamonte's, too, all with the peace of mind knowing that their food wasn't poisoned — which is why, supposedly, the open kitchen is surrounded by glass rather than closed walls or windows. Mobsters once used the restaurant's still-present duo of wood phone booths, too.

In case that isn't enough to make you feel like you're on the set of "The Godfather," just peer around the red-walled dining room, which is lined with red curtains, Roman busts, and gaudy chandeliers. Customers drool over the food, too, as well as its massive portions. "Wonderful old-school Italian family restaurant," wrote one past visitor on Tripadvisor. "Waiters in tuxedos who are very attentive. Food is delicious and service was prompt."

Having opened in 2013 in Greenwich Village as Carbone's original location, the famed red sauce joint doesn't have the same storied history that many of the decades-old restaurants on this list have. However, you wouldn't guess that if you took one look at the tuxedoed captains, red leather banquettes, and throwback Italian movie posters that adorn the restaurant. This spot combines the new with the old, as it's located in the former home of beloved Italian restaurant Rocco (and still features its sign), yet offers high-end fare prepared by Culinary Institute of America-trained chef Mario Carbone. That fare has made Carbone the hot ticket in town, having attracted celebrities like the Kardashians and Rihanna. Accordingly, it's not easy to snag a table — prospective diners should do so by reserving their spot 30 days in advance at 10 a.m. when the books open.

But if they do get lucky, they'll be rewarded with heaping (yet expensive) plates of meatballs in tomato sauce, spicy rigatoni vodka, tableside-made Caesar salad, and veal Parmesan. Several dishes are complimentary for all tables, like garlic bread, mozzarella, and salami. "Amazing food. Great service. Classic ambiance," wrote one visitor on Tripadvisor. Spicy vodka rigatoni is a must-have. Caesar is another win. And, of course, the meatballs." It's all served in old-school digs that feature candelabras, opera tunes, red curtains that keep the diners on the DL at dinnertime, and black-and-white tiled floors.

Don Peppe, which has been a staple of South Ozone Park, Queens since 1968 when it was founded by a Neapolitan immigrant of the same name, has every mark of a classic red sauce joint. Its menu is solely presented on a board on the wall, only cash is accepted, it doesn't take reservations, endless baskets of bread are free, fare is presented on white tablecloths, and the best way to enjoy the fruits of its labors is to come with a group. That's so you can indulge in colossal, family-style platters of baked clams, fried peppers with garlic and olive oil, shrimp Luciano with pasta in garlic butter sauce and caramelized onions, and breaded veal Don Pep topped with tomatoes and onions. Some of the dishes are made with recipes that are over a century old. Its food and reputation are so iconic that it was featured on "Entourage."

Despite its old-school appeal, Don Peppe is still fetching new accolades. It was named as the No. 56 best restaurant in the city by The New York Times in 2023, and diners love it just as much as reviewers do. "Looking for the absolutely best Italian food in New York?" wrote a fan on Tripadvisor. "Well, look no further then Lefferts Blvd. in Queens. Myself and my Italian-American friends have made this our NUMBER ONE restaurant for everything from seafood to pasta to steak Italian style and everything in between."

Emilio's Ballato has been a staple of Nolita since 1956, when it was founded by John Ballato. But you would think it was a brand-new hotspot judging by the line that snakes from the no-reservation restaurant's door — despite its unglamorous façade. During your wait, which can stretch over two hours, you'll be in good company with other unannounced visitors. Emilio's Ballato has been visited by a long list of celebrities, including George Clooney, Barack Obama, Taylor Swift, Blake Lively, Sophie Turner, Denzel Washington, Justin Bieber, and Rihanna, some of whose photos line the walls.

After trying the food at this staple, you'll see why it has attracted both celebrities and hordes of us common folk. Some of the favorite fare here includes baked clams, breaded veal in vodka sauce that's topped with prosciutto, Caesar salad, chicken Parmesan, spaghetti and meatballs, fried zucchini, and tiramisu. Portions here are large enough to share. "The food was great and definitely worth the wait," wrote one past visitor on Tripadvisor. "The service was excellent. My family got 3 chicken Parmesan and it was the best chicken parm we have ever had." After your meal, head to next-door Da Milio, a speakeasy run by the same owners as the restaurant — if you can get in. Or, for less of a wait, check out these 5 under-the-radar Italian restaurants instead.

With its red neon sign and crowd of longtime locals, John's of 12th Street in the East Village looks like your run-of-the-mill red sauce joint. But to assume as such would be to judge a menu by its laminate. Instead, this flagship restaurant that dates back to 1908 is so iconic that it was featured on the last episode of Anthony Bourdain's "Parts Unknown" as well as on "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives," "Boardwalk Empire," and "The Sopranos." It's known for dishes like pappardelle with pork and beef ragu, garlic bread, spaghetti with meatballs, meat lasagna, chicken Parmesan, and saltimbocca alla Romana. It even has a full vegan menu. "Old school interior, services with a delicious menu of classic Italian food," wrote one past visitor on Tripadvisor. "Large serving sizes and links back to the mafia days!"

John's of 12th Street's classic red sauce dishes are as old school as the restaurant itself. The decor still features its original tile floors, red leather banquettes, wood-framed mirrors, murals, and even coat hooks that have been lovingly maintained by owners Mike Alpert and Nick Sitnycky since they bought it from the founders in 1973. But the clearest sign that John's of 12th Street is even older than your nonna is its iconic candle, which has been burning since 1937 after Prohibition was repealed.

You can find a New York slice at an endless array of red sauce restaurants throughout New York City. But there's no slice like a L&B Spumoni Gardens slice, which has been known for its upside-down Sicilian-style pies since it was founded as a horse-drawn pizza wagon by Italian immigrant Ludovico Barbati in the early 20^th century. By 1939, the pizza operation had a brick-and-mortar home with another staple that continues to thrive at L&B Spumoni Gardens — spumoni, a gelato made up of vanilla, chocolate, and pistachio.

These days, customers can still enjoy that crunchy yet airy pizza and sweet spumoni, as well as red sauce dishes and other types of pizza, at L&B Spumoni Gardens' homes in Bensonhurst and Dumbo in Brooklyn, which are still operated by the Barbati family. "Best Sicilian pizza I have ever had!" raved one person on Tripadvisor. "I enjoyed the cheese on top of the dough and then the sauce on top of the cheese. Excellent flavor sauce. Outstanding dough and cheese." 

Food media agrees — Food Network even named L&B Spumoni Gardens as having the best pizza in the Empire State. But if you only opt for pizza and spumoni at L&B Spumoni Gardens, you're missing out. It also serves killer plates of spaghetti and meatballs, broccoli rabe, breaded veal cutlets, and more.

For decades, Mario's on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx — New York's thriving "real Little Italy" – has been a traditional red sauce go-to, marked by white tablecloths, chandeliers, and even an old-school cart that brings dishes to tables. It's even owned by the fifth generation of the same family — the Migliuccis — who founded Mario's as a pizzeria in 1915 before converting it into a full-service restaurant in the 1930s. 

But despite the many decades that have passed, the food, as well as the service and ambiance, is still just as wow-worthy. "My husband surprised me with a visit to this delicious restaurant!" wrote one past visitor on Google. "It has an Old time Italian restaurant feel with lots of activity at all time. Somehow the waiters and waitresses are able to make each customer feel welcomed and well served."

Among family photos and paintings of the Italian countryside, customers here dine on Neapolitan-style pizzas that harken back to Mario's past as well as tons of antipasti options (ranging from stracciatella egg drop soup to calamari), spaghetti and meatballs, veal chops, lobster fra diavolo, and chicken alla scarpariello. Many of the customers are weekly regulars, filling the restaurant to the brim on the weekends. T

Even if you've never set foot in Brooklyn, Michael's of Brooklyn might ring a bell for you — the restaurant sells its jarred sauces throughout the Americas. A whopping 6,000 jars are produced every day. But those in the Big Apple are lucky enough to be able to try that sauce spooned over an array of Italian American dishes at Michael's of Brooklyn.

It's known for fare like chicken Francese, rosemary focaccia, and sauteed baby artichokes, all made with tomatoes and olive oil imported from Italy and served in massive portions. Dishes are made by head chef John Cacace, who has worked in the Michael's of Brooklyn kitchen since he was 10 years old. "The red sauce was hands‑down the best I've ever had, and my Chicken Parm and my wife's gnocchi were both incredible," wrote a fan on Tripadvisor. "Our server treated us like family and made the whole experience even better."

Just a simple pizzeria when it opened in 1964, Michael's of Brooklyn is now owned by the third generation of the same family. Its food and hospitality have made it a hotspot for regulars and a favorite with visitors. 

Not only is Patsy's Italian Restaurant in Midtown still owned by the same family of founder Pasquale "Patsy" Scognamillo, who started the flagship eatery in 1944, but it's also only had three chefs (also all members of the Scognamillo family) in all that time. It even still uses some of the same ingredient suppliers. For those reasons, it's no surprise that the food, including the sirloin steak pizzaiola with peppers and mushrooms, lobster fra diavolo, and seafood-stuffed calamari, is as delicious as ever. 

Those tasty, old-school eats have attracted a crowd of celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Alec Baldwin, Ben Stiller, Liza Minnelli, and John F. Kennedy Jr. Patsy's Italian Restaurant was Frank Sinatra's favorite New York City restaurant, too. 

But you don't need to be a celebrity to enjoy Patsy's Italian Restaurant's red sauce comfort fare and welcoming ambiance. "Best meal I ate in New York. The food was so fresh and delicious," wrote one past visitor on Tripadvisor. "The chef is the nicest! Such a warm, inviting atmosphere." Customers can even bring a bit of Patsy's Italian Restaurant home with them, as the eatery sells its canned sauce to go as well as a cookbook that share the secrets on how to make some of its most famed dishes. For more scrumptious seafood, you can also check out the best seafood restaurants in New York City.

Dating back to 1896 when it was founded by Charles Rao in East Harlem — then an Italian neighborhood — Rao's is one of the oldest restaurants in the country. But it has another claim to fame, too. With just 10 tables and a "table right" policy, it's one of the most difficult restaurants to get into in the world. After it was awarded three stars by the The New York Times in 1977, the most loyal regulars were given rights to a table either weekly, quarterly, annually, or on a set day of the year. So, unless you're already one of the lucky few who "own" a table, the only way you're getting into Rao's in East Harlem is if someone who does invites you or sells their table to you. The table right policy, however, doesn't extend to the restaurant's Miami and Scotland locations, so you can try Rao's there — although those locations lack the exclusive and authentic essence of the OG.

The lucky people who have gotten into Rao's New York location love it. "Service and food were AMAZING!" wrote one person on Tripadvisor. "Lives up to the legend of Rao's. So, glad I don't live in New York, I think I would weigh 1000 lbs. if I had access to this daily." Customers of this one-of-a-kind restaurant are rewarded with dishes served family-style, including seafood salad, meatballs, and lemon chicken—none of which appear on a traditional menu.

Unlike spots like Rao's or Emilio's Ballato, you won't have to clamor for a table at Tony's Di Napoli, which can serve more than 1,000 people per night at each of its two locations in Times Square and the Upper East Side. But just because it's not hard to score a reservation here doesn't make it any less visit-worthy. Its food is just as big as its crowds, served family-style (although you can also order a half portion), and is as delicious as that of its top contenders. "Sensational! Excellent food with very tasty tomato sauce," wrote one person on Tripadvisor. "Care 10. Very nice environment and very fair price. It was worth it and we will return."

At Tony's D iNapoli, customers love dishes such as Caesar salad and chicken Parmesan finished tableside, spaghetti and meatballs, and rigatoni ala vodka with mushrooms. Surprisingly, though, it doesn't date back to when your nonna was frying meatballs on the stovetop. It opened in 1990, inspired by the founding Wetanson family's favorite spot — Don Peppe's in Queens.

No matter which street corner you turn to, you're bound to spot a red sauce restaurant within your sightline in New York City. But with so many red awnings, neon signs, and verbiage naming every spot "the best," which do you turn to for dinner? Islands delved through all that sauce and cheese to see which red sauce restaurants in New York City are the most iconic, ranging from L&B Spumoni Gardens, which was named as the best spot for pizza in the state by the Food Network, to Rao's, which is one of the most difficult restaurants to get into on the planet.

To do so, we first evaluated which red sauce spots have the best and most reviews by travelers just like you on sites such as Tripadvisor and Google. Then, we determined which had the most acclaim from food media, including the Food Network, and are also frequented by celebrities who could choose to eat anywhere their palates desire. We also considered which have the most storied and authentic histories, as many spots on this list date back decades — if not more than a century.