Rossopomodoro is one of those magical places that you only seem to find in the West Village. This popular area of Manhattan has an intimate vibe to it, no matter what the season is, that you don’t really find in any other part of the city, as it’s delicious Italian cuisine and romantic atmosphere make it one of the area’s standouts in more ways than one.
Italian-born restaurateur Simone Falco opened Rossopomodoro several years ago prior on top of him running their operations inside the world-renowned Eataly locations in New York, Chicago and Sao Paolo. Something that he focuses on in his West Village location is the health aspect in Italian cooking, as his menus now forgo gluten and dairy and have a focus on wild fish, grass fed beef and veggies galore, something you don’t really see in many of these kinds of establishments.
It’s not much of a surprise why Rossopomodoro has been such a success in the West Village, as its location is quite stellar given where its situated. It is essentially the first thing you see when you are making the turn down Bleeker Street, as its a can’t miss type of presence that many other spaces in Manhattan wish they had but don’t.
The inside part of Rossopomodoro is simply spectacular, as its look and appeal read as any type of classic Italian restaurant you would see in the movies from the 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s. It’s intimacy is something to be enjoyed both on the inside and outside, as the view of the street level of the West Village only enhances your dining experience that much greater.
The food provided was stellar from suit to nuts, as Simone’s menu execution still holds a ton of flavor regardless of the absence of gluten and dairy.
Here’s what you should order (in my honest opinion) the next time you find yourself there. Even though it changes every single day, their Zuppa Del Giorno (soup) was quite wonderful as the Minestrone they provided had a homey-type quality to it that warmed me up in this never ending winter weather we have been experiencing. Another antipasti option that was absolutely delicious was their Spinacio e Mandorla, which is spinach, almond and dried cranberry in a white balsamic vinaigrette. Yum!
For their mains, both the pasta and pizza are superb, but if we had to go with one, the pasta would win out, especially their Tagliatelle al Ragu (classic ragu bolognese slow cooked for 8 hours). Dishes like these are why you visit New York City to experience just how amazing Italian cooking really is, as everything in this tasted amazing to the last bite.
If you have room for dessert, their variety of gelato selections are a great way to end the meal. If you are looking to try something a bit outside the grain, then their Basil gelato has a great zing to it for a flavor that you wouldn’t expect in your dessert. Overall, Rossopomodoro excelled in everything they provided me and my guest that night, and our hopes are that it will do the same for you during your next visit.
Rossopomodoro is located at 18 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10011.
For more information on Rossopomodoro, please check out their official website.