Lilia

Known for having some of the best pasta in New York, getting a reservation at Lilia used to be impossible. These days nabbing a table isn’t so hard (more on that below), but the pasta is just as good. I could not stop eating the ever-popular Sheep’s Milk Cheese Agnolotti (despite my own lactose intolerance), which lived up to the hype. These pillows of puffy whipped cheese in a perfect subtly sweet sauce are a must order. I also tried the Ricotta Gnocchi which included a well made pesto but ate a little dry. Where the Agnolotti shined, other menu items took a hit. The Cacio e Pepe Frittelle (fancy fried mac & cheese balls) are good but overwhelmingly heavy, and the Grilled Scallops are well made but the walnuts and sauce felt disjointed. The Roasted Leek Focaccia is fantastic but the Green Garlic Butter was a little soulless. The most disappointing of all was the Apple Crostata, which came out cold and was topped with a cream instead of their signature gelato, an obvious miss. Despite all of this, I would go back many times over just for that Angelotti.

Who to Bring: Lilia is a tried and true date spot that can easily double as a friend-date-splurge catch up location.

What to Wear: It’s more casual than you think - I watched a woman in a strapless nude bandeau dress and six inch Louboutin’s awkwardly sit at the bar with a scarf over her shoulders, obviously regretting her outfit choice. I would keep it trendy but not over the top.

Reservations: Getting a table at Lilia is easier but not effortless. Reservations open at 10AM 30 days in advance on

Resy. I still recommend that you book exactly 30 days out for your choice of time, but if you miss it you should be able to catch some random openings. I have also had luck with a notify set for early times like 5 or 5:30pm.

Top Row: Roasted Leek Focaccia with Green Garlic Butter; Cacio e Pepe Frittelle; Grilled Scallops || Bottom Row: Ricotta Gnocchi; Sheep’s Milk Cheese Agnolotti; Apple Crostata