Celeste
Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria$$$$
Upper West Side, New York
The experts at The Corcoran Group and Serious Eats recommend this place
"Awesome homemade pasta and really great wine selection."(5 Tips)
"The tagliatelle was excellent, the gnocchi bland, the penne soso."(6 Tips)
"Arguably one of the best, most authentic Italian spots in the city."(6 Tips)
"The branzino ravioli special is delicious."(10 Tips)
121 Tips and reviewsFilter:
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Arguably one of the best, most authentic Italian spots in the city. Chat up the owner while you wait & learn about the solid wine selection. Tagliatelle followed by tiramisu is where it's at.
Serious EatsJuly 17, 2013The ricotta ravioli is one of the few perfect plates of pasta in the city and the cheese plate is as good as you'll find (smuggled directly in from Italy!)
KarenNovember 8, 2016Amazing food. Great ambiance. Stellar staff. I love the family feel and the way everyone who works there treats you like a friend. Definitely have the tiramisu (best I've ever had).
Daan V.October 27, 2011It's small, it's cozy, it has great food and affordable. What else do you need from a neighborhood restaurant? The go to place for when I have friends from back home coming over. Amazing gnocchi.
Lior YanayJune 11, 2016Super authentic Italian food! The pasta is great, but the pizza is amazing. One of the best sauces I had. The tiramisu is very good and not too sweet. Cash only, so come prepared.
William StudartMay 20, 2016One of the best Italian restaurants I've had the pleasure to eat. Authentic Italian, the space is small, so you may have to wait, but that wait is totally worth it. The pizza is great!
JPNovember 12, 2015Great for dates, we came for brunch and the French toast was delicious. Skip the eggs. Will definitely be coming back for pizza and pasta
Omar HarounSeptember 11, 2013Authentic, cozy Italian restaurant. Everything we had was amazing, in particular the veal special, the hand-made pasta, and the napoletana pizza. Great manhattan dining w/out the manhattan prices
David SmagulaNovember 6, 2012This place is great. Delicious food, at least a dozen bottles of wine under 30 dollars and another dozen under 45. Carmine is a character but I love the guy. Get a pizza for app and the tagliatelle.
The Corcoran GroupApril 30, 2012This little gem is cash only and there is usually a line, but the inconvenience is well worth it once you bite into your Quattro Stagioni Pizza or Tagliatelle Con Gamberi E Verza.
You can't go wrong with any of the pastas- all delicious and made fresh in house! Affordable and friendly- the owner is always there chatting with customers. One of my favorite Italian places in NYC.
Yuriy RuskoSeptember 13, 2011Always full and worth the wait. The food is exquisite and a steal at the price. Try the penne with fresh buffalo mozzarella. Bring some cash as they don't take cards.
Hani HongMay 25, 2014If Tagliatelle Norma is ever on the specials list, stop looking at the menu and order this Immediately. It's the best dish of pasta and sauce I've had since I lived in Italy.
BravoJanuary 27, 2010Celeste is a cash only family-owned Italian restaurant where the pasta is made fresh daily. The chef goes to Italy every month to hand-pick several local and hard-to-come-by cheeses. The recitation of- Audrey TolbertAugust 7, 2013Adorable spot! Awesome homemade pasta and really great wine selection. Legit Italian and the whole place, from the interior to the owner to the menu, reflects it!
Amazing Italian food. No reservations, cash only, slightly surly service, but delicious food. A great neighborhood place and an off-the beaten-path spot for tourists.
Pasta with clams really good, ask for a bit of the special olive oil for a little kick of spice
Cosy Italian restaurant, Upper West Side gem. Very inexpensive. Cash only. Be prepared to wait ~20 min but the food and atmosphere is worth the wait. Read more
Dustin WingateDecember 31, 2011This place is simply amazing! Fantastic food (I recommend the Margarita pizza), fantastic service, and a fantastic experience. The owner is terrific and this place easy acquires its five star rating!
Ben KNovember 19, 2011Tiny, cash-only, but very funny and attentive wait staff, incredible authentic Italian food, and a wonderful local environment. Definitely recommended if you're in the area, or if not worth the trip!
Joe RizkJune 5, 2013True authentic Italian. Always fresh pasta and cheeses. The tiramisu (made daily by the owner) with dark chocolate chips is a must try. Cash only
Sal OliveiraSeptember 1, 2013Beautiful little traditional napolitan cantina, with one of the best tomato sauces I've ever had - and that's coming from a hardcore tomato sauce lover.
You blew it if you didn't order the vermicelli alla vongole (spaghetti with clams). Ask for the spicy oil.
- Serious EatsJuly 17, 2013The neighborhood Italian restaurant you wish your neighborhood had. Ricotta ravioli is one of the city's top plates of pasta.
AleAugust 22, 2021I would say go for the "Super Pizza". The lasagna tastes good but unfortunately not "al dente" which is a downside for me. I will give it another try thanks to its good service
Caroline RitterJanuary 20, 2019The pizza is great! It’s super charming and tiny, but worth being squeezed in.
New York HabitatNovember 23, 2011No frills here, just great food at a good price. Keep an eye out for their pasta specials every night and be sure to bring cash - cards are not accepted.
Josh WrightJune 5, 2017The only authentic Italian place I have found in New York. The staff and owner are really nice and helpful too.
Tasting TableAugust 2, 2012Try eggplant rolls ($8.50) and fried ricotta to round out your meal. With seriously cheap prices, don't skip dessert: Finish with the warm apple tart ($5.50): Read more
Itamar HauserSeptember 24, 2014The Ricotta and spinach ravioli was terrific indeed but it's not very filing as it's quite a small dish. The shrimps & calamari wasn't really tasty and is not recommended. The prices are really good.
Ailie ChangJanuary 25, 2015CASH ONLY. Tagliatelle and Ravioli dishes are good. Go for lunch so you don't have to wait too long. Small quaint restaurant.
Sara YApril 26, 2016Ravioli with ricotta and spinach. Also make sure to have a chat with the owner; he's a delight.
Emily JenkinsAugust 18, 2015This is my absolute favourite restaurant on the uws. I adore their pastas, and the atmosphere is lovely.
The long wait is worth it, all the dishes there are delicious. Gnocchi for the win.
Idit Duvdevany AronsohnDecember 7, 2018Really good food, and the best tiramisu in the city! Please note it's a cash only restaurant
This must be the best italian place in the city, especially given the good prices. Order the desert cheese plate (5, 10, or more!) and see Carmine, the owner, rattle off each cheese's history. Fun!
Samantha TaubeMay 25, 2015Great local spot that has been on the UWS forever. Good food but not the best on the UWS
Village VoiceAugust 15, 2014Perhaps its greatest notoriety rests on a splendid Italian cheese course-served with various honeys, nuts, and preserves. Read more
Best Italian on the UWS. "Frying is the great pleasure of Neopolitan cooking."
Celeste is a neighborhood secret. It serves the best pasta and pizza in the neighborhood. The owner makes his own cheese and loves talking about cars especially Audis. What more can you ask for?
Martin RigbyMay 23, 2014If you like being verbally abused by the host you'll like this place. Some people do that and it's funny but this guy is just, not. Food is pretty good, but with so many great choices in New York...
vrunjal parikhMarch 31, 2015Family owned Italian restaurant! Gets crowded so the earlier the better. Food is amazing!!
Simple, perfect neighborhood joint for great Italian. Cash only.- Theres a secret list of 🍷 here. When you arrive, press ⬆️⬆️⬇️⬇️⬅️➡️⬅️➡️🅱🅰 in foursquare to unlock it.
- ChristinaMay 3, 2015The branzino ravioli special is delicious. Thought it was odd that they couldn't get a lemon peel for espresso though.
Rina KapuyaJuly 9, 2013make sure your party is on time. they don't let you sit at a table until the third person for your table for three shows up. might mean you stand around for a few minutes.
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- Mon–Sun
- 4:00 PM–9:30 PM
(212) 874-4559
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