Turn on those Resy notifications, people.
It’s the hunger games when it comes to New York City’s most sought-after Italian restaurants.
We’ve rounded up a list of the hardest places to get a reservation in Manhattan, all of which serve the best pasta in town.
Keep reading for our tips and tricks to get a seat at one of NYC’s toughest tables.
I Sodi
View this post on Instagram
Trying to get a reservation at I Sodi is the equivalent of trying to get pre-sale tickets at John Mayer. Kidding, but it will give you the same amount of daily—hourly— panic attacks. Set your alarms till 11:59, and log onto Resy at exactly midnight to secure the golden ticket. It’s going to take determination and a lot of browser refreshing, but securing a table at this authentic Tuscan-style Italian joint is well worth the much-needed Xanax.
Don Angie
View this post on Instagram
The famous Lasagna For Two is worth all the blood, sweat, and tears required to secure a table at Don Angie. We would do crazy things for the Pin-wheel-style lasagna with oozing layers of béchamel, mozzarella, and parmesan. And by crazy, we mean ferociously logging onto Resy at 9 am and missing our first meeting of the day. Reservations are released 7 days in advance at exactly 9, so make sure to have a strong cup of espresso to give yourself that extra burst of energy. Trust us, you’ll need it.
L'Artusi
View this post on Instagram
An oldie but a goodie, the Chitarra with garlic, chilies, and parmesan at L’Artusi is worth all the fuss. And by all the fuss, we mean all of the minor—major—inconveniences it takes to snag a reservation at this old-fashioned, West Village hub. Reservations release on a rolling two-week basis, each day at 9 am on Resy. The fact that restaurants release reservations like colleges release admissions is absolutely crazy, but we’ll do it time and time again for the homemade pasta.
Via Carota
View this post on Instagram
Many people don’t even know Via Carota takes reservations, which just proves how hard they are to come by. If you don’t want to put your name down at 4 and be told to come back at 9, try to secure a reservation on Resy 30 days in advance. Reservations are extremely limited, so be sure to mark your calendars! I don’t know about you, but I’ll make dinner plans one month in advance with that guy I’m not sure I’m into, just for the Cacio e Pepe.
Rezdôra
View this post on Instagram
Rezdôra is the silent assassin that just snuck up on all of us pasta lovers, but I’m here for it. Now, if you don’t Instagram the Anolini de Parma—Aka, the green pasta—you’re literally behind the times. Reservations are released three weeks in advance on Resy and they fly fast! The Maccheroni al Pettine is a good enough excuse to be social and make those plans you have been putting off for months.
Rubirosa
View this post on Instagram
While the housemade pasta at Rubirosa is worth stalking Resy four times a day, the signature Tie-Dye Pie is worth a string of sleepless nights. Reservations are released on Resy seven days in advance, so you better have your weekend plans set straight. If Resy randomly decides to stop working—you’re talking to a survivor of such catastrophe—you can call the restaurant directly and beg for a table.
Rao’s
View this post on Instagram
Step aside Leonardo DiCaprio and Martha Stewart, we’re trying to get a table at Rao’s. This celebrity-studded hub is notoriously the most difficult reservation to get in NYC. Every single table has been booked every night for the past 38 years, so how do we get in? Although most tables are assigned to steady customers, we highly recommend going early and getting a drink at the bar. After a few negronis, you can muster up the courage to talk to Frank Pellegrino Jr., the co-owner of this East Harlem Institution who is always walking around and schmoozing. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a taste of the most delicious red sauce—at the bar, of course.
Carbone
View this post on Instagram
If Rao’s is the toughest reservation to get in New York City, Carbone is a close second. The Spicy Rigatoni from this A-lister Italian landmark needs no introduction. It’s an absolute bloodbath when Carbone releases their dinner reservations seven days in advance. Resy is guaranteed to go into absolute shock, but hopefully, you will too once you secure this nearly impossible table! If you’re lucky enough to get in, you absolutely need to order the off-the-menu meatballs and add them to your pasta.
Lillia
View this post on Instagram
Missy Robbins deserves a medal for her unmatched pasta-making skills. We guess a James Beard Award for Best Chef in New York City will suffice. Although getting a table at Lillia may feel like a superhuman task, if you set your mind to something, anything is possible. Reservations are available on Resy thirty days in advance, but make sure to look out for new reservations releasing every day at 10 am. The Pink Peppercorn Malfadini is worth every early morning heart attack.
In the wise words of Olivia Rodrigo, it really is brutal out here.
Photography by: Sourced from Unsplash
