Don Angie’s is basically the next Carbone’s in my opinion. I say that though because I haven’t been lucky enough to get a reservation at Carbone, but from what I hear this is a close second. It also seems fitting because it is almost impossible to get a reservation for this place at any “normal” dinner time-, for me that being 6-8:30pm. I tried once to make a reservation for my birthday and I had to wake up one month before the day at 9am to secure a table at 8:45pm for 4 people if that is any consolation to how difficult it can be. But the place also has its moments where you get lucky- like last week for example when my friend just happened to be on Resy and secure a table at 8:15pm on a Monday just two weeks before. So my point is- there is always hope. Besides the difficulty, I would definitely mark this as one of the most trending and delicious restaurants in NYC.

Located in West Village, right across from Equinox (so you can stuff your face and watch sexy models do bicep curls at the same time), is a cute and quaint space right on the corner of Greenwich and W. 12th St. You have the option of dining inside or out and if you have the option for out, I would recommend it if it’s a nice, sunny day in New York. It does get a little loud (with a fire house right down the street) but the night life and people watching are very entertaining and the street picks up after 8pm and becomes a scene full of New Yorkers. If seated inside, the lights do get pretty dim so bring a flashlight or your reading glasses if you’re one of those people.

In terms of the service, they are not ones to mess around. The servers at Don Angie’s have one job and it is to make you think you need anything and everything on the menu. See- this is where they got me once. As stated previously about coming for my birthday, I was lucky enough to snag a time at 8:30 pm for my special day. With that, came the amazing service that Don Angie is notorious for but it also came with a fat check and persuasion amongst all 4 of us participants that we needed to order it all. Yes, everything on the menu is phenomenal, but no- you do not need to order everything. In my opinion, if you are a party of 3-4 people, I would recommend a bottle of wine, 2 starters, 3 entrees and dessert. When we left, we not only had a lot of food left over, but also no intention to take it all because we were on to bigger and better things. For a food rundown, here’s what my ultimate faves are  and what I would recommend:

Drinks:

The wine list is quite phenomenal but being 23 and living in New York on a budget does not give me the ability to order anything and everything on the menu so I generally stick to the house wine or Montepulciano. But if you are a wine snob and looking for a great, diverse wine list- this is the place for you. Along with that, they also make this very tasty fruit based martini concoction as a complimentary drink if you are celebrating something. I am not too sure what it was exactly, but it was quite tasty and I would definitely recommend a full sized one if you can find out what the hell it was.

Appetizers:

The stuffed garlic flatbread is an absolute MUST. It is by far one of the most delicious, flavorful, yet simple things you will ever put in your mouth. Think a quesadilla type texture, with garlic and the perfect amount of cheese. Next on the list of starters,  I would try the Chrysanthemum salad which is basically lettuce and a pile of parmesan cheese on top. Delicious, simple, and a great way to make you feel like you are eating healthy when in fact there is more cheese than lettuce on the plate. Lastly, the BBQ Calamari is a crowd favorite. I have never actually tried it myself but it is recommended to me almost every time by all of my friends so in my next visit, I will definitely have to try it.

Entrees:

For entrees I always get the “Lasagna for two”. Now, here is the secret behind the lasagna- it can actually be for 4-6 people depending on how much you order because the dish is huge! It comes with 6 rolled lasagna wheels that are about the size of a patty and very filling. This is also up to your discretion, as I have ordered it once with another person and we were able to eat the whole thing, just the 2 of us. But if you are planning on ordering more than one entree, I would recommend holding off if it’s just the 2 of you or preparing yourself to take some home with you. But definitely, 100% order this if you have not had it yet, as it is not like any other lasagna you have tried. It is moist, yet has a a little bit of a crunch from being baked, it’s not too saucy, and the perfect amount of ricotta. Another recommendation I would say to try would be the Buffalo Milk Caramelle pasta. It is quite tasty and very different to the average Italian dish you would expect.

Dessert:

The Honey Zeppole! Oh boy how phenomenal they are! Picture a small donut (similar to a Dunkin Donuts munchkin) with pistachios and a whipped cream type conception on the top. This is the only dessert I have tried and I think it will forever be the only because it is just that tasty. It is the perfect amount of sweet and not too overwhelming in that “donut type taste”.

The overall experience at Don Angie is fabulous, it is an elegant and quaint restaurant with all different types of people ranging from all different age groups. The service is great, the atmosphere is fun and the food is some of the best in NYC. Note that it isn’t the cheapest Italian restaurant in New York but it is also not the most expensive either so that’s always a plus. So keep your stomach empty, your wallet open, and your heart ready to be satisfied.